Description
The Pearson Petrel is a lightweight, trailerable 12-foot fiberglass sailing dinghy designed by William H. "Bill" Tritt as a modern reinterpretation of traditional New England cat-rigged centerboard boats, emphasizing simplicity, portability, and fun for family day sailing or introductory racing. Introduced in the early 1960s by Pearson Yachts, it features a cat rig (fractional Marconi sloop) with a rotating aluminum mast, full flotation for safety, and versatile conversion to a rowing dinghy or outboard tender, all while retaining classic lines like a spoon bow and wineglass transom. At just 160 lbs, it's easily cartopped or trailered, rigged in minutes, and self-bailing—ideal for beaches, lakes, or sheltered coastal waters, with capacity for 2–3 adults.
Developed amid Pearson Yachts' expansion into affordable small boats following the Triton success, the Petrel was penned by Tritt—renowned for his traditional-inspired designs like the Pearson Packet—to blend wood-boat aesthetics with fiberglass durability. Debuting around 1962 (with some sources citing 1964), it was hand-laid at Pearson's Portsmouth, Rhode Island facility under Grumman ownership, priced at about $500–$600 new for mass-market appeal. Production was brief (1962–1964), with estimates of 50–100 units built before focus shifted to larger models; no licensed variants followed, but it shares DNA with contemporaries like the Resolute. Today, a niche community via the Pearson Yachts Portal maintains these classics through shared restorations and events.
