Pearson Vanguard (tall rig)
Description
The Pearson Vanguard (Tall Rig) is a heavy-displacement fiberglass bluewater cruiser designed by Philip L. Rhodes for Pearson Yachts, produced from 1963 to 1967 as a masthead sloop variant with a taller mast (I=41 ft vs. standard 37.5 ft) for enhanced sail area (up to 540 ft²) and improved light-air performance while retaining the model's renowned stability and seaworthiness. Featuring a fin keel with skeg-hung rudder for protected steering and a wide beam for interior volume, it prioritizes offshore capability and family cruising, sleeping six in two private staterooms with 6 ft 2 in headroom, powered by the reliable Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine. Priced around $18,000 new, the tall rig option appealed to racers seeking more power without sacrificing the Vanguard's "sea kindly" motion, making it a durable classic for coastal or transoceanic voyages. Philip Rhodes, a master of seaworthy designs like the Bounty II, created the Vanguard (design #C-749) in 1962 to meet the demand for a robust 32-footer under CCA rules, with the tall rig introduced early as a factory option for better upwind drive in variable winds. Built at Pearson's Portsmouth, Rhode Island facility under Grumman Allied Industries, total production reached 404 units (mostly standard sloop, ~50-70 tall rig, with rare yawls), hand-laid in thick solid fiberglass (no core) for exceptional longevity—many have circumnavigated. The tall rig debuted alongside the standard in 1963, earning acclaim in reviews for its balance; production ended in 1967 as Pearson transitioned to Bill Shaw's designs. An active Vanguard Owners Group (pearsonvanguard.org) preserves the fleet with regattas and resources.
Construction Details
| Designer | Phil Rhodes |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pearson Yachts |
| Length | 32.580 ft |
| LOA | 32.580 ft |
| LWL | 22.330 ft |
| Beam | 9.250 ft |
| Displacement | 10300 lb |
| Ballast | 4250 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
| Year Built | 1963 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 40.60 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 12.30 ft |
| p | 35 ft |
| e | 15.30 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40.60 ft | 12.30 ft | 35 ft | 15.30 ft | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Pearson Vanguard (tall rig) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 35 ft - (10668 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.3 ft - (4663 mm) |
| Leech | * 37.43 ft - (11409 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 37.71 ft - (11494 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 275.37 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Vanguard (tall rig) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 33.94 ft - (10345 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 16.14 ft - (4919 mm) |
| Leech | * 29.74 ft - (9065 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.96 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 14.14 ft - (4310 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.95 ° |
| Area | * 240 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Vanguard (tall rig) - GENOA
| Luff | * 40.3 ft - (12283 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 19.74 ft - (6017 mm) |
| Leech | * 38.05 ft - (11598 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.45 ft - (5624 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 371.75 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Vanguard (tall rig) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 40.3 ft - (12283 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 22.14 ft - (6748 mm) |
| Foot | * 22.14 ft - (6748 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 758 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.