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Old 28-08-2006, 08:19   #1
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Pearson 36 (Plain ol' 36, '72-'76.) Anyone know this boat?

Hi there! My husband and I are looking at a Pearson 36

(this model: http://pearsoninfo.net/36/36.htm)

and have done a very thorough search on the internet. We've come up with precious little information beyond what is on the website above and the article in Good Old Boat about the project boat "Sundog."

We're looking for a boat the two of us could sail along the coast and around the Carribean. I know this boat was designed as a IOR racer/cruiser, and that as a group these boats had their shortcomings. How does this particular boat stack up? Is it sturdy/stable enough for what we have in mind? What are it's sailing characteristics?

Also, has anyone had experience with a boat with the wheel forward in the cockpit? We find it appealing that there would be protection from a dodger, but does this make using an autopilot more problematic?

Thanks for your time!

Kim
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Old 28-08-2006, 12:40   #2
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Hi Kim,

Can't address the Pearson question, but do have experience with a forward mounted wheel. I loved it. The boat is a Columbia 40 with the wheel pedestal mounted immediatly behind the companionway bridgedeck.

Advantages:
1. Can helm the boat while sitting under the dodger in bad weather
2. Primary winches are right at hand next to you. This makes single handing a breeze.
3. All the goons (I mean friends) that pester you to take them out so they can sit about and drink beer are all behind the action. No one getting caught up in the sheets, blocking your line of sight, etc.
4. The pedestal makes a very convenient handhold for entering and leaving the companionway in rough weather.
5. If you mount your VHF, radar, chartplotter, whatever immediatly inside the companionway, you can reach/see it very easily.

Disadvantage:
1. Difficult to mount one of those pedestal cockpit tables

As for autopilot, I assume you mean windvane self steering? All below deck or wheel pilots fit as usual. The new owner of my boat has fitted a windvane and it works nicely. The only drawback is that the control lines connect from the wheel to a turning block on the coaming on one side of the cockpit when being used. This means that if you chose to pass forward on this side of the cockpit, you have to step over the lines. The other side is free.

Mark
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Old 28-08-2006, 13:25   #3
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if you are going to Florida or the Bahamas .. check out the Pearson 365 .. it has a 4.5' draft
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Old 28-08-2006, 15:53   #4
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Thanks, Mark, for relating your experience with the wheel forward. It's good to hear that it's worked out well for you. So that's encouraging...

I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my first post, but we are looking at a specific boat and sure would like to hear some input about the P36(-I) model in particular. (If only I were looking at a 365 I wouldn't have to bother anybody! Lots of information on what looks like a nice cruising boat.)
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Old 28-08-2006, 20:18   #5
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Perhaps the Pearson owners' list at www.sailnet.com
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Old 29-08-2006, 00:17   #6
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I've got a Pearson 35 with the wheel forward. It has all the advantages listed above. Disadvantages for pendulum servo self steering is running the control ropes to the wheel and the fact that wheels, in general, basically suck. The PO on my boat hooked up the Monitor vane via blocks that run the lines through the lazarette to the cockpit sole and then forward to the wheel. A homemade grate on the sole keeps you from stepping on the line.

If you want to make optimum use of self steering, ditch the wheel. The friction in the cables and pulleys of the wheel make the vane steer poorly. Where the vane on my much bigger, heavier, old boat with a tiller would steer the boat if there was enough wind to move the boat. It takes a goodly amount of hull speed and very careful trim to balance the boat to get the P35 to self steer. There is so much friction in the wheel it just doesn't work as well as I know it could with a tiller.

If you want to go with a Self Steering Vane, check out the Cap Horn gear. They have some ingenious ways of mounting that keeps all the control lines out of the cockpit.

Aloha
Peter O.

As far as autopilot, the placement of the wheel makes no difference. One of those wheel bandits will work as well as the much more expensive below decks variety. Because of the shortcomings of wheels, an auto pilot probably would be a better investment than a self steering vane. Of course you have to have humongous battery and charging capacity to keep up with the A/P but it should work under all condtions. Now, being sure all the electrons keep going to where they are supposed to go is another story.

Aloha
Peter O.
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Old 29-08-2006, 17:16   #7
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Thanks, Peter, for the information on the wheel. This is all very helpful and I appreciate the input. (Went to Hawaii for the first time this year, btw, and loved it! I'm kinda disappointed that we didn't make it to the Big Island- guess we'll have to go back!)

We took the advice to post on Sailnet and the Pearson Owner's Group, so we'll see if that turns up anything at all.
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Old 08-09-2006, 14:32   #8
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Hi Kim,

We just decided to sell our P-36, 1973. If you are interested, it's in Branford, CT and has been upgraded since we owned it. We are the second owners. I recently had a new Yanmar 30GM30F installed. It has less than 25 hours on it. You can see itr on the www.abl.com web site. I haven't taken interior pictures as of yet. I would take $50,000. bewfore I have to put it on dry dock.

We will be leaving for Croatia, next week to do some cruising on a Jeanneau Moorings Boat and will return around Oct 4th.

Sonny
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Old 08-09-2006, 14:53   #9
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Hi Kim,

I gave you the wrong website it should be www.ablboats.com . There are 2 P-36 vessels in St. Thomas. When cruising last year we saw one and met the owner. She was originally from Cape Cod and her father went down with his P-36 also. I think it was her father. She does day charters out of St. Thomas and the nearby USVI. Her name is Pamela Heath, email: Pam@Sailing.com; www.DaysailFantasy.com, phone 1-340-775-5652.

Sonny
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Old 14-09-2006, 12:10   #10
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Sonny,

We were interested in a boat that was nearby and considerably less expensive, however the owner decided to take it off the market. Your boat is lovely. Thanks for your reply.
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Old 02-02-2007, 21:45   #11
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I went back to look over some posts and to answer your question about the wheel forward, I have seen it moved toward the stern; but I prefer it forward. There would not be a problem with the autopilot because it is smaller than the wheel itself.

I still have SKYLARK on the market and have dropped the price to $40,000.00. The first price was set up by abl.com; I found out even with all my upgrades this was high. You can check her out on:

Boats for sale at seeboat.com. Buy or sell a used boat using our unique search1973 36' ,20 PEARSON RACER/CRUISER
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s/y NIRVANA, SO49
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Old 21-04-2011, 14:40   #12
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Re: Pearson 36 (Plain ol' 36, '72-'76.) Anyone know this boat?

This post is pretty old, but figured I'd throw this out in case anyone else is contemplating buying a P36. We own one, and along with a few other owners have put up a little website w/ info on them, along with projects and upgrades. If you're looking for more info:

Pearson 36 > Home
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Old 03-03-2012, 09:31   #13
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Re: Pearson 36 (Plain ol' 36, '72-'76.) Anyone know this boat?

Yes. My father owned Hull #1, I sailed with Bill Shaw on his prototype boat and now own Hull #55, "Phoenix" in Rhode Island.
Pearson was a manufacturer of solid boats. That said this is now was 40 year old boat that has the potential of water infiltration damage and softening of glass in certain areas, typical of fin keeled boats. I have addressed much of this in my boat and continue to this day.
The wheel forward is mandatory for proper performance in the 36. The aft position puts weight where it can not be afforded. The 36 has very little displacement as of the aft end of the cockpit. Thus any weight aft is unsupported and encourages hobby horsing when going to weather. Going to weather in a sea is the 36's strongest point of sail. With the 56" of bow clear of the water she seldom punches into a wave, up and over she goes.

Pearson over built the hull and rigging specifications which means that fundamentally these are still great boat. On the glass work end of things I have removed the cabin sole by going all around the perimeter with a long bladed saber saw so the blade would bend to follow the hull as I cut it. I then ground the hull smooth with a 24 grit disc on a angle grinder and built and installed nine bulkheads starting as far forward as I could and spacing them aft to the base of the stairs and engine compartment. The bulkheads where solid glass about 3/8 to 1/2 thick with a right angle bend at the top to stiffen them. These were heavily glassed in and tremendously strengthened the bilge and keel sump.

I re-powered her with a Volvo D-30 which involved removing the atomic 4 engine base and glassing in two stringers longitudinally to mount the engine.

They are great boats and can be bought quite reasonably. The best sails for the 36 are built by Steve Thurston of Quantum Thurston in Rhode Island.
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