Pearson 28

me262 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-14-2006

A 1977 Pearson 28 has become available at a very good $$$$.

These boats seem to have a very good reputation amongst cruisers. This boat is very 'bare bones' except that it does have 3 jibs and a spinnaker. It also sports a rebuilt Atomic 4.

I will have to pay for transporting this boat to one of our 'gulf ports', inspect and paint the bottom, then recomission and find a slip. Pretty normal stuff (I hope!!!).

My question is:

I want to cruise the Gulf coast, then head to Central America. I will be shorthanded with maybe 1 other crew. Lots of folks swear that you cant cruise unless you have a 40+ foot boat, that you have to have every imaginable electronic navigational and communication gadget, not to meantion a/c, refridgerator, etc., etc., etc.!!!!!

Then there's the other school: K.I.S.S.!!!!! Which is more in line with my thinking.

Is this boat of substantial design and construction to go where I intend and handle whatever the weather gods should throw at me????

SailorMitch · #2 (**permalink**) 03-14-2006

Your last question is a loaded one about the boat handling "whatever the weather gods throw at me." The boat is approaching 30 years in age, and you're expecting a lot from it unless lots of gear and systems on the boat have been upgraded. Pearson's are terrific coastal cruisers, and the answer to your question lies both in the maintenance of the boat, and in your skills and experiences. People have sailed around the world in (heavily modified) Catalina 27's and Cal 25's. Doesn't mean I would do it of course. Your P-28 is better built that those boats, but is the particular one you're considering up to going to Central America? Hard for anyone on this forum to say.

Email me directly and I can put you in contact with a couple of P-28 owners who can provide input.

As for size of the boat, 28 feet is fine for what you want to do. It's more a question of how well the boat is prepared, and how well you are prepared, than size of the boat.

paulk · #3 (**permalink**) 03-14-2006

Try checking out this link for more on shorthanded cruising in smaller Pearsons:
http://www.atomvoyages.com/articles/articles.htm

sailingfool · #4 (**permalink**) 03-14-2006

ME262 (very strange handle...like Messerschmitt the jet?)
"These boats seem to have a very good reputation amongst cruisers" does not ring true to me - I'd say the P28 has(or had) a good reputation amongst MORC/PHRF racers. The P28 was designed to be a successful round-the-bouy racer, and that is was. Although one COULD prepare a P28 for global crusining, it beats me why you would try to - that boat is simply not a good starting point. Rating racing was its design focus. It'll never make a good cruising boat, even IF you invested the extensive and expensive upgrades needed to makeit a safe cruising boat. You can find other boats, even less expensive, such as CAL 28s, more suitable for such use.

Another reference as to what cruising CAN be done in small boats is The DOVE by Robin Graham (see; http://www.solopublications.com/sailglad.htm ), around the world in a CAL 24. To buy a budget pocket racer with the expectation of eventually cruising it offshore would a dream amounting to financial suicide even if the process doesn't kill you. You'll have to replace and/or upgrade everything in the boat, and you'd still end up with a poor solution that could have cost a good deal more than a buying a more suitable model, ready to go.

Good luck

me262 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-19-2006

Wow...You really busted my bubble on the P-28. Are you sure we're talking about the same boat?

There were 3 different models: The 1st was an Alber design. Then around 1975-85(?) it was a Bill Shaw design. This is the boat I'm considering.

Then there was a much lighter displacement P-28-2 produced into the 90's. Could this be the boat you're thinking of? Or is the Bill Shaw design a crappy offshore boat?

Thanks for the input!

SailorMitch · #6 (**permalink**) 03-19-2006

Perhaps it's the P-30 that Sailingfool is thinking of? I'm not aware of the P-28 as being known as a racer, but the P-30 was (and is.) ME262, I know someone who owns one of the boats you're looking at. Email me directly and I'll get you in touch with him. He's quite knowledgable and should be some help with your questions.

PBzeer · #7 (**permalink**) 03-19-2006

The P28-2 was also a Bill Shaw design, a bit more interior room and slightly better performance than the P28-1.