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Asking for Pearson 32 Help

5K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  eherlihy 
#1 ·
Hello,


I'm Looking at a Pearson 32 to purchase and I need a little advice. The original engine has been removed to rebuild. One question; is 11hp enough, this boat will be on the great lakes. should I use this opportunity to repower? engine is the standard universal.

Another question; What do you like and dislike about this boat ? I've read as much as I could find about it. Any gotchas?

Any info and thoughts are eagerly sought!

Thanks,

Mark
 
#5 ·
Mark - I have Pearson 32 #10 - bought earlier this year, so far I have mostly good things to say. I also have a 2GM20F, and it is plenty of power, although mine is not pitched properly so I cannot get to recommended operating rpms. there are conflicting opinions on how much of an issue this is,

are you cruising or racing? My only other boat was a 23' southcoast so I have limited comparisons, but I would say for cruising, she is a little small, esp in the v-berth, and mine does not have pressurized water or a shower. ventilation is poor.

for racing, i would say she is very good, definitely consider an asymmetric spinnaker and removable sprit pole, I wish i had an adjustable backstay. i have not raced her long enough to decide if she races to her rating easily (I am not good enough to get there)!

Norsearayder - I thought you had some documentation also, manual and more - I would love to have more than what I posted a few months ago - can you share yours?

Thanks

Sandy
 
#6 ·
Sandy,

I don't race like I used to, but I do want to do a few, Got two teenage girls, want them to get more sailing in, we are on the Great Lakes, (Huron), and will do some trips to the North Channel, Canada etc. This boat is nice that it is as delivered from the factory, and not hacked up, but I will need to add equipment. I'm going to do the usual rigging changes, cabin top winches, stoppers, another set of winches etc.

It would be nice to see your boat and its layout of the deck!

Thanks for responding!

Mark
 
#7 ·
Mark - Did you buy the boat?

Yes - mine has halyards run back to the cockpit, with cabintop winches for same deck organizers etc..

It's bizarre because in pictures I've seen from pearson literature some boats appear to have cabin top winches standard AND mast winches, and others have just mast winches plus genoa tension winch just aft of the mast. Likewise I've seen pictures of boats with the wheel all the way aft in the cockpit, and others mid-cockpit, and I've heard from people who say their's was delivered with a tiller. What's your setup like? I'm equally interested in the 'stock' setup as you are in the mods! I'll try to take some pictures soon.
 
#8 ·
I'm doing due dilligence right now now, the engine thing is a big concern, the 11 horse is out and needs a rebuild, so I'm looking at options for that. This boat has the teak toerail, with tracks aft, cabin top winch, and a winch on the mast. Complete teak and holly sole below. Minimal sail complement. No chute, pole, or rigging for it. Roller furling, its thought that it wasn't ever really cruised at all. Nothing below to indicate anything like that. Probably just was day sailed around Long Island.

Mark
 
#13 ·
there are a few variations on the p-32,mine does have teak toe rails and a forward wheell also a tapered mast . my yanmar was put in before i bought her,however it looks as though the engine was a good fit to the bed,also 13 sails came with her..yes she does go to phrf rating and i sometimes move by larger boats with lower ratings..sandy i thought you had all the liteterature on the p-32...great boat...the rudder lower unit attachment point was a weak point on mine and i ended up replacing major bolt with a larger one.i would be hugely interested in any close up pics of you alls lower rudder side bottom and aft shots... acouple of weeks ago this slighly smaller sloop could not get away from me with all his rags up,i had only a 130 jib up . this happens quite often.the only boats that walk away r j boats also sabre32s run side by side with me
 
#14 ·
Mark, I've spent plenty of time on a P32 and loved the boat. But I'd swear it was way more than an 11hp engine.

Are you saying "for sure" the ORIGINAL engine on that boat as 11hp? Or more likely, some cheapass PO installed an 11hp replacement engine, and that's what's out for a rebuild now?

If it is an Atomic4, IIRC that might be called 11hp when the constrictor plate was installed, but that's also rated 30hp at higher rpm without the plate. (The plate was installed in some engines to bring them under a tariff point on hp, makes a good paperweight unless you're shipping one across borders.)

I'd say leave it out if it is really an 11hp engine. 11hp is just the wrong engine to waste money on. Good for docking but a cruel joke for trying to make safe harbor in a storm.
 
#16 ·
I have the full owners manual for a 1981 Pearson 32
have complete parts list as well. If someone could tell me where to post it on Sailnet. may take a week or so to get full copy to file. I would be happy to share. Have the 11hp engine, tons of winches on cabin top and wheel is aft in cockpit, aluminum toerail.
Sail out of buzzards bay cape cod engine gives plenty of power for woods hole. We launched once there was almost identical 1980 Pearson 32 being launched he had teak toe rail. he didn't like the maintenance of it.
 

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#17 ·
I suggest that you post the manuals that you have to a cloud-based file sharing service, such as DropBox, and then post a link here. If you don't have an account, you can get one here; https://db.tt/2vttSw1y
 
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