Ahoy, Sailors! Welcome to the web page for our 1981 model Pearson 28. Ours is #342 of the Bill Shaw designed series that was produced during the model years 1975 through 1982. The boat is sort of a 'middle child' between the extremely popular Pearson 26 and what is perhaps one of the best racer-cruiser 'sleepers' of all time, the Pearson 30. The P28 incorporates some design and construction features from each of these boats, plus it has a few others that are unique.

We found the boat for sale early one December at a broker's lot. Shopping for a different boat at the time, we had noticed the yellow Pearson standing proud, even though her decks were covered in snow. Because the day was so cold and windy, we passed her by on our first visit to the boatyard. Later on, after talking about her with the broker, we decided to go back and look at the boat, and were shown through by the yard manager. We fell in love with the boat's simple but effective design and interior layout. The boat was a little short on maintenance, but overall in good enough shape. We figured she would clean up pretty nice, so we put in a purchase offer.

We had the boat trucked from Buffalo on Lake Erie to Sodus Point, NY on Lake Ontario, just in time for the holidays. In spite of the cold weather, we began to work on her a bit. What started as a little sprucing up became an all-out refurbishing effort. The bottom paint, keel fairing, upholstery and interior hull lining all needed work. The gelcoat was grubby and chalked, so it was solvent washed with acetone to clean it and buffed with NuFinish to perk it up. We took the sails to the Haarstick loft for a once over, and had some new halyards made up at Shumway Marine. We also spliced up some new sheets and control lines, and bought her a proper set of fenders. After about 3 months work and more than just a few greenbacks for bottom paint, supplies and some new safety gear, we were ready for launch.

This is a great sailing boat. Her deep rudder with partial skeg gives absolute control even in high winds and confused seas. She is well balanced, relatively stiff and will pretty much sail herself upwind. I've sailed aboard more than just a few boats over the years, enough to know that this is one of the good ones.

E-mail Mark Petrush: mpetrush@frontiernet.net