The Pearson 323 was produced by Pearson Yachts in Rhode island from 1976 through 1981. Although the exact number is unknown, it is believed that over 350 were built. Designed by Bill Shaw, as most Pearsons were, it bucked contemporary design trends of the time by being very focused on its designed purpose rather than following trends. In the mid 1970s, IOR rating rules influenced the design of many yacht from major builders like Catalina, Ericson and Islander. These boats were compromises, trying to combine the comforts of coastal cruisers with the rule-beating design specifications of the IOR. The results were often less than successful, yielding awkward looking and sailing yachts.
Bill Shaw, on the other hand, designed the 323 as a coastal cruiser without regard for the IOR. He designed it for comfort, capability and style, targets that he hit with this and other of his designs during that time. This is one of the reasons why the 323, and most other Pearsons are being enjoyed, and treasured, by their owners today.
Although not explicitly stated in any Pearson literature, the 323 target was the middle of the price market for this size boat. The money was spent on the structure and functional equipment rather than on the cosmetic bits. This resulted in a solid, thick fiberglass hull, good sailing characteristics and spacious accommodations. Although no speed demon, the 323 can move at 5 knots in an 8 knot breeze and will cruise near her hull speed as the wind climbs into double digit speeds. The 323 doesn't like to be overpowered, so aggressive use of the reefing systems will keep the boat comfortably moving at top speed.
The more time one spends on a 323, the more one recognizes the more subtle elements of this thoughtful design. While she only draws about four-and-a-half feet of water, her ability to point isn't significantly compromised when sailing upwind. Many boats of this size with a displacement of 6.5 tons could be very slow and unresponsive, but the 323 benefits from the stability of large displacement while remaining lively under sail. This is also one very roomy boat. Although she'll only sleep five (a starboard quarter berth was deleted from the original design in favor of the nav station), the roominess of the cabin and the two spacious cockpit lockers provide more usable space than most other 32-footers. Overall, it's a design that was well thought out in the mid-70s and holds up very well today. How many other things from the mid-70s can one say that about?
From the Pearson literature on the 323, here's a letter from Bill Shaw with his thoughts on the boat.
You may be interested in what was going through my head while I was designing the new 323. In a nutshell…the young adults of America, to my way of thinking, are bringing an exciting new dimension to sailing. A dimension that reflects their attitudes-lifestyle, values and approach to their leisure time activities.
Be It skiing, surfing, camping, canoeing or sailing, the younger generation is doing things with a flair that cannot be denied. They’re seeking quality, style, performance, informality, resale value and no hassles.
Then too, after a couple of my recent trips to the continent, I came away impressed with some of the international styling and innovation. Functional, pleasing touches that, in my opinion, deserved consideration.
So I set about to design an honest cruising boat with youthful ideas and an international flavor. The 323’s underbody configuration is as modern as her profile is traditional. To look fast is one thing. To go fast in comfort is quite another. After all, the water is only concerned with what it touches. The combination gave me a big, roomy 32- footer that really gets up and goes. But to look classic doesn’t mean you have to leave out fresh ideas, so the 323 has a lot of refinements like a recessed anchor well forward, compartments aft for propane gas cylinders and 6 man life raft, a molded-in chart table, smoked windows, an accent stripe around the coachroof and a number of other refinements both above and below decks that I consider a real progress in both design and construction.
Oh, one more thing. With the price of things today climbing the rigging, I had to develop some procedures that would maintain or improve our quality while holding or reducing costs. We did that too. So take a real close look at our new 323.
She features the best of
international design for today’s young at heart.
Sincerely,
William H. Shaw
Pearson 323 Specifications: (from the brochure)
L.O.A 32’3" (9.83m)
D.W.L 27’6" (8.38m)
Beam 10’2 ¾" (3.12m)
Draft 4’5" (1.35m)
Displacement 12,800 lbs. (5806 kgs)
Ballast 4,500 lbs. (2,041 kgs)
Sail Area 478 sq. ft. (44.4m squared)
Mast Height above D.W.L 45’4" (13.8m)
Cockpit Length 8’0" (2.45m)
Power Gas Inboard Auxiliary (Diesel optional)
Technical data from PearsonInfo.net:
Designer Shaw Main Area 194 Hull Speed 7.03 Model # 58 For Tri 283 SA/D 14.0 First Year 1976 I 41.0 D/L 275 Last Year 1983 J 13.8 BR 36% LOA 32.3 P 36.0 L/B 3.15 LWL 27.5 E 10.8 LWL /B 2.68 Beam 10.3 OR 15% Disp 12,800 CSF 1.75 Draft 4.4 MCR 30.6 Sail Area 478 M/F 0.69 Ballast 4,500 PHRF (avg.) 180