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38-530: The Pearson Triton , sometimes referred to as a Triton 28 , is an American sailboat that was designed by Carl Alberg as a racer-cruiser and first built in 1958. It was introduced at the 1959 National Boat Show in New York City and was one of the first fiberglass boat designs built. The design also launched Alberg's career as a naval architect . The design was built by a number of different manufacturers in several configurations. The Triton started with

76-500: A National Championship. Successful, ground-breaking, popular, vital – the signs of a classic." Related development Similar sailboats Sailboat Although sailboat terminology has varied across history, many terms have specific meanings in the context of modern yachting . A great number of sailboat-types may be distinguished by size, hull configuration, keel type, purpose, number and configuration of masts , and sail plan . Popular monohull designs include: The cutter

114-608: A boat, whether across a bay, on the Great Lakes (in the US) or from island to island in the South Pacific. Safe cruising across long distances requires a degree of self-sufficiency and a wide range of skills beyond handling the boat. Knowledge of topics such as navigation , meteorology , mechanical and electrical systems, radio , first aid , sea survival, nutrition and more are needed and can be life saving when cruising to distant shores. In

152-597: A considerable test of equipment and willpower, and from time to time boats and sailors are lost at sea. The longest such events are "round-the-world" races which can take months to complete, but better-known are events such as the Fastnet race in the United Kingdom and the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race along the east coast of Australia. Large races are usually organized with a first-past-the-post trophy (called "line honours") and under

190-431: A conversation between Carl Alberg and yacht broker Tom Potter in 1959. Potter thought that there would be a good market for a 28-foot racer-cruiser boat with stand-up headroom, with sleeping accommodation for a family of four and that would cost less than US$ 10,000. Alberg designed the boat, with classic lines, but made from a new material at the time, fiberglass and with a price of US$ 9,700. Alberg and Potter approached

228-435: A crane and are typically stepped on the keel through any cabin or other superstructure. Many sailboats have an alternate means of propulsion, in case the wind dies or where close maneuvering under sail is impractical. The smallest boats may use a paddle ; bigger ones may have oars ; still others may employ an outboard motor , mounted on the transom; still others may have an inboard engine . Yachting Yachting

266-490: A handicap system that adjusts finishing times for the relative speeds of the boats' design, theoretically offering each entrant an equal chance. While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held worldwide: speed motor boat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; and navigational contests (generally a test of celestial and landmark-based navigation skills where GPS and other electronic navigation equipment

304-407: A jib. Most modern designs have only one sail, the mainsail; however, the traditional catboat could carry multiple sails from the gaff rig. Catboat is a charming and distinctive sailboat featuring a single mast with a single large sail, known as a gaff-rigged sail, and a broad beam that ensures stability. This type of vessel, named after the "cat" tackle used in sailing, has a rich history dating back to

342-431: A lot of weight in two "wings" which run sideways from the main part of the keel. Even more recent is the concept of canting keels , designed to move the weight at the bottom of a sailboat to the upwind side, allowing the boat to carry more sails. A twin keel has the benefit of a shallower draft and can allow the boat to stand on dry land. Multihulls, on the other hand, have minimal need for such ballast, as they depend on

380-482: A raised transom , a keel-mounted rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed long keel . All versions of the design have a draft of 3.92 ft (1.19 m) with the standard keel fitted. The boat was factory fitted with a Universal Atomic 4 30 hp (22 kW) gasoline engine . The fuel tank holds 15 U.S. gallons (57 L; 12 imp gal) and the fresh water tank has a capacity of 15 U.S. gallons (57 L; 12 imp gal). The boat's galley

418-411: A reduced draft, with a much reduced underwater profile. This, in turn, results directly in reduced wetted surface area and drag. Without a ballast keel, multihulls can go in shallow waters where monohulls can not. There are trade-offs, however, in multihull design. A well designed ballasted boat can recover from a capsize, even from turning over completely. Righting a multihull that has gotten upside down

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456-452: Is a common participant sport around the developed world, particularly where favorable wind conditions and access to reasonably sized bodies of water are available. Most yachting is conducted in salt water, but smaller craft can be raced on lakes and even large rivers. Larger yachts are also raced on harbours, but the most prestigious yacht races are point-to-point long-distance races on the open ocean. Bad weather makes even finishing such races

494-489: Is difficult in any case and impossible without help unless the boat is small or carries special equipment for the purpose. Multihulls often prove more difficult to tack, since the reduced weight leads directly to reduced momentum, causing multihulls to more quickly lose speed when headed into the wind. Also, structural integrity is much easier to achieve in a one piece monohull than in a two or three piece multihull whose connecting structure must be substantial and well connected to

532-401: Is disallowed) are among the events which are organized around the world. Specialized yachts, such as hydrofoils, hovercraft, or personal watercraft also engage in competitions involving test of equipment and skill (usually, skill in maneuvering safely). All such events are part of the larger world of yachting, if they are done for recreational or sporting purposes. Cruising involves traveling on

570-461: Is easier for a short-handed crew to manage. A yawl is similar to a ketch, with a shorter mizzen mast carried astern the rudderpost more for balancing the helm than propulsion. Traditional sailboats are monohulls , but multi-hull catamarans and trimarans are gaining popularity. Monohull boats generally rely on ballast for stability and usually are displacement hulls. This stabilizing ballast can, in boats designed for racing, be as much as 50% of

608-411: Is located on both sides of the cabin at the bottom of the companionway stairs. On the starboard side is a sink that can be covered for use as a chart table. There is also a two-burner LPG stove. The head has a privacy door and is located forward, just aft of the bow "V"-berth. Additional sleeping space is provided by two cabin berths, providing total sleeping space for four. The genoas have tracks and

646-400: Is recreational boating activities using medium/large-sized boats or small ships collectively called yachts . Yachting is distinguished from other forms of boating mainly by the priority focus on comfort and luxury, the dependence on marinas for docking, and being typically only for exclusive social leisures such as cruising , fishing trip or racing . The term " yacht " derives from

684-436: Is similar to a sloop with a single mast and mainsail, but generally carries the mast further aft to allow for a jib and staysail to be attached to the head stay and inner forestay, respectively. Once a common racing configuration, today it gives versatility to cruising boats, especially in allowing a small staysail to be flown from the inner stay in high winds. A catboat has a single mast mounted far forward and does not carry

722-421: Is the sloop, which features one mast and two sails, typically a Bermuda rigged main , and a headsail . This simple configuration is very efficient for sailing into the wind. A fractional rigged sloop has its forestay attached at a point below the top of the mast, allowing the mainsail to be flattened to improve performance by raking the upper part of the mast aft by tensioning the backstay. A smaller headsail

760-469: Is what prevents leeway and allows sailing towards the wind. This can be an external piece or a part of the hull. Most monohulls larger than a dinghy require built-in ballast . Depending on the design of the boat, ballast may be 20 to 50 percent of the displacement. The ballast is often integrated into their keels as large masses of lead or cast iron. This secures the ballast and gets it as low as possible to improve its effectiveness. External keels are cast in

798-658: The Australia II into the contest. Meanwhile, yacht racing continued to evolve, with the development of recognised classes of racing yachts, from small dinghies up to huge maxi yachts . Although there are many different types of racing vessels, they can generally be separated into the larger yachts, which are larger and contain facilities for extended voyages, and smaller harbour racing craft such as dinghies and skiffs. Smaller boats are not generally referred to as yachts, although all recreational boats (as opposed to commercial or military vessels) are yachts. These days, yacht racing

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836-502: The Dutch word jacht , meaning "hunt". When yachting with sailboats , the activity is simply called sailing ; and with motorboats , it is called powerboating . A boat club that only services yachting participants is known as a yacht club . The history of sailing dates back to prehistoric times but the racing of sailing boats is believed to have started in the Netherlands some time in

874-467: The mainsail can be roller reefed. There is an anchor locker in the bow. A review in Blue Water Boats writing in 2012 noted, "The Triton sails as gracefully as she looks. She’s forgiving and nimble, though she does tend to exhibit weather helm. To counter this tendency some owners have fashioned small bowsprits to open up the fore-triangle area, while others recut their mainsail with less canvas at

912-920: The 17th century. Soon, in England , custom-built racing " yachts " began to emerge. In 1851, the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes challenged the American yacht America . The race took place in the Solent . The America won the race and took the trophy, the America's Cup , back to the US where, held by the New York Yacht Club , it remained until 1983. The cup was then lost to the Royal Perth Yacht Club of Australia , which entered

950-545: The 19th century in the coastal regions of the United States, particularly New England, where it was widely used by fishermen and sailors. With its straightforward design and uncomplicated rigging, the catboat offers a straightforward and laid-back sailing experience, making it an ideal choice for beginners and pleasure sailors alike. Even today, catboats continue to be cherished by enthusiasts who appreciate their heritage and enjoy their picturesque appearance while cruising through

988-661: The Pearson Corporation, at that time a small fiberglass sailboat manufacturer, founded in 1956 by cousins Clint and Everett Pearson. Upon examining the design they agreed to produce it. The two cousins had to borrow the money needed to transport the prototype from Rhode Island to New York for the National Boat Show, but by the show's completion they had 17 orders for the design. The design was initially built by Pearson Yachts in Portsmouth, Rhode Island , United States . It

1026-743: The US, the United States Power Squadrons offer courses and certifications in these skills. In the UK, a system of certification is run by the Royal Yachting Association . Similar systems are offered by organizations in other countries and typically include a range of courses, both theoretical and practical. Offshore fishing in green and blue waters generally require sturdier, more seaworthy vessels that can handle stronger waves and more unpredictable weather conditions, and these vessels are typically larger, heavier and need to be moored in

1064-481: The bottom end in a receptacle that is supported above the keel of the boat or on the deck or other superstructure that allows the mast to be raised at a hinge point until it is erect. Some masts are supported solely at the keel and laterally at the deck and are called "unstayed". Most masts rely in part or entirely (for those stepped on the deck) on standing rigging , supporting them side-to-side and fore-and aft to hold them up. Masts over 25 feet (7.6 m) may require

1102-532: The geometry of their design, the wide base of their multiple hulls, for their stability. Designers of performance multihulls, such as the Open 60's , go to great lengths to reduce overall boat weight as much as possible. This leads some to comment that designing a multihull is similar to designing an aircraft. A centreboard or daggerboard is retractable lightweight keel which can be pulled up in shallow water. On small sailboats, masts may be "stepped" (put in place) with

1140-470: The hull itself has sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat. A multihull optimized for light weight (at the expense of cruising amenities and storage for food and other supplies), combined with the absence of ballast can result in performance gains in terms of acceleration, top speed, and manoeuvrability. The lack of ballast makes it much easier to get a lightweight multihull on plane, reducing its wetted surface area and thus its drag. Reduced overall weight means

1178-450: The hulls. All these hull types may also be manufactured as, or outfitted with, hydrofoils . All vessels have a keel , it is the backbone of the hull. In traditional construction, it is the structure upon which all else depends. Modern monocoque designs include a virtual keel. Even multihulls have keels. On a sailboat, the word "keel" is also used to refer to the area that is added to the hull to improve its lateral plane. The lateral plane

Pearson Triton - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-573: The mainmast, but forward of the rudder post. The second mast is called the mizzen mast and the sail is called the mizzen sail. A ketch can also be Cutter-rigged with two head sails. A schooner has a mainmast taller than its foremast , distinguishing it from a ketch or a yawl. A schooner can have more than two masts, with the foremast always lower than the foremost main. Traditional topsail schooners have topmasts allowing triangular topsails sails to be flown above their gaff sails ; many modern schooners are Bermuda rigged. The most common modern sailboat

1254-519: The sacrifice of overall sail area. Although a fast boat for her waterline length she’s slow by today’s standards and she doesn’t point very high. Her short waterline means her light air performance is respectable, and as the wind picks up she heels quickly which increases her LWL and therefore hull speed. The boat is relatively tender up to 15 degrees before she stiffens. West Coast boats, being heavier built, are generally stiffer while East coast boats tend to heel earlier but are more responsive." The Triton

1292-399: The shape of the keel. A monohull's keel is made effective by a combination of weight, depth, and length. Most modern monohull boats have fin keels, which are heavy and deep, but short in relation to the hull length. More traditional yachts carried a full keel which is generally half or more of the length of the boat. A recent feature is a winged keel , which is short and shallow, but carries

1330-399: The waterways. A dinghy is a type of small open sailboat commonly used for recreation, sail training , and tending a larger vessel. They are popular in youth sailing programs for their short LOA , simple operation and minimal maintenance. They have three (or fewer) sails : the mainsail , jib , and spinnaker . Ketches are similar to a sloop, but there is a second shorter mast astern of

1368-720: The weight of the boat, but is generally around 30%. It creates two problems; one, it gives the monohull tremendous inertia, making it less maneuverable and reducing its acceleration. Secondly, unless it has been built with buoyant foam or air tanks, if a monohull fills with water, it will sink. Multihulls rely on the geometry and the broad stance of their multiple hulls for their stability, eschewing any form of ballast. Some multihulls are designed to be as light-weight as possible while still maintaining structural integrity. They can be built with foam-filled flotation chambers and some modern trimarans are rated as unsinkable, meaning that, should every crew compartment be completely filled with water,

1406-468: Was also built under licence by Jouët of France, who built about 60, and Aeromarine Plastics in California , who built 150 examples. Pearson ended production in 1967. Over 700 were built in total, before production ended in 1968. The Triton is a recreational keelboat , built predominantly of fiberglass. It was inspired by the lines of the traditional Scandinavian Folkboat . It has a spooned raked stem ,

1444-468: Was inducted into the now-defunct Sail America American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1995. In honoring the design, the hall cited, "A telltale of success is durability and since the boats were built in the infancy of fiberglass construction, they were laid up by hand with more than a few layers of glass in the hulls. The boats will last forever, and the Triton Class Association gathers every year for

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