pearson ensign sailboat

Pearson Yachts Portal

The Pearson Ensign : 1962 – Present

Originally called The Electra Day Sailer , the Ensign is a Carl Alberg design

Time-honored Reliability

The Ensign hull design by Carl Alberg is based on the Pearson Electra . He modified the design for the Ensign in response to customer demand for a day-sailer with a larger cockpit and smaller cabin. Pearson Yachts was the only builder of the boat from 1962-1983 with 1775 boats constructed before ceasing production. Production was resumed in 2001 by Ensign Spars, Inc. of Dunedin Florida, where reportedly another 33 boats, (hull #2000 and above), have been produced as of 2019.

Consider this: The Ensign is the only sailboat from Pearson Yachts that is still in production today — and Pearson has been closed for close to 3 decades. Now isn't that a true test of time!

The Ensign is by far the largest one-design fleet of full-keel sailboats in the country. It was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 2002.

"Consider what has made the Ensign so popular… a large eight foot cockpit with full length teak seats so perfect for the safety and convenience of a large family; a twin-berth cuddy cabin with optional head for those overnights or weekends; national recognition as a one-design racing class; longevity of manufacturer; strict class rules for uniformity; Pearson Quality "! Pearson Yachts Inc.

More than 1700 ENSIGNS are sailing nationwide in a strong, active one-design association numbering 47 fleets in 20 states (1979). Rigid class rules insure continuity of design and manufacture thereby enhancing resale value. Her remarkable ability to race well while providing all the comfort and stability required of a good day-sailer or weekender has endeared here to hundreds of experts and novices everywhere.

Since the class was introduced in 1962, the ENSIGN has proven herself to be the ideal all-around family boat. Her ability, seaworthiness, and forgiving attitude have encouraged numerous people of all ages to "take to the water" for those precious leisure hours while providing those with a competitive spirit with a bonafide compromise between the thrill of racing and the lure of cruising.

Ask many of the experts now racing larger boats and they tell you it all started with the ENSIGN. Ask present ENSIGN owners, they tell you how difficult it is to find another boat that dollar for dollar represents the real value they presently enjoy.

If the ENSIGN will be your first boat, you can start with confidence — confidence in your boat and your investment. If it's your next boat you can rest assured that she will bring out the best of your experience.

Consider what has made the Ensign so popular… a large eight foot cockpit with full length teak seats so perfect for the safety and convenience of a large family; a twin-berth cuddy cabin with optional head for those overnights or weekends; national recognition as a one-design racing class; longevity of manufacturer; strict class rules for uniformity; Pearson Quality!

Pearson Yachts Inc. 1979

Ensign … one design sensation

Pearson Yachts 1961

Pearson Ensign – by the Numbers

Hover on hyperlink for definitions

Construction Detail

Rev 9 - 26-Feb-1992

Standard Equipment

CONSTRUCTION: Hull and deck are integrally molded fiberglass laminate construction (hand lay-up) with bonded bulkheads. Deck is balsa-core fiberglass for strength, rigidity, and insulation. Teak coamings with winch mount areas. Teak seats and cockpit sole.

HARDWARE AND DECK FITTINGS: Chromeplated brass or bronze, stainless steel and special marine alloys. Stainless steel stemhead fittings, backstay and shroud chainplates. Bow cleats with chocks (P &S), stern cleats (P &S). Two fixed ports.

SPARS: MAST: Anodized aluminum 6061-T6 alloy with aluminum spreaders. Rigging fittings of stainless steel and aluminum alloy. Cleats for main, jib and downhaul. Gooseneck track, sail track and gate.

BOOM: Anodized aluminum 6061-T6 alloy with standard gooseneck, slide, topping lift fitting and mainsheet blocks.

STANDING RIGGING: Seven/eighths foretriangle rig (fractional). Stainless steel 1 x 19 construction with swaged tru-loc end fittings. Turnbuckles on all shrouds and stays. Toggles on headstay and shrouds.

RUNNING RIGGING: Main and jib halyards of 7 x 19 stainless steel wire with Dacron tails (spliced). Dacron jib and main sheets. Jib sheet lead blocks and cleats. Main sheet blocks and cleats.

INTERIOR: Provision for two full-length bunks in cuddy cabin.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT: All standing rigging and spars are grounded for lightning protection. Non-skid deck and cabin top.

Pearson Yachts Inc. 1962

Ensign Class Association

The Ensign Class Association was founded in 1962. It is one of the strongest national organizations in the country, with numerous local fleets from coast to coast.

The objectives of the assocation:

To promote and develop Ensign Class racing under uniform rules.
To rigidly maintain the one-design features of the Ensign.
To promote use of the Ensign as a family boat for recreational sailing.
To educate the public, and particularly the youth, in sailing and sailboat racing.

Features described by the association:

It's a great looking boat, with classic lines, and a wonderfully large, deep cockpit where passengers feel comfortable, safe, and secure.
It has a sail plan that achieves hull speed in breezes as low as eight to ten knots, and a full keel that delivers performance when the boat is sailed flat, and forgiveness when allowed to heel.
It is a strong, durable boat, affordable to buy and easy to sell.
There are not many designs that get everything so right
For these reasons, the Ensign, on January 25th, 2002, was the first boat inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame.

Ensign Resources

Pearson Ensign One-Page Flyer
Ensign Drawing
Line Drawing
Ensign Specifications
Factory Installed Equipment
Factory Options

Ensign On The Web

Class Association - Ensign Class
Ship's Store - Ensign Class
Ensign Classic - EnsignSpars.com
The Pearson Ensign - MainBoats.com Fleet 67
Ensign Fleet 72 - SailSaratoga.org
Pearson Ensign - Wikipedia.com
Restoration of #1484 - Eraser
Invictus #748 - Ensign Class Story
The Other Woman - Ensign Class Story
Ensign Specs - SailBoatData.com
Pearson Info - dan.pfeiffer.net
American Sailboat Hall of Fame - Archive.org

Pearson Ensign Brochures

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Sailboat Guide

Pearson Ensign

Pearson Ensign is a 22 ′ 6 ″ / 6.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Carl Alberg and built by Pearson Yachts between 1962 and 1982.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
LOA: Length overall in feet
Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

In 1959 Carl Alberg was commissioned by Pearson Yachts to design a 22-foot cruiser suitable for racing in the Midget Ocean Racing Club (MORC). This was the ELECTRA, which had a masthead rig, a small, self-bailing cockpit, and a cabin with galley space, head and bunks. About 350 ELECTRAS were built over the next six years.

Pearson dealers surmised that prospective Electra buyers might prefer the boat with a larger cockpit and smaller cabin. They passed the information along to Pearson, who subsequently asked Alberg to design a day sailor, suitable for one-design racing, based on the ELECTRA hull.

Other changes made included moving the mast six inches s forward, increasing the area of the mainsail, and reducing the height of the fore triangle.

The ELECTRA DAY SAILOR, as it was first called, was an instant success: 219 were sold in the first year (1962). At this time, the first class racing was organized (Fleet #l, out of Larchmont, New York).

The next year saw 213 more boats built and nine more fleets formed - in Houston, Texas; Hingham, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; Huntington and Port Washington, New York, Miami, Florida; Gibson Island, Maryland; and Falmouth, Maine. The last known builder (2003) was Ensign Spars Inc. of Dunedin, FL (USA).

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Ensign Class Association

Welcome to the Ensign Class Association

Ensign class sponsors.

In 1962 Carl Alberg designed the Ensign as a family daysailer and one-design racer. The Ensign design was a development of a previous Alberg design called the Electra, which had larger accommodations but a smaller cockpit.

If you are not familiar with Carl Alberg I can tell you that he distinguished himself as the designer of capable and fast boats back in the days when the line between racer and cruiser was not so distinctly drawn. The conventional-looking Alberg 35 is today sought after as a tough cruising boat. In 1963, however, many races were won in Alberg 35s. Alberg was not a very adventurous designer. His boats all tend to look the same, i.e., flat sheers, cutaway full keels, long overhangs and slablike topsides with firm bilges.

With 1,776 Ensigns built by Pearson between 1962 and 1983, interest in the boat waned and production was stopped. But as the market filled up with daysailers that required life jackets and crash helmets, the search for a safe and sane daysailer resulted in renewed interest in the Ensign. Today there are 45 active fleets in the United States.

In 1995 Zeke Durica of Dunedin, Florida, set up a shop, Ensign Spars Inc., to supply replacement parts to the aging fleet of Ensigns. This led to the purchase of the original molds and, this past year, the taking of orders for new Ensigns. The new Classic Ensigns began at hull number 2,000 and are available on a semicustom basis. Two are currently in the water with numbers three and four on the way.

If you wonder what has made the Ensign such a durable design I would have to say it boils down to that big, deep cockpit, the generous displacement and the stiffness of the boat in terms of stability. This stiffness comes from a hull shape with a wide BWL, a firm turn to the bilge and 1,200 pounds of internal lead ballast. That's a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 40 percent. Interestingly, the original construction drawing from 1962 calls for 2,000 pounds of ballast.

The long overhangs are an artifact of the old CCA rule where a boat's sailing length was approximated by a waterline taken 7-percent of beam above the DWL. This rule produced short DWLs with the justification that once a boat heels over its sailing length is increased. Well, in some cases maybe. Nonetheless this was once the look du jour and pretty much reigned until the IMS reintroduced short ends and longer DWLs. The D/L of the Ensign is 213.

Take a look at that keel. It sure is long, but if you go back a few decades and look at 12-meters like Vim and Columbia you will see a family resemblance, although the Ensign keel is proportionally much longer.

The original drawings show a head nestled between the V-berths. If you do go cruising in your Ensign you will have to cook in the cockpit. You might also want to consider the optional doors for the cuddy cabin. (my computer's spell check always wants that to be "cruddy cabin"). There is enough room below to put a small table between the berths. But I'm not sure there is sufficient sitting headroom to make the table useful. I suspect not. Oh well, a toasted cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup can be cradled in your lap easily. If the rain you can hope for an invite over to the Swan 65 anchored nearby.

I used to fantasize about sending my two boys off to go cruising on a boat like this. Now they just tell me, "We're taking the boat out, Dad," and there goes my boat. I couldn't be more proud. I think proper seamanship is best learned when you reduce the mechanical-electrical variables.

I wish Zeke the best of luck with his new Classic Ensign.

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Also from Robert H. Perry

Ensign pearson

The ensign pearson is a 22.5ft fractional sloop designed by carl alberg and built in fiberglass by pearson yachts between 1962 and 1982., 1776 units have been built..

The Ensign pearson is a moderate weight sailboat which is a good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a day-boat.