1971 Pearson competitor

"Maggie May" is a classic 1971 Pearson 39 "Competitor" racer-cruiser designed by William

Shaw - a boat built for the kind of sailing the Pacific Northwest demands and rewards. Her

solid fiberglass hull with encapsulated lead ballast and a retractable centerboard give her a

variable draft of 4'8" to 8'10", letting her sail confidently in open Puget Sound waters and then

tuck into a shallow cove along a tree-lined shore where deeper-draft boats simply cannot go. She

also moves quickly for her size - capable of 10 knots on a reach with surges to 12 - a boat that

genuinely defies theoretical hull speed and handles the full range of Salish Sea conditions with

confidence.

The cockpit layout sets Maggie apart from most other vessels. The helm is positioned forward of

center, keeping the helmsman sheltered behind the dodger and in easy communication with crew

below - a welcome arrangement on those cool Northwest passages. Self-tailing winches are

positioned aft of the wheel with the mainsheet led aft of the helmsman, making her exceptionally

easy to single-hand across the Sound or up through the San Juan Islands. Her well-engineered

preventer system handles jibe control, boom management in a rolling seaway, and man-

overboard recovery with equal effectiveness.

Below decks, Maggie is comfortable and practical for extended PNW cruising. The salon

features a custom dinette with an L-shaped port settee and opposing starboard bench. She

accommodates 4 comfortably with a V-berth forward, a starboard portman bunk, and a pull-out

double below the cockpit berth.

After thirty years under single ownership, Maggie May is ready for the season and ready to take her next owner wherever

the tides of the Pacific Northwest lead.

Hull & Construction

• Solid fiberglass hull, blister-free
• Encapsulated lead ballast, 7,300 lbs
• 350 lb fiberglass centerboard
• Displacement: approximately 17,000 lbs
• Draft: 4'8" board up / 8'10" board down
• Non-cored deck construction at all stanchion bases
• New bottom paint, hull buff, new cove stripe - April 2026

Interior Layout & Accommodations

• Sleeps six: V-berth forward, custom dinette conversion, starboard pilot berth, pull-out double below pilot berth
• Custom dinette with built-in bookshelf
• L-shaped port settee and opposing starboard bench

Galley & Domestic Equipment

• Large rebuilt icebox with added closed-cell foam insulation - holds block ice one week with regular use
• Two 20-gallon fresh water tanks (port and starboard)
• 30-gallon waste holding tank (below V-berth)
• Newly installed diesel forced-air heater - ducted to galley, salon, head, and forward cabin (exhaust installation to be completed prior to delivery)

Engines & Mechanical

• Perkins (Westerbeke) 4-108 four-cylinder diesel
• Two-bladed Martec folding propeller
• Remote oil filter and hand-pump oil extraction system
• 30-gallon Monel fuel tank (corrosion-proof)
• All batteries replaced Summer 2025

Deck Exterior & Comfort

• Cadet Gray dodger and sail cover - new 2019
• Custom Sunbrella cockpit cushions
• Teak folding cockpit table
• Magna propane BBQ - three-tank propane capacity
  

Safety & Tender

• CQR anchor with 150' of 5/16" chain (new 2020) and 150' nylon rode
• Danforth stern anchor with dedicated rode stowed in lazaret
• Life Sling rescue pod

Sails, Rigging & Other Sailing Equipment

• Full-batten main with three reefs, all lines led to cockpit - Mack Sails, custom offshore spec
• 9 oz Bainbridge Dacron roller-furling 150% genoa - Mack Sails; UV cover replaced 2024
• Storm jib
• Spinnaker and spinnaker pole
• Hall Spar lightweight aluminum boom - extended to move mainsheet clear of cockpit, boom raised 2" for crew safety
• Standing rigging: oversized 316 SS wire with Sta-Loc fittings at all terminations
• Harken 53ST self-tailing winches
• Baronet Spinnaker winches
• Top cabin winch for reefing lines