# My First Cruiser: Pearson Triton



## mojokiss (Aug 31, 2013)

Hi and thanks for the welcome, presumably. 

I just bought a 1960 Pearson Triton 28' from Miami. Maybe some of you saw the recent auction. Maybe some of you bid! I don't know. But here's my story. 

I haven't sailed in many years, since I was about 16 which was on a Chrysler Mutineer 18' with a pivoting centerboard. 

I just did some work, and when I got paid I decided to put some of the money into a possible livaboard cruiser, of the most humble variety. I did some research and found the Pearson Triton for sale and won the ebay auction. I have not been to where the boat is in person, or inspected or surveyed it at all other than talking to the guy and looking at the pictures and all. 

So the first thing I am concerned about is that the mast is laying on the deck of the boat. It has to be stepped. The other thing is that the forstay has snapped at some place. So I really want to get down there soon and get it into fair standing rigging condition. I have to motor/sail the boat back to St Pete, FL which is on the west cost of FL. 

The engine is a Phasor 28hp 3cyl diesel with alternator/generator. It is claimed to work and move the boat. I think the reading said it has about 800 hrs on it. 

Boat comes with all sails and extra sails. 

The bilge pump is working and hooked up to solar power/battery. There's a 10 amp charge controller installed and apparently working. 

I'm really mostly concerned about the mast step because it doesn't seem to me to have a place to put a pin in. 

Well. That's all for me. I'm stuck in Louisville, KY for another week and then I'm coming HOME to FL to work on the triton, and find out the hull number...


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## Fstbttms (Feb 25, 2003)

The Triton does not have a tabernacled mast. The spar simply sits in the step and is held there by rigging tension.

Buying a boat like this, sight unseen, is a big gamble, IMHO. Good luck. Hope it doesn't turn into more of a money pit than you bargained for.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

The boat has been re powered, that is good. The Phasor is a marinized Kubota diesel which is a very reliable base block...


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## mojokiss (Aug 31, 2013)

thanks for the reply. ah as i might have suspected. i suppose this is to keep the mast from damaging the boat in the event of a demasting? hm.


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## mojokiss (Aug 31, 2013)

glad to hear it!


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Welcome Mojo.

Congrats on your new boat!
I like older boats like the Triton myself. 
Older boats can start showing their age though, like that fore stay. 
Chances are pretty good that the rest of the wire in your rigging is as old as the fore stay was and it might be wise to just replace all the wire rigging now.
The rig could be 50 years old.

Take some pictures of your boat when you can.


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## gamayun (Aug 20, 2009)

That's gutsy. Congrats! Definitely post an update. Inquiring minds want to hear about your first impressions and see the photos.


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## deltaten (Oct 10, 2012)

Had a Triton on paralell tack last week. What a pretty classic!!!
Ya done good! Now,get 'er home and go sailing. All the rest will work out.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

deltaten said:


> Ya done good! Now,get 'er home and go sailing. All the rest will work out.


 That right there is the best summation of new good old boat ownership I have ever read.


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## mojokiss (Aug 31, 2013)

i look forward to updating my adventure to this thread. you guys are cool, i appreciate that. currently the boat is in mooring in miami. i'll go down and spend a few days with it before setting my waypoints for our journey home. 

things to do: (please advise)

1. buy a hard bottom inflatable tender either with oars or an outboard

2. buy a swaging tool and locate a local source for 1x19 ss wire and fittings. step the mast using a diy method with help of my super strong brother, repair and tune the rig. hoist the sails and see how they look.

3. register with dmv after I get the title (have to wait till monday next week i think)

4. check the engine

5. get a vhf and garmin gps. i guess i should get these before stepping the mast. not sure what all i should do while i have the mast down. i suppose check the wires with a multi meter and things like that, test the white, red, green lights and maybe change them to LED!

6. get my snorkel gear on and look underneath, bring some scrubbing tools or hedge trimmers, depending on the shape off the bottom. I hope it doesn't look like a great wooly mammoth down there. 

7. check if the water tanks are fouled, and clean them out, fill them up (25 gallons), get a few gallons of spring drinkin water and some food, check out the ice box situation, or lack of. 

8. test the bilge pump(s)

9. make a comfy man cave out of the v birth for the coming week of transport

10. check integrity of anchors and rode, length of line, depth indicators, etc

11. test battery power and charge controller function under generator power as well as solar.

12. clean any gross stuff with orange cleaner and make the boat smell fresh

13. check all required by law specs like flotation device, whistle, air horn, registration, 

14. 12v flood light / spot light would be good to have

15. go!

that's a list for me to generally start with. I'll have a week or however long it takes to get her ready when i get down to miami saturday. I'll use craigslist to try and find a vhf, dinghy, gps.

I'll take lots of pics with my canon 5D and super wide lense!  I'm honestly super excited, like a kid again.


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## gamayun (Aug 20, 2009)

A week is very ambitious. It took me almost 2 weeks to clean the funky, nasty smell out of my boat. A lot of this was caused by mold, which you're bound to have in a Miami boat. I used a 10% bleach solution to get rid of the black color, then vinegar to kill the spores, then a solution of Borax in water, which I didn't wipe off to keep the spores from growing back. Some other things to add to your list is to check the steering assembly; find out if you have an emergency tiller; look for water intrusion and feel for squishy spots on deck; get extra belts/impellers/filters for the engine and tow insurance; do a shake down cruise and put a load on the engine for a couple of hours to check for leaks and operating temperature. Once you do everything, you'll know this boat better than anyone!


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

mojokiss said:


> i look forward to updating my adventure to this thread. you guys are cool, i appreciate that. currently the boat is in mooring in miami. i'll go down and spend a few days with it before setting my waypoints for our journey home.
> 
> things to do: (please advise)
> 
> ...


NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Please pay a rigger to use a real swaging machine or buy and install mechanical fittings. Hand swagers should NOT be used for standing rigging.....



mojokiss said:


> 5. get a vhf and garmin gps. i guess i should get these before stepping the mast. not sure what all i should do while i have the mast down. i suppose check the wires with a multi meter and things like that, test the white, red, green lights and maybe change them to LED!


You'll want to be sure you have; good VHF wire & terminals as well as a good VHF whip, anchor/all round light (if mast mounted) and a steaming light.



mojokiss said:


> 8. test the bilge pump(s)


Make sure the bilge is free & clear of junk & crud. Many pumps fail due to floating debris in the bilge. Make sure the bilge hose has a high loop and that it won't submerge and back fill the boat under sail or power.



mojokiss said:


> 11. test battery power and charge controller function under generator power as well as solar.


Any West Marine has the capability and Midtronics tester to _test_ your batteries. These testers do not however test for Ah capacity or usable capacity only the ability of a battery to deliver cranking amps..

There are many other things you may want to inspect and check such as the stuffing box, fuel filters, threads and condition of the sails, water flow through engine, impeller, chain plates etc. etc...


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## mojokiss (Aug 31, 2013)

Trying an android app out for NOAA maps that works with gps using downloaded maps. Its called MX Mariner. I bought it and downloaded the free vector charts and i'm really impressed with the features and functionality. can't wait to trial it in the water.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

7b. Pump out and flush holding tank with fresh water. You never know who left their crap in there or when it was last flushed out. Get some "KO" holding tank treatment.


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

I'm hung up on the 'and find out the hull number' part - 

if you own it you have the title, if you have the title it has the hull number on it.


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## mojokiss (Aug 31, 2013)

UPDATE !!!

I'm in a motel 6 just north of Miami. My boat is in Miami and I saw it last night.

just got title and all logs and old papers and things previous owners kept in a binder. really helpful, detailed stats and modification information.

hull #115 (pearson triton 1960) 

i went aboard, started the diesel, it started easily but died after 30 seconds. it was dark, i didnt check any of the water flow, and didn't raise the throttle at all, just idle. 

I met the owner and he's helping me "get into it". Nice guy, young guy with some sailing experience. He says this is the "fastest" boat he has sailed. 

came with a classic wooden dinghy with wood oars, which i didnt expect or know about, but a nearby houseboat has it tied up right now. awkward. I have to go get it, and try to be friendly about it. the dinghy was tied to a tree on shore for 3 weeks previously.

I got a ton of sails, i think they are dacron and kevlar? something like that. the boat is modified to be a racer according to one of the logged notes. the diameter of the standing rigging is also recorded, as being rigged around 1995, with other details. 

I haven't been out to the boat in the DAY time yet. but going out in a bit today.

Next Up: Pictures, hopefully. I have a lot of work to do before I can do any photography because I have to get the dinghy, load gear onto the boat, and get a little more set up and settled to inspect everything on the boat, etc. 

thanks all for keeping in touch and helping with my new experience, and sharing the joy and pain of boat ownership.


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## ltgoshen (Jan 5, 2009)

Great job with the new old boat.. She will do ya fine. Keep the water out.Great sailing.


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