A review in Practical Sailor magazine wrote of the design "A quick look at the numbers shows that the Pearson 303 is a conservative design, moderate in every respect ... They also suggest a boat that is not particularly fast ... Our conclusion is that the Pearson 303 is a big 30-footer, intended for safe coastal cruising. She admirably succeeds in doing what she was designed to do. The only risk accrues to those who mistake her for something she is not—an offshore, passage-making boat."
