Back to Search
Antigua 53
Designer: Charles Morgan  ·  Builder: Antigua Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1976
+ Add to Compare
About the Antigua 53

Designed by renowned naval architect Charles Morgan and built by Antigua Yachts starting in 1976, this substantial ketch represents classic American bluewater cruising design from the mid-1970s. At nearly 52 feet overall with a comfortable 15-foot beam, the Antigua 53 offers the spacious accommodations and seaworthiness that made it popular among serious offshore cruisers. The masthead ketch rig provides excellent sail handling options for short-handed sailing, while the moderate fin keel with rudder on skeg configuration delivers reliable tracking and manageable draft for exploring diverse cruising grounds. With a displacement of 48,000 pounds and substantial ballast ratio, this fiberglass yacht prioritizes stability and comfort over racing performance. The boat's impressive comfort ratio of 44.19 reflects its design philosophy favoring motion comfort in seaway conditions, making extended passages more pleasant for crew. Meanwhile, the conservative capsize screening formula of 1.65 indicates excellent stability margins suitable for ocean voyaging. Charles Morgan's reputation for creating robust, well-balanced cruising designs shines through in this model, which became respected among the bluewater sailing community for its dependable performance and liveable interior spaces during an era when many cruisers were seeking capable offshore platforms.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 51.60 ft / 15.73 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 43.00 ft / 13.11 m
Beam 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
Max Draft 5.16 ft / 1.57 m
Displacement 48,000.00 lb / 21,772 kg
Ballast 15,500.00 lb / 7,031 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 1,320.00 ft² / 122.63 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Ketch
Construction FG
Designer Charles Morgan
Builder Antigua Yachts (USA)
First Built 1976
Related Sailboats Morgan Out Island 51 · Irwin 52 · Gulfstar 52 Ms · Columbia 52 · Csy 51
Owner Reviews

No owner reviews yet — be the first to share your experience with this boat.

Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.06
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 32.29
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 269.52
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 44.19
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.65
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 8.79 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.34
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 2,304.66 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 10.67
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 58.00 ft / 17.68 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 17.30 ft / 5.27 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 50.00 ft / 15.24 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
SA Fore 501.70 ft² / 46.61 m²
SA Main 375.00 ft² / 34.84 m²
SA Total (100%) 876.70 ft² / 81.45 m²
Est. Forestay Length 60.53 ft / 18.45 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Type Diesel
How It Compares

vs. Columbia 52, Csy 51, Gulfstar 52 Ms, Irwin 52, Morgan Out Island 51

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Antigua 53 ★
51.6 ft
Columbia 52
51.8 ft
Csy 51
51.0 ft
Gulfstar 52 Ms
51.7 ft
Irwin 52
52.0 ft
Morgan Out Island 51
51.5 ft
LWL
Antigua 53 ★
43.0 ft
Columbia 52
39.8 ft
Csy 51
42.3 ft
Gulfstar 52 Ms
45.3 ft
Irwin 52
44.0 ft
Morgan Out Island 51
43.0 ft
Beam
Antigua 53 ★
15.0 ft
Columbia 52
13.0 ft
Csy 51
15.0 ft
Gulfstar 52 Ms
13.9 ft
Irwin 52
15.3 ft
Morgan Out Island 51
15.8 ft
Displacement
Antigua 53 ★
48 lbs
Columbia 52
38 lbs
Csy 51
35 lbs
Gulfstar 52 Ms
38 lbs
Irwin 52
55 lbs
Morgan Out Island 51
46 lbs
Ballast
Antigua 53 ★
15 lbs
Columbia 52
19 lbs
Csy 51
16 lbs
Gulfstar 52 Ms
8 lbs
Irwin 52
16 lbs
Morgan Out Island 51
12 lbs
Sail Area
Antigua 53 ★
1 sq ft
Columbia 52
1 sq ft
Csy 51
1 sq ft
Gulfstar 52 Ms
1 sq ft
Irwin 52
1 sq ft
Morgan Out Island 51
—
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Antigua 53 ★
—
Columbia 52
105 s/nm
Csy 51
108 s/nm
Gulfstar 52 Ms
—
Irwin 52
117 s/nm
Morgan Out Island 51
—
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Antigua 53 ★
16.1
Columbia 52
15.8
Csy 51
16.2
Gulfstar 52 Ms
16.7
Irwin 52
15.2
Morgan Out Island 51
—
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Antigua 53 ★
32.3 %
Columbia 52
50.0 %
Csy 51
—
Gulfstar 52 Ms
—
Irwin 52
29.3 %
Morgan Out Island 51
26.1 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Antigua 53 ★
44.2
Columbia 52
44.5
Csy 51
32.7
Gulfstar 52 Ms
37.3
Irwin 52
48.3
Morgan Out Island 51
—
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Antigua 53 ★
1.65
Columbia 52
1.55
Csy 51
1.84
Gulfstar 52 Ms
1.66
Irwin 52
1.62
Morgan Out Island 51
—
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Antigua 53 ★
269
Columbia 52
270
Csy 51
—
Gulfstar 52 Ms
—
Irwin 52
288
Morgan Out Island 51
258
Hull Speed
Antigua 53 ★
8.8 kts
Columbia 52
8.5 kts
Csy 51
8.7 kts
Gulfstar 52 Ms
9.0 kts
Irwin 52
8.9 kts
Morgan Out Island 51
—
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Antigua 53 ★
1.3
Columbia 52
1.9
Csy 51
2.5
Gulfstar 52 Ms
—
Irwin 52
1.5
Morgan Out Island 51
—
Find a Antigua 53 For Sale
Y YachtWorld Brokerage listings S Sailboat Listings Sailboats only C Craigslist National search F Facebook Marketplace Local listings B boats.com Global marketplace