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Little Harbor 53
Designer: Ted Hood  ·  Builder: Little Harbor  ·  First built: 1984
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About the Little Harbor 53

Designed by legendary naval architect Ted Hood and launched in 1984, this substantial cutter-rigged cruiser exemplifies the builder's commitment to offshore capability and traditional aesthetics. With its deep 11.33-foot draft and generous 18,000-pound ballast, the Little Harbor 53 delivers exceptional stability and seaworthiness for serious bluewater voyaging. The boat's moderate displacement of 43,200 pounds strikes an effective balance between performance and load-carrying capacity, while the cutter rig configuration provides excellent sail handling flexibility in varied conditions. Hood's design philosophy emphasizes sea-kindly motion and structural integrity over pure speed, reflected in the comfortable 39.9 comfort ratio that makes extended passages more pleasant for crew. Built with fiberglass construction and incorporating a keel/centerboard configuration, this design offers both deep-water stability and shallow-water versatility. The centerboard feature allows exploration of gunkholes and anchorages typically inaccessible to fixed-keel boats of similar size. With a theoretical hull speed of 8.70 knots and capsize screening formula of 1.72, the Little Harbor 53 demonstrates excellent offshore credentials. The generous sail area of 1,282 square feet ensures adequate power in light conditions while maintaining manageable proportions for shorthanded sailing, making this an ideal choice for serious cruising couples or small crews planning extended voyages.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 52.67 ft / 16.05 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 42.17 ft / 12.85 m
Beam 15.03 ft / 4.58 m
Max Draft 11.33 ft / 3.45 m
Min Draft 5.67 ft / 1.73 m
Displacement 43,200.00 lb / 19,595 kg
Ballast 18,000.00 lb / 8,165 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 1,282.00 ft² / 119.10 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Keel/Cbrd.
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Ted Hood
Builder Little Harbor
First Built 1984
Related Sailboats ["Little Harbor 53 Cc" · "Hallberg Rassy 53" · "Oyster 53 Holman Pye" · "Tayana 52" · "Mason 53"]
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 69
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
 16.73
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
 41.67
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
 257.17
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
 39.9
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
 1.72
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. 8.70 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
 2.08
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. 2,264.69 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. 16.73
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 65.70 ft / 20.03 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 21.60 ft / 6.58 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 57.20 ft / 17.43 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
SA Fore 709.56 ft² / 65.92 m²
SA Main 572.00 ft² / 53.14 m²
SA Total (100%) 1,281.56 ft² / 119.06 m²
Est. Forestay Length 69.16 ft / 21.08 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Westerbeke
How It Compares

vs. Hallberg Rassy 53, Oyster 53 Holman Pye, Tayana 52

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Little Harbor 53 ★
52.7 ft
Hallberg Rassy 53
—
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
53.0 ft
Tayana 52
52.4 ft
LWL
Little Harbor 53 ★
42.2 ft
Hallberg Rassy 53
43.8 ft
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
44.7 ft
Tayana 52
42.1 ft
Beam
Little Harbor 53 ★
15.0 ft
Hallberg Rassy 53
15.2 ft
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
15.8 ft
Tayana 52
15.0 ft
Displacement
Little Harbor 53 ★
43 lbs
Hallberg Rassy 53
50 lbs
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
40 lbs
Tayana 52
38 lbs
Ballast
Little Harbor 53 ★
18 lbs
Hallberg Rassy 53
19 lbs
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
16 lbs
Tayana 52
14 lbs
Sail Area
Little Harbor 53 ★
1 sq ft
Hallberg Rassy 53
1 sq ft
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
1 sq ft
Tayana 52
1 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Little Harbor 53 ★
69 s/nm
Hallberg Rassy 53
—
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
—
Tayana 52
99 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Little Harbor 53 ★
16.7
Hallberg Rassy 53
16.5
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
16.8
Tayana 52
16.3
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Little Harbor 53 ★
41.7 %
Hallberg Rassy 53
—
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
40.4 %
Tayana 52
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Little Harbor 53 ★
39.9
Hallberg Rassy 53
—
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
34.0
Tayana 52
35.8
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Little Harbor 53 ★
1.72
Hallberg Rassy 53
1.65
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
1.83
Tayana 52
1.78
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Little Harbor 53 ★
257
Hallberg Rassy 53
—
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
204
Tayana 52
—
Hull Speed
Little Harbor 53 ★
8.7 kts
Hallberg Rassy 53
8.9 kts
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
9.0 kts
Tayana 52
8.7 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Little Harbor 53 ★
2.1
Hallberg Rassy 53
1.9
Oyster 53 Holman Pye
—
Tayana 52
2.3
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