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Pearson 530
Designer: William Shaw  ·  Builder: Pearson Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1981
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About the Pearson 530

Built during the early 1980s by renowned American builder Pearson Yachts, this William Shaw-designed ketch represents the company's venture into the luxury cruising market. At 53 feet overall with a traditional staysail ketch rig carrying 1,232 square feet of sail, the 530 was positioned as a serious offshore cruising yacht for discerning sailors. The yacht's substantial 43,000-pound displacement and generous 16,000-pound ballast provide excellent stability and seakeeping ability, while the fin keel with rudder on skeg configuration offers a good balance of performance and directional stability. With a comfort ratio of 38.07, this design prioritizes onboard livability over racing performance, making extended passages more enjoyable for crew and guests alike. The staysail ketch rig provides excellent sail handling options for shorthanded sailing, allowing easy sail reduction in heavy weather while maintaining good balance. Her moderate sail area to displacement ratio of 16.13 suggests steady, predictable sailing characteristics rather than lightweight racing performance. The capsize screening value of 1.72 indicates good offshore seaworthiness, while the hull speed of nearly 9 knots provides respectable passage-making ability under sail or the standard 85-horsepower auxiliary engine.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 53.00 ft / 16.15 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 45.00 ft / 13.72 m
Beam 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
Max Draft 6.83 ft / 2.08 m
Displacement 43,000.00 lb / 19,504 kg
Ballast 16,000.00 lb / 7,257 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 1,232.00 ft² / 114.46 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Staysail Ketch
Construction FG
Designer William Shaw
Builder Pearson Yachts (USA)
First Built 1981
Last Built 1985
Associations Pearson Yacht Owners Portal
Related Sailboats Little Harbor 53 · Tayana 52 · Mason 53 · Irwin 52 · Alden 52
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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
 102
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
 16.13
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
 37.21
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
 210.66
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
 38.07
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. 8.99 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
 2.16
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. 2,411.85 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. 13.54
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 58.00 ft / 17.68 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 19.00 ft / 5.79 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 51.50 ft / 15.70 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 18.75 ft / 5.72 m
SA Fore 551.00 ft² / 51.19 m²
SA Main 482.81 ft² / 44.85 m²
SA Total (100%) 1,033.81 ft² / 96.04 m²
Est. Forestay Length 61.03 ft / 18.60 m
Mast Height (DWL) 64.00 ft / 19.51 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Perkins
Engine Model 4.236
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 85
Fuel Capacity 170 gals / 644 L
Water Capacity 280 gals / 1,060 L
How It Compares

vs. Alden 52, Irwin 52, Little Harbor 53, Mason 53, Tayana 52

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Pearson 530 ★
53.0 ft
Alden 52
52.6 ft
Irwin 52
52.0 ft
Little Harbor 53
52.7 ft
Mason 53
53.5 ft
Tayana 52
52.4 ft
LWL
Pearson 530 ★
45.0 ft
Alden 52
40.0 ft
Irwin 52
44.0 ft
Little Harbor 53
42.2 ft
Mason 53
39.8 ft
Tayana 52
42.1 ft
Beam
Pearson 530 ★
15.0 ft
Alden 52
14.3 ft
Irwin 52
15.3 ft
Little Harbor 53
15.0 ft
Mason 53
14.8 ft
Tayana 52
15.0 ft
Displacement
Pearson 530 ★
43 lbs
Alden 52
39 lbs
Irwin 52
55 lbs
Little Harbor 53
43 lbs
Mason 53
38 lbs
Tayana 52
38 lbs
Ballast
Pearson 530 ★
16 lbs
Alden 52
16 lbs
Irwin 52
16 lbs
Little Harbor 53
18 lbs
Mason 53
14 lbs
Tayana 52
14 lbs
Sail Area
Pearson 530 ★
1 sq ft
Alden 52
1 sq ft
Irwin 52
1 sq ft
Little Harbor 53
1 sq ft
Mason 53
—
Tayana 52
1 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Pearson 530 ★
102 s/nm
Alden 52
78 s/nm
Irwin 52
117 s/nm
Little Harbor 53
69 s/nm
Mason 53
132 s/nm
Tayana 52
99 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Pearson 530 ★
16.1
Alden 52
18.3
Irwin 52
15.2
Little Harbor 53
16.7
Mason 53
—
Tayana 52
16.3
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Pearson 530 ★
37.2 %
Alden 52
41.8 %
Irwin 52
29.3 %
Little Harbor 53
41.7 %
Mason 53
37.2 %
Tayana 52
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Pearson 530 ★
38.1
Alden 52
39.7
Irwin 52
48.3
Little Harbor 53
39.9
Mason 53
—
Tayana 52
35.8
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Pearson 530 ★
1.72
Alden 52
1.69
Irwin 52
1.62
Little Harbor 53
1.72
Mason 53
—
Tayana 52
1.78
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Pearson 530 ★
210
Alden 52
272
Irwin 52
288
Little Harbor 53
257
Mason 53
274
Tayana 52
—
Hull Speed
Pearson 530 ★
9.0 kts
Alden 52
8.5 kts
Irwin 52
8.9 kts
Little Harbor 53
8.7 kts
Mason 53
—
Tayana 52
8.7 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Pearson 530 ★
2.2
Alden 52
2.1
Irwin 52
1.5
Little Harbor 53
2.1
Mason 53
—
Tayana 52
2.3
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