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Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau
Designer: Philippe Briand  ·  Builder: Jeanneau (Fra)  ·  First built: 1992
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About the Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau

Philippe Briand's design expertise shines through in this limited-production performance cruiser from Jeanneau's early 1990s lineup. With only 20 hulls built between 1992-1994, the Sun Fast 52 represents a rare find in today's market, combining French construction quality with serious offshore capabilities. The yacht's impressive sail area-to-displacement ratio of 20.17 reveals its performance-oriented DNA, while the substantial ballast-to-displacement ratio of nearly 39% provides exceptional stability and stiffness. This makes her equally suited for spirited coastal sailing and extended offshore passages. The fin keel with bulb and spade rudder configuration delivers responsive handling and efficient upwind performance. At 51 feet overall with a waterline length of 44.29 feet, she achieves a theoretical hull speed of 8.92 knots, though her light displacement of 28,660 pounds allows her to exceed this easily in favorable conditions. The masthead sloop rig with 1,176 square feet of sail area provides versatile sailing characteristics across varying wind conditions. Her comfort ratio of 27.16 suggests a relatively quick motion at sea, typical of performance-oriented designs, while the capsize screening value of 1.9 indicates good offshore seaworthiness. This rare Briand design appeals to sailors seeking a fast, capable yacht with excellent sailing characteristics.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 51.05 ft / 15.56 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 44.29 ft / 13.50 m
Beam 14.50 ft / 4.42 m
Max Draft 8.04 ft / 2.45 m
Displacement 28,660.00 lb / 13,000 kg
Ballast 11,078.00 lb / 5,025 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 1,176.00 ft² / 109.25 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Philippe Briand
Builder Jeanneau (FRA)
First Built 1992
Last Built 1994
Number Built 20
Related Sailboats ["X 512" · "First 51 Beneteau" · "Bavaria 51" · "Swan 51" · "Xp 50"]
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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
 20.17
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
 38.65
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
 147.27
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
 27.16
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
 1.9
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. 8.92 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
 3.86
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. 2,294.67 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. 20.18
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 64.53 ft / 19.67 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 17.85 ft / 5.44 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 56.76 ft / 17.30 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 21.16 ft / 6.45 m
SA Fore 575.93 ft² / 53.51 m²
SA Main 600.52 ft² / 55.79 m²
SA Total (100%) 1,176.45 ft² / 109.30 m²
Est. Forestay Length 66.95 ft / 20.41 m
Mast Height (DWL) 68.92 ft / 21.01 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 80
Fuel Capacity 53 gals / 201 L
Water Capacity 140 gals / 530 L
How It Compares

vs. Bavaria 51, First 51 Beneteau, Swan 51

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
51.1 ft
Bavaria 51
51.2 ft
First 51 Beneteau
51.3 ft
Swan 51
51.3 ft
LWL
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
44.3 ft
Bavaria 51
42.0 ft
First 51 Beneteau
43.1 ft
Swan 51
42.3 ft
Beam
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
14.5 ft
Bavaria 51
15.1 ft
First 51 Beneteau
14.9 ft
Swan 51
14.7 ft
Displacement
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
28 lbs
Bavaria 51
31 lbs
First 51 Beneteau
28 lbs
Swan 51
39 lbs
Ballast
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
11 lbs
Bavaria 51
—
First 51 Beneteau
14 lbs
Swan 51
16 lbs
Sail Area
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
1 sq ft
Bavaria 51
1 sq ft
First 51 Beneteau
—
Swan 51
1 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
20.2
Bavaria 51
18.1
First 51 Beneteau
—
Swan 51
17.9
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
38.7 %
Bavaria 51
—
First 51 Beneteau
49.6 %
Swan 51
41.7 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
27.2
Bavaria 51
29.7
First 51 Beneteau
—
Swan 51
38.0
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
1.90
Bavaria 51
1.91
First 51 Beneteau
—
Swan 51
1.73
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
147
Bavaria 51
192
First 51 Beneteau
159
Swan 51
233
Hull Speed
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
8.9 kts
Bavaria 51
8.7 kts
First 51 Beneteau
—
Swan 51
8.7 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Sun Fast 52 Jeanneau ★
3.9
Bavaria 51
—
First 51 Beneteau
—
Swan 51
2.4
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