Pearson Yachts 530

BoatsPearson Yachts 530

See her sail

The Pearson Yachts 530, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Catalpa

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 38 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 38

CoastalBluewater

1.72 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.72

LightHeavy

211 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 211

EasygoingPowered-up

13.5 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 13.5

TenderStiff

37% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 37%

A capable offshore cruiser with an easy motion when the sea gets up.

Heavier than ~88% of boats her size on file
Beamier than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1364 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Pearson Yachts 530, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Pearson Yachts 530 is a 16.1-meter (53-foot) William H. Shaw-designed staysail ketch built by Pearson Yachts from 1981 to 1985, and it was the largest boat produced by the company. It features a fin keel with a rudder on skeg, displaces 19,504 kg, and has a draft of 2.1 meters; a keel/centerboard variant was also available. Aboard *Sailing Catalpa*, a 1981 Pearson 530, the crew installed 800 amp-hours of lithium batteries, a Seawater Pro watermaker, and a Victron 3000-watt MultiPlus inverter to support both 110V and 230V appliances.14:09 The vessel's engine room includes a central sea chest for through-hull valves, raw water pumps, and a diesel heater.17:59 The rig features a furling mainsail, Schaefer Marine chain plates, and new Hammer Marine standing and running rigging, with a Raymarine Axiom radar and chartplotter at the helm.23:51 The *Sailing Catalpa* crew replaced corroded blocks, shackles, and slides with Schaefer Marine components, upgraded davit blocks for a four-stroke outboard, and installed a new spinnaker pole track.3:20 The crew discovered a diesel leak in their 170-gallon aluminum fuel tank due to internal corrosion, necessitating the installation of inspection ports for cleaning and sealing.4:09 The crew of *El Viaje de Bohemia* toured a Pearson 530, noting its robust fiberglass construction, self-tacking staysail, and an interior with a V-berth and an art studio, powered by an 85-horsepower engine.8:22

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 6 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Pearson Yachts 530 on video

Mistakes, money saving and lessons we learned buying an old sailing boat Episode 463Refitting a 53-ft Pearson Yachts 530 requires careful planning for international visa limits and local boatyard labor costs.Sailing Catalpa

BOAT TOUR of our Pearson 530 Sailing boatA 53-foot Pearson 530 sailboat features a custom lithium electrical system and a central sea chest configuration.Sailing Catalpa

Watch this if you have an old Sail boat Ep 430Refitting a Pearson 530 involves cutting inspection ports into a corroded aluminum fuel tank to remove sludge.Sailing Catalpa

Boat Life is it really that DREAMY? | Ep 368The crew of the Pearson 530 Catalpa manages family dynamics by prioritizing individual time away from the boat.Sailing Catalpa

SAILING BLOCK ISLAND + PEARSON 530 BOAT TOUR (HD) 🏝️✨ [Ep.71] The Bohemian JourneyThe crew tours a Pearson 530 ketch in Block Island, Rhode Island, before exploring the island by scooter.El Viaje de Bohemia

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

InstalledVictronalongside 5000 watt square wave inverter
A Victron 3000 watt multi-plus inverter was installed, replacing an older inverter.
aboard Sailing Catalpaseen March 202515:11
WorkingRaymarine
The helm features a Raymarine Exxium for radar and chart plotting.
aboard Sailing Catalpaseen March 202520:03

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Pearson Yachts 530 may be fitted out entirely differently.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

37.2%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Staysail Ketch

Ratios

SA / displacement

13.5

Displacement / length

210.7

Comfort ratio

38.1

Capsize screening

1.72

Hull speed

9.0 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

2412

Hull

Hull type

Fin with rudder on skeg

Construction

Fiberglass

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

1981–1985

Designer

William H. Shaw

Builder

Pearson Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Oyster Yachts 49516.10 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA modern Humphreys-designed fractional sloop featuring a high-stability hull with dual rudders for offshore control

[OFF MARKET] Oyster 49 (YATTARNA) with Andrew Fairbrass - Yacht for Sale - Ready for Next Adventures from Berthon International

Swan 5316.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed masthead sloop featuring a deep fin keel and available with a performance-oriented tall rig

Nautor Swan 53 (GAIA), with Ben Cooper - Yacht for Sale - Berthon International Yacht Brokers from Berthon International

Hallberg-Rassy 5016.34 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA German Frers-designed bluewater cruiser featuring a modern fractional rig, dual rudders, and a high-stability hull

Hallberg-Rassy 50 English0:08 from SEILmagasinet

Amel Mango 5216.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA robust masthead ketch designed for blue-water cruising, featuring a protected skeg-hung rudder and a stable hull form

Amel 52 Yacht Attacked by Orcas (Killer Whales) off the Spanish Coast0:14 from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery

Hanse Yachts 54816.22 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 16.22-meter Judel/Vrolijk design featuring a 2.55-meter bulb keel and a balanced 18.26 SA/D ratio for modern cruising

Hanse 548 Haul Out & Maintenance 2026 | Boat Service, Repairs & Upgrades0:03 from 45 Degrees Sailing

Amel Super Maramu16.00 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 16-metre masthead ketch replacing the Mango 52, featuring a wing keel and a versatile engine range for blue-water travel

This sailboat is going to change so many lives...16:32 from Cruisers Academy

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Pearson Yachts 33-2A William Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for a decade, balancing a fin keel with spade rudder for responsive handling Pearson Yachts 323A William Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for offshore stability with a skeg-mounted rudder and shoal-draft keel Pearson Yachts 33A keel-centerboard masthead sloop with a 2.31-metre maximum draft, designed for versatile performance in varied depths Pearson Yachts 40A 12-meter masthead sloop with a deep 2.87-meter draft and high ballast ratio, built for stability and speed

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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