BoatsPearson Yachts 530

Pearson Yachts 530

Staysail Ketch · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1981–1985

The largest yacht ever built by Pearson, this William Shaw-designed staysail ketch balances heavy-displacement comfort

Designed by William H. Shaw.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

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 staysail ketch designed by William H. Shaw and built by Pearson Yachts from 1981 to 1985, representing the largest model produced by the brand. It features a fin keel with a rudder on skeg, a 4.6-meter beam, a 2.1-meter draft, and displaces 19,504 kg; a keel/centerboard variant was also available. Aboard *Sailing Catalpa*, the owners of a 44-year-old Pearson Yachts 530 undertook extensive rig and hardware upgrades, replacing corroded blocks, shackles, and slides with Schaefer Marine components to prepare for offshore passages.0:30 They upgraded mizzen running backstay blocks, installed soft shackles, and improved their davit system with triple blocks for lifting a four-stroke outboard.4:09 The crew also installed a new spinnaker pole track, using Tefgel to prevent galvanic corrosion on the aluminum mast. *Sailing Catalpa* also documented the challenges of purchasing their Pearson Yachts 530 sight unseen, which led to unexpected repair costs and visa complications in San Diego, necessitating a move to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, for more affordable repairs.6:40

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 2 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Pearson Yachts 530 on video

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 Marine 54 (Humphreys)16.43 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Rob Humphreys-designed bluewater cutter featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and versatile keel options
Sep 22 2025 Hedonic Adaptation is simply the mind's Homeostasis7:45from Sven Yrvind
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
SAILING to the Island of the Bulls0:03from Distant Shores TV
Hylas 5416.48 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA German Frers-designed cutter with a high comfort ratio and bulb keel, built for stable, long-distance blue water cruising
Best Boats at Newport Boat Show 2025 | Hylas, Beneteau & Lagoon18:08from Sailing Doodles
Oyster 53 (Humphreys)16.41 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Rob Humphreys-designed masthead sloop built for blue-water cruising with a high comfort ratio and stable hull form
Forced to TURN AROUND - Sailboat Delivery: Annapolis to BVI's [EP 188]10:18from Sailing Millennial Falcon
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
Why Charter with 45 Degrees Sailing?from 45 Degrees Sailing
Amel 5016.50 mSame hull family0.4 m longerAmel's first sloop since 1997, this 16.5-metre masthead design features a fin keel with bulb and dual rudders
From Windsurfer to Solo Sailor | 50 Miles in 30 Knots Across the Bahamas - Cat Island to Georgetown.12:20from Sailing Mirage

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 handlingPearson Yachts 323A William Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for offshore stability with a skeg-mounted rudder and shoal-draft keelPearson Yachts 33A keel-centerboard masthead sloop with a 2.31-metre maximum draft, designed for versatile performance in varied depthsPearson Yachts 40A 12-meter masthead sloop with a deep 2.87-meter draft and high ballast ratio, built for stability and speed

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