BoatsCheoy Lee Shipyard Ltd. Wittholz 53

Cheoy Lee Shipyard Ltd. Wittholz 53

Cutter · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1977

A heavy-displacement cutter designed by Charles Wittholz, built by Cheoy Lee for serious offshore cruising

Designed by Charles Wittholz.

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

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 43 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 43
CoastalBluewater

At 1.65 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.65
LightHeavy

283 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 283
EasygoingPowered-up

16.6 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.6
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Heavier than ~88% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~78% of boats her size on file

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

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.6
Displacement / length
283.4
Comfort ratio
43.1
Capsize screening
1.65
Hull speed
8.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2124
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
FG w/foam cored deck
Production
Years built
First built 1977
Designer
Charles Wittholz
Builder
Cheoy Lee Shipyard Ltd

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

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.

Pearson Yachts 53016.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthThe largest yacht ever built by Pearson, this William Shaw-designed staysail ketch balances heavy-displacement comfort
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
Moody 5416.43 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA cutter-rigged 16.43-metre cruiser featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a 34% ballast ratio for offshore stability
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
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
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

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.

Keep looking

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