Cheoy Le Offshore 53 Yawl Rig

Description

The Cheoy Lee Offshore 53 Yawl (also referred to as the Offshore 53 Yawl or part of the Offshore 53 series, often listed alongside ketch/motorsailer variants) is a classic large bluewater cruising sailboat built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard Ltd. in Hong Kong primarily in the 1970s (production examples from around 1972 onward, with builds into the late 1970s/early 1980s; the series is tied to John G. Alden designs for related models like the Offshore 53 MS ketch). Production numbers are not precisely documented publicly but appear limited (a rare, semi-custom large classic with few surviving examples on the market, often customized). Special features include its long keel for exceptional tracking, stability, and seakindly motion in heavy seas; heavy-duty fiberglass construction (solid GRP hull/deck typical of Cheoy Lee's robust era, with teak trim and accents); yawl rig (mizzen aft of the rudder post for balanced, short-handed sailing, often with cutter elements or options); spacious, comfortable layout suited to long-range/liveaboard use (generous accommodations, tankage, and storage); and a reputation as a serious offshore-capable motorsailer/cruiser—proven in transatlantic passages (e.g., Atlantic crossings documented in owner histories), with forgiving handling, good heavy-weather performance, and the yawl configuration aiding manageability under reduced sail.