Pearson 530 (ketch rig)
Description
The Pearson 530 is a large fiberglass performance cruising ketch, recognized as the biggest boat ever built under the Pearson brand, designed for serious offshore passage making with luxurious liveaboard comfort. Featuring a fin keel with skeg-hung rudder and an optional centerboard for shallower drafts, it combines heavy displacement stability with a divided ketch rig for balanced, short-handed handling. Introduced as a "sports car in a limousine body," it delivers responsive sailing across all points of sail while offering home-like amenities, making it ideal for couples or families tackling long voyages without crew. Launched in 1981 by Pearson Yachts in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the 530 was the final large-scale project under the Grumman Aerospace ownership (which acquired Pearson in 1964), reflecting the yard's evolution toward high-end performance cruisers. Designed by William H. Shaw, it was produced until 1985, with approximately 20-30 units built—low volume due to its premium price and size amid the 1980s market shift to smaller boats. Tank-tested for hydrodynamics, it addressed demands for a "forgiving yet fast" bluewater yacht, succeeding models like the 530's smaller siblings (e.g., 422, 455). Pearson ceased operations in 1991, but the 530's enduring appeal lies in its blend of Shaw's engineering and Alden-inspired elegance, with active owner support via associations.
Construction Details
| Designer | William H. "Bill" Shaw |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pearson Yachts |
| Length | 53.000 ft |
| LOA | 53.000 ft |
| LWL | 45.000 ft |
| Beam | 15.000 ft |
| Displacement | 43000 lb |
| Ballast | 16000 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.830 ft |
| Year Built | 1981 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 58 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 18.92 ft |
| p | 51.50 ft |
| e | 18.75 ft |
| p2 | 32.96 ft |
| e2 | 12 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 ft | 18.92 ft | 51.50 ft | 18.75 ft | 32.96 ft | 12 ft | - | - |
Sails
Pearson 530 (ketch rig) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 51.5 ft - (15697 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 18.75 ft - (5715 mm) |
| Leech | * 53.91 ft - (16432 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 54.19 ft - (16517 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 493.71 ft² |
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Pearson 530 (ketch rig) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 48.81 ft - (14877 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 25.14 ft - (7663 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.25 ft - (12878 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.01 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.76 ft - (6632 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 531.01 ft² |
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Pearson 530 (ketch rig) - GENOA
| Luff | * 57.96 ft - (17666 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 30.62 ft - (9333 mm) |
| Leech | * 54.45 ft - (16596 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 28.38 ft - (8650 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 822.5 ft² |
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Pearson 530 (ketch rig) - DRIFTER
| Luff | * 57.96 ft - (17666 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 31.87 ft - (9714 mm) |
| Leech | * 51.9 ft - (15819 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perp | * 28.38 ft - (8650 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 9.01 ° |
| Area | * 822.39 ft² |
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Pearson 530 (ketch rig) - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 57.96 ft - (17666 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 31.22 ft - (9516 mm) |
| Leech | * 53.32 ft - (16252 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1357 ft² |
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Pearson 530 (ketch rig) - MIZZEN
| Luff | * 32.96 ft - (10046 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 34.35 ft - (10470 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 34.68 ft - (10570 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 202.6 ft² |
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Pearson 530 (ketch rig) - STORMJIB
| Luff | * 33.55 ft - (10226 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14.22 ft - (4334 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.44 ft - (8364 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 59.99 % |
| Length Perp | * 11.35 ft - (3459 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 18.98 ° |
| Area | * 190.39 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.