One 1986 example was delivered to San Francisco and taken on a five-year circumnavigation by its first owners. It later logged extensive cruising in the Northwest, from Puget Sound to Princess Louisa Inlet. That history reflects the range for which the design was intended.
Design and Construction
Cheoy Lee had moved fully to fiberglass by the mid-1960s, and the Pedrick 55 comes from that mature composite era, with solid fiberglass hull and deck construction. She’s a heavy boat with a stout, well-built rig. Owners describe a deep, ten-ton keel that holds her low in the water.
A 46-foot waterline and 16-foot beam give her volume. Her capsize ratio of around 1.76 and comfort ratio of 37.65 characterize her as a stable, long-legged passagemaker rather than a light-displacement racer.
Rig, Sail Handling, and Performance
The sloop rig is built around a ForeSpar aluminum mast and SS Dyform standing rigging reported to be lightly used. A rebuilt Navtec hydraulic backstay and vang complete the principal rigging package.
A Leisure Furl boom and Schaefer 2100 jib-furling system simplify sail handling. Large electric primary winches and an electric mast winch also make raising and lowering the mainsail a low-effort job, an important advantage for a short-handed crew on a boat of this size.
Upwind, the Pedrick 55 sails to weather like a freight train and tracks well regardless of angle or conditions. She sails best in the 12-20 knot wind range.
Accommodations
Below deck, the Pedrick 55 has three staterooms, two head compartments, and berths for eight. Mahogany joinery and varnished teak-and-holly decks contrast with white surfaces and headliner, giving the interior a restrained, traditional cruising-boat character.
The layout supports private cruising or, uniquely for a foreign-built hull, charter use under a MARAD exemption on at least one example. That rare exemption permits carrying up to 12 passengers at a time.
Refit and Ownership
The 1986 hull underwent a major five-year rebuild between 2005 and 2009. Its owners report that the work produced a much better, stronger, and more fully equipped boat than the vessel originally delivered.
The upgraded electrical system on that particular boat includes a 3000W Victron inverter/charger, a Victron solar controller serving 340W SunPower panels, and a complete LifePO4 12V battery system. This kind of systematic modernization indicates a well-cared-for example and shows the extent to which a Pedrick 55 can be updated.
The Verdict
The Pedrick 55 is a heavily built sloop with the ballast and rig integrity for serious offshore work. Furling gear and electric winches make that capability more manageable for a short-handed crew.
Her traditional three-stateroom, eight-berth interior isn’t expansive for a boat of this length, and the heavy displacement limits performance in light air outside her preferred 12–20-knot range. Even so, documented refit histories show that these hulls respond well to modernization. A rare MARAD exemption on some boats may also broaden their charter potential.
Pros
- Deep ten-ton keel and 20,000 lb of lead ballast provide steady offshore behavior
- Stout rig with hydraulic vang and backstay, plus lightly used Dyform stays
- Electric winches and a furling boom ease short-handed sail handling
- Documented hulls have proven circumnavigation and refit records
Cons
- Heavy displacement limits light-air performance outside the 12–20-knot range
- Traditional three-cabin interior isn’t expansive for the boat’s length
