With a 48-foot-5-inch waterline and a displacement of roughly 37,500 pounds, the 52 LC sits at the larger end of the marque’s cruising range but retains the sporting character its name suggests. Cantiere del Pardo developed the Long Cruise family around a “low impact” sailing experience, aimed at owners who want to spend time afloat without an overly energetic regime at the helm.
Design and Construction
The 52 LC’s profile deliberately runs against modern cruising fashion. There isn’t a chine to be seen, and the waterline gently nips in at the stern, allowing the topsides to flare slightly aft and form the transom’s curves with no reflections off the deck.
Long decks finished in graphite gelcoat absorb light, while black hatches and windows prevent a direct view inside, giving the yacht a muted, private exterior. Her full beam of nearly 16 feet is reached around halfway along the waterline and carried aft at deck level. The bow is blunt but slim, capped by a chunky carbon bowsprit and anchor roller.
The deck is kept uncluttered, with the mechanics of sailing hidden from view in the vast cockpit. Control lines run beneath the deck and through the low cockpit coamings to two banks of jammers just ahead of the twin helming positions.
A glassfibre tray at the top of the keel forms a very deep sump. At the stern, the transom lowers on hydraulic rams to become a bathing platform. Forward, the tender garage can hold an inflated 2.7-meter tender.
Rig and Handling
Both the standard 52 LC and the Sport version come with in-mast furling as standard. The test boat carried membrane sails, with full vertical battens in the mainsail.
A self-tacking jib is also standard, although the reviewed yacht had longitudinal tracks on the coachroof. Its jib cars are set with pins rather than adjusted from the cockpit.
The Sport package adds:
- A taller mast and 14 square meters of additional sail area
- A German mainsheet system tacked to a single point in the cockpit and led forward beneath the boom
- Rod rigging
- A hydraulically adjustable backstay
- Larger winches
This configuration promises a taste of performance while remaining manageable for a minimal crew.
Test sailors found the 52 LC powerful and responsive, with enjoyable helming even in 8 knots of true wind. A crew of three easily pushed boat speed to 9 knots in only 11 knots true. In 9 knots of wind and flat water, the mainsail alone drove the 17-tonne hull at a solid 4 knots.
One person could handle most aspects of sailing under white sails from behind the twin wheels. The reviewed yacht had an electric primary winch on each side, but the winches aren’t reversible. Easing a heavily loaded sail may therefore require an extra pair of hands.
Accommodations
The 52 LC is available with a couple of layouts, both providing three cabins for six guests. The ample sail locker can also be converted into crew quarters.
One layout has a traditional owner’s cabin with a centerline berth. The alternative uses a Pullman-style berth forward and provides a larger head. The standard aft arrangement comprises a spacious twin cabin and a double, with enough headroom beneath the cockpit sole to sit upright on the bunks.
The owner’s suite is plush and roomy, with an island double set against the forward bulkhead and a huge private heads and shower compartment.
Throughout the interior, the emphasis is on space and light. Instruments and draining boards are concealed behind locker doors, and on the test boat, the teak finish was applied to the same standard on the handrails and inside the cupboards.
All heads have elegant porcelain countertop bowl sinks, and black water tanks are now standard. The aft heads use a pull-out fabric shower blind rather than the solid Perspex door fitted forward.
The sail locker is vast and nearly 3 meters deep. A separate sail locker or crew cabin is available as an option.
Engine, Power, and Tankage
The standard engine is a 75-horsepower Volvo Penta. The reviewed yacht carried the upgraded package, comprising a 110-horsepower shaft-driven engine and a Flexifold prop. In flat water, this installation delivered a cruising speed of 9 knots.
House power comes from nearly 600 amp-hours of AGM batteries. The boat carries 600 liters of fuel and 600 liters of water for extended time aboard. Bow and stern thrusters are optional, while the deep sump and substantial tankage support longer coastal or bluewater stretches without frequent replenishment.
Verdict
The Grand Soleil 52 LC is a thoughtfully resolved long-cruise yacht that retains the marque’s sporting character while softening the sailing experience for lifestyle-minded owners. Its chine-free hull, concealed deck gear, and light-absorbing finishes give it a distinctive presence at the dock and a composed feel at the helm. The optional Sport rig broadens its appeal for sailors who want more pace without needing a large crew.
Interior volume is generous for the yacht’s length, with flexible cabin plans and a genuinely private owner’s suite.
Pros
- Chine-free hull with a flared transom and light-absorbing graphite deck
- Sport package adds 14 m² of sail area and a single-point German mainsheet for performance with minimal crew
- Standard in-mast furling and self-tacking jib, with concealed line routing to keep the cockpit clear
- Three-cabin layout sleeps six, with the deep sail locker optionally converted into crew quarters
- 600 L each of fuel and water, plus nearly 600 Ah of AGM batteries, support extended time aboard
Cons
- Jib cars are secured with pins rather than adjusted from the cockpit
- Non-reversible winches can make easing heavily loaded sails a two-person job
- Rope bins on early builds were cramped; the builder reports more space on later hulls
