Design and Construction
LeComte Yachts built the 52 in solid fiberglass, a monohull with a fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder. The 13.5-foot beam and 35-foot waterline support a displacement-to-length ratio of 385.26, which is the numerical signature of a heavy, volume-rich cruising hull. Ballast comes in at 14,700 pounds of lead, yielding a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 39.73 percent. Those figures, combined with a comfort ratio of 44.60 and a capsize ratio of 1.62, describe a stiff, stable platform with strong righting ability if knocked down — the boat has excellent righting capability if capsized anchor. Tripp's hull is best understood as a heavy bluewater cruising boat, not a light-air performer.
Rig and Handling
The masthead sloop rig carries 1,088 square feet of sail area at 100 percent, split between a 503.5-square-foot main and a 585-square-foot fore sail, on I/J/P/E dimensions of 60, 19.5, 53, and 19 feet. Against the 37,000-pound displacement, the sail-area-to-displacement ratio settles at 15.67 to 15.74 depending on the published rounding. That loading makes her slightly under powered for her weight anchor, and the same sources classify her plainly as a heavy sailboat. What she gives up in acceleration she returns in steadiness: the design is stable and stiff, and her hull speed is a modest 7.93 knots, consistent with a long, heavy cruiser that rewards patient sailing.
Accommodations
The 51.83-foot length and 13.5-foot beam provide the envelope for a serious cruising interior. The published specification leaves cabin, berth, head, water-capacity, headroom, and tankage figures unstated, so the arrangement is learned from the individual yacht.
Refits and Ownership
The specification record shows a single engine fitted, with no horsepower, fuel capacity, or drive-type data published. Prospective owners should treat propulsion and tankage as items to verify on the specific hull, since the source data does not quantify them. The boat has been in production since 1965.
The Verdict
The LeComte 52 is a Tripp-designed, LeComte-built fiberglass cruiser that wears her bluewater brief openly: heavy, stiff, and forgiving if capsized, but not quick to accelerate. She is a long-term cruising proposition rather than a regatta boat, and the thin published interior data means a buyer must learn the layout from the individual yacht.
Pros
- Excellent righting capability if capsized, with a capsize ratio of 1.62
- Stiff and stable hull with 39.73 percent ballast-to-displacement
- Purpose-built heavy bluewater cruising design from William Tripp
Cons
- Slightly under powered for her 37,000-pound displacement
- Published accommodation and tankage figures are unrecorded
- Engine horsepower and fuel capacity not quantified in the source data
