Design and Construction
The Mason 53 is built on a long fin keel with skeg-hung rudder and a solid fiberglass hull carrying 14,360 pounds of lead ballast against a 38,600-pound displacement, a 37.2 ballast-displacement ratio that places her firmly in the loaded cruiser camp. Ta Shing built the solid hulls and deck, and owners who live with the boat appreciate the solid construction that results. The hull-to-deck joint and structural bulkheads reflect a serious cruising build, and the yard's later use of vinylester resin in place of polyester marks the construction era without changing the essential character. The design is no longer in production, with some sources estimating around 30 to 40 units built during the seven-year run.
Rig and Handling
Both the aft- and centre-cockpit versions could be rigged as a cutter or a staysail ketch, giving owners flexibility in sail plans for short-handed or heavy-weather work. On the water she is well-balanced, responsive, and stable, able to handle light winds as well as heavy seas with ease, and she can reach up to 9 knots in favourable winds. A bow thruster and powerful engine make her easy to manoeuvre and dock, and owners report easy handling as one of her enduring strengths. Writing in Sail in 1984, reviewers described her as "a yacht of uncommon grace and style" that "sails like a dream," and Cruising World later called her a superbly crafted vessel that offers excellent sailing characteristics in its 1998 assessment.
Accommodations
The Mason 53 was offered in two versions — an aft cockpit with a larger main salon and smaller aft cabin, and a centre cockpit with a smaller main salon and larger aft cabin carrying an ensuite head. Both share a comfortable interior with ample storage and sleeping space, and the boat can sleep up to six across three cabins: a forward V-berth, an aft double (or two singles in the centre-cockpit layout), and a midship cabin with upper and lower berths, served by two heads. Owners particularly value the spacious layout and ample storage, and the spacious cockpit extends the living area outdoors.
Known Issues
Owners report leaks, corrosion, and outdated systems as maintenance-related concerns on ageing hulls, typical of an ageing cruiser rather than structural defects.
The Verdict
The Mason 53 is a serious offshore cruiser from the Ta Shing–Al Mason partnership, combining a heavily ballasted solid-fiberglass hull with a flexible ketch or cutter rig and a genuinely roomy three-cabin interior. Professional reviewers praised her sailing manners and build quality across two decades, and owners value her easy handling and bluewater reputation. The small production run means each hull is a considered purchase, and the age of the fleet brings the usual maintenance burdens of leaks, corrosion, and dated systems.
Pros
- Well-balanced, responsive handling with bow-thruster docking ease
- Flexible cutter or staysail-ketch rig for cruising
- Three-cabin layout with ample storage and up to six berths
- Solid Ta Shing construction with encapsulated lead ballast
Cons
- Maintenance burdens: leaks, corrosion, outdated systems on ageing hulls
- Small production run limits choice on the used market
