1990 Cheoy Lee 53 Motor Sailer For Sale - $650000

Cheoy Lee 53’ Motorsailer, designed by Seaton-Nevill and built in 1990 at Cheoy Lee’s Hong Kong shipyard, is a unique “single hull” model renowned for its high-quality craftsmanship and superior yacht construction. As one of the last hulls produced, MS Cetacea benefited from all the improvements made to previous hulls. Additionally, it has been continuously maintained by its current owners for 24 years and, unlike other Cheoy Lee 53s, has undergone numerous upgrades.

A proven long-distance sailing yacht, MS Cetacea features twin Perkins 84 HP engines, a 3-ton fuel capacity, a 2-ton water capacity, three cabins all with air conditioning, two electric toilets with separate showers, a spacious main saloon with seating for eight, a fully equipped galley for cooking underway, and an enclosed pilothouse with a full-size raised bed for comfortable night watches. Thanks to the hydraulic winches on board, both the mainsail and the foresail are very easy to handle. With many safety features and large living spaces, MY Cetacea offers maximum safety and a certain level of comfort for long journeys with family and friends.

Upgrades completed in 2023/2024 include: all running rigging, shafts, seals, anodes, a new Kohler generator, inverter, three new chart plotters, a new radar, antennas, AIS, VHF, handheld VHF radios, a new deep freezer, a new tender, Starlink, cleaning of both fuel tanks, and new antifouling paint, among others. Major upgrades carried out over the years are listed below, and technical information and presentation files for all upgrades can be shared with potential buyers upon request.

• Improved engine room ventilation for better engine performance.

• Re-routing of the engine exhaust to exit behind the cockpit.

• Application of non-slip decking instead of teak for lower maintenance and a cooler deck.

• Redesign/reinforcement of all safety railings and extension of sturdy pipe railings around the cockpit.

• Replacement of the companionway hatch with a full-length watertight door for safer and easier access.

• Installation of a custom fibreglass table on the foredeck that serves as a propane tank holder, afternoon table, and tender rest area.

• Installation of a fully enclosed cockpit canopy system with Strataglass panels for all-around visibility.

• Installation of a hardtop system with solar panels, adjustable LED lights, and hatches for airflow.

• Installation of lithium-ion batteries with an updated battery management system.

• Redesign of the V-berth area as a queen/king-size V-berth instead of single berths.

• Redesign of the main head shower with wrap-around walls and a non-slip floor.

These improvements have made the yacht extremely comfortable and stable while enhancing sailing and engine performance. Additionally, thanks to comprehensive insulation and soundproofing, very quiet journeys are possible.

The original owners, a British couple, purchased the yacht in 1990, outfitted it for long-distance offshore cruising, and sailed from England to the British Virgin Islands. The second owner, a Swiss national, sailed the boat for two months each year in the Eastern Caribbean, keeping it moored in St. Lucia. Uli Miexner, an Austrian mechanical engineer and owner of DSL Yachts, maintained the yacht and frequently upgraded it to ensure it was always ready for the owner’s use.

The current owners purchased the yacht in 2001 and continued to entrust its maintenance to Uli and DSL Yachts. For the next 12 years, the yacht cruised throughout the Caribbean island chain. In January 2013, the couple retired and departed St. Lucia westward for a world voyage.

Since then, MY Cetacea has travelled over 20,000 miles, visiting 35 countries across the Caribbean, South Pacific, Pacific Ocean, and Southeast Asia. The couple sailed from St. Lucia to Bonaire, Curacao, Colombia, through the Panama Canal to the Galapagos and French Polynesia, where they spent two years exploring all the islands, including Tahiti and Bora Bora. In 2016, they sailed 2,500 miles west to Palmerston, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and south to New Zealand, where they completed a major refit over two years and cruised the entire country.

Their favourite passage was the 3,400-mile journey from the Galapagos to French Polynesia. Despite rough seas with 3 to 4.5-meter waves, they covered 163 nm per day at an average speed of 6.75 knots, completing the trip in 21 days. At 53 feet and 35 tons, MY Cetacea was not only comfortable underway but also proved to be an excellent performance yacht with a galley designed for cooking while sailing (centrally located) and easy sail handling and good speed. Night watches were especially memorable and safe in the fully enclosed pilothouse, which offers nearly 360-degree visibility and access to all navigation equipment from the raised bed/sofa.

In 2019, the couple sailed 1,500 miles north to cruise Fiji and Vanuatu, but due to COVID, had to leave the boat in the Solomon Islands for 2.5 years. After the pandemic, with minimal maintenance, they cruised the Solomon Islands again and then moved on to Papua New Guinea.

The owners agree that, after their experiences in the South Pacific, this yacht is the right boat that meets all their expectations. MY Cetacea is a heavy sailing yacht built for offshore cruising with 3 tons of fuel and 2 tons of water. She offers critical safety features, including two main engines, two outboard engines, two helm stations (one inside the pilothouse), three chart plotters, four water tanks, two anchors, an autopilot, SSB, VHF, satellite phone, AIS, radar, Starlink satellite, brand new rigging, and a new tender — with almost every device having a backup. She can safely sail thousands of miles from port to port and is the perfect yacht for anyone dreaming of offshore adventures with family or friends. In 2023, the couple sailed 1,200 miles from Torres Strait to Darwin, Australia, and then 2,100 miles from Singapore to Nongsa Point in Batam, across the strait. In 2024, they sailed 700 miles north to Malaysia and Thailand, and to avoid the dangers of the Red Sea, shipped the yacht from Phuket, Thailand, to Marmaris, one of the best cruising areas in the Mediterranean. MS Cetacea is currently in Marmaris and is actively sailed by her owners in Western Turkey and the Greek islands. She is currently on hardstand, with scheduled and ongoing maintenance to the hull.

The owners have previously owned seven sailboats, two of which were also Cheoy Lee. While not the fastest yacht at sea, they state it is certainly one of the safest, most comfortable, and easiest to handle. MS Cetacea always draws attention when entering an anchorage or marina. She is not an ordinary sailing yacht. Now in their 70s, the owners have decided to sell the yacht to spend more time at home with their grandchildren.

The yacht, currently listed for $650k, is on hardstand at Marmaris Yacht Marina. Viewing is by appointment only. Please schedule your visit at least three days in advance. The yacht’s inventory and all technical details can be downloaded in the link shared below.