The hulls have plumb stems, reverse transoms with swimming platforms, dual internally mounted spade-type rudders controlled by a wheel and twin fixed fin keels.
[1][2][3][4] In a 2013 Cruising World review, Herb McCormick wrote, "when one is perched behind the articulating wheel (it can either be centered or cocked slightly to port or starboard) of the 52 on the expansive, raised flybridge.
But when we swapped the working sail for the gargantuan code zero reacher and spun the wheel down a few degrees, the 52 really took off, making a solid 12 knots with ease.
"[10] In a 2014 review in Sail Magazine, Tom Dove wrote, "Although you might not immediately notice the differences between this boat and its predecessors, they are dramatic.
That, in turn, meant reshaping the hulls and making the bows sharper, not to mention adjusting the overall center of lateral resistance to keep the boat balanced with the big jib and small mainsail.
Moving the mast aft also required some kind of new support, as the main bulkhead at the forward end of the saloon is no longer usable as a base.