Blue Water Boats

Hylas 57

by George Day

IT WAS A FINE, WARM MARCH AFternoon earlier this year when I had a chance to visit with Peggy Huang and David Crafa aboard the brand new Hylas 57 near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Peggy and her brother Andy run the family boat building business Queen Long, in Taiwan, where Hylas yachts have been built from the inception of the brand. David is a businessman, a Hylas owner and the lucky guy who got Peggy to say “yes.” The new 57, designed by Bill Dixon, is a collaboration of the three as they set the stage for the next generation of Hylas cruising boats.

The 57 wasn’t hard to find in Harbour Town Marina in Dania since it’s mast towers above almost all the others in the marina. From the quay, the new 57-footer looked even larger and I wouldn’t have been surprised if Peggy let slip that it was really 62 feet long. But the look of largeness is not from length but from the 17-feeet of beam, the broad transom, the vast hybrid cockpit with a hardtop over it and the sexy low profile cabintop bordered by wide side decks.

Stepping aboard, the afterdeck seemed really spacious and has two small seats in the corners of the stern rails. The twin helms, which drive the design’s twin rudders, are at deck level and quite far outboard so you have great visibility forward and of both

the mainsail and jib. The binnacles for both helms are identical command and control centers with duplicate instruments and controls for the engine, thrusters, anchor windlass and sails. You can operate the whole boat from these control centers, including sail reefing, trim and furling, which makes it possible for a lone watchkeeper to handle the 57 by herself.

The reason they have branded the cockpit as a hybrid is because it is really two cockpits in one. The sailing cockpit is at the two helms while the lounging, eating and socializing cockpit is down a step and protected by the windshield and the high coamings. With a dodger in place, your family or guests will be very protected from the elements and safe. The hardtop, which covers the forward cockpit, is a unique addition that replaces what might have been a large canvas bimini. By making it permanent, Hylas was able to use it for the mainsheet so that the cockpit is unobstructed. The mainsheet runs to a winch on the cabintop to the port side of the companionway.

The 57’s rig is tall and powerful, with an in-mast furling mainsail and a Solent-style head sail system, which couples a selftacking jib on a inner fore stay and a 135% genoa on the forward head stay. The bow sprit doubles as an anchor bow roller and a spot to tack down a large down wind sail such as a reacher or asymmetrical spinnaker. Deck stowage for sails, fenders, docking lines and water toys are in the large lazarettes under the after deck.

LIVING ABOARD The Hylas brand has been synonymous

with blue water sailing since the company was founded. The boats compete in a market that includes Oyster, Discovery and a few other center cockpit, raised deck saloon luxury offshore cruisers and the latest design is a very attractive addition to the category. This is a boat that a couple or a family could live aboard and happily cruise the world.

The standard layout plan has the huge master suite aft, a comfortable double cabin in the fore peak and a smaller cabin with upper and lower bunk bed just aft of the forward cabin. This is a layout that was made very popular by the Hylas 54.

Descending from the cockpit into the saloon, you have a large dinette and folding table to starboard and a bench settee to port. The nav station with its large chart table is down two steps to port and is the boat’s command center, with ample room for the electrical panel, marine electronics, radios, satcom equipment, charts and cruising guides.

The galley is in the passageway that leads aft to the master suite and is a true and well fitted out sea-going galley, complete with modern kitchen appliances and plenty of counter space for preparing gourmet meals. At sea, this inline galley always provides a place to brace a hip or a knee so you can use both hands to slice and dice.

The master stateroom has a centerline double berth that is larger than most. There are reading chairs built into the

cabinetry on both sides of the berth and side tables with reading lights on both sides. There are two big hanging lockers and plenty of drawer and other storage space. You certainly could stow a full yearround set of clothing quite easily. The ensuite head is huge and has a shower with an attractive glass door.

The main guest cabin forward has a center line double and plenty of hanging and drawer space for your friends and family to really feel at home. The second guest cabin has upper and lower bunks and a large hanging locker. Both cabins share the forward head and separate shower stall.

The 57 has six large, rectangular fixed ports in each side of the hull, plus the wrap around windows of the raise deck saloon, so the interior spaces are infused with natural light. In combination with the light wood bulkheads and pale fabrics on the cushions, the interior is warm, modern and spacious. Everyone sailing aboard can have a good private space to retreat to and the large saloon and cockpit offer social spaces where eight or more folks can get together for meals and sundowners.

All together the new Hylas 57 is a winning new model for the company and one that promises to take her owners all about the world in safety, comfort and luxury. For more information click here.

Hylas 57 Specifications LOA 59’6” Lod 56’10” LWL 52’11: Deep draft 8’2” Shoal draft 6’5” Displacement 57,685 lbs. Water 260 gals Fuel 286 gals Working sail area 1,636 sq. ft. Engine 150-hp Volvo diesel Designer Bill Dixon Website www.hylasyachts.com

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