Design and Construction
Boréal Yachts built both the hull and deck in aluminum. The hull is solid rather than a cored laminate. Displacement is just over 36,000 pounds, including 10,582 pounds of lead ballast, for a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 29.09 percent.
The boat has a 45.3-foot waterline and a beam of 15.3 feet, also specified as 15.26 feet. The design shows a comfort ratio of 31.16 and a capsize screening value of 1.84. Calculated hull speed is just over nine knots.
The centerboard is the defining feature. It gives a maximum draft of 10.27 feet—also described as 10.3 feet—for windward bite, and a minimum draft of 3.74 feet, or 3.7 feet, for gunkholing. Combined with the 15.26-foot beam, that range makes the 55 unusual among boats of her length: she can tuck into anchorages a fin-keeled 54-footer couldn’t reach while still standing up to her sail plan offshore.
Rig and Handling
The Boreal 55 carries a cutter rig with 1,399 square feet of sail area. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 20.39, a moderate figure that speaks to controlled power rather than outright speed.
On the evaluated boat, Eala Bhan, the control lines weren’t led aft to the cockpit. Reefing and headsail handling therefore took place at the mast rather than from the shelter of the stern. A custom bag mounted on the boom kept the reefing lines organized and coped well with the amount of line involved.
Bow and stern thrusters were fitted, and the tester found them excellent for close-quarters maneuvering. Steering redundancy came from a Windpilot wind vane and an NKE autopilot. The owner described the NKE as terrific, strong, reliable so far, and easy to use.
Accommodations, Navigation, and Charging
Eala Bhan carried the kind of self-sufficient equipment expected of a long-distance cruiser. Her domestic battery bank consisted of four 105Ah gel batteries. Charging came from a remarkable stack of sources: a Watt & Sea hydrogenerator, a Superwind wind generator, solar panels, and the engine alternator.
A Philippi PSM system monitor tracked the tanks and all charging inputs. It could show the charging sources cumulatively or break them down individually. However, the monitor was observed to shut down all DC generators—wind, solar, and shaft—whenever the engine alternator was charging. That behavior limits simultaneous charge management under power.
The galley stove was a recent option offered as an upgrade to the standard Eno. The tester considered the upgrade well worth the money.
Navigation equipment included a B&G Zeus Touch with 4G radar and an Echopilot FLS forward-looking sonar. The owner loved the Echopilot for the confidence it provided in shallow water.
Problems on the Evaluated Boat
The electronics package aboard Eala Bhan proved fragile during her first season. The B&G system suffered one failure after another, beginning when the radar failed as the boat left the river at Tréguier on her maiden voyage.
After the radar was replaced, the AIS failed. The system monitor was also changed when it stopped picking up the forward scan and other functions. The stern GPS receiver had to be replaced as well, though the owner noted that this was an easy job.
There was also a physical conflict in the stern gear. The Windpilot wind-vane rudder sat close to the Watt & Sea propeller, and the builder adjusted the arrangement according to the wind-vane maker’s guidance.
Verdict
The Boreal 55 is a thoughtfully conceived aluminum voyager. Her centerboard hull and substantial ballast give her a rare combination: shoal draft for exploration and deep draft for offshore work.
The evaluated boat demonstrated both sides of a complex cruising fitout. Its redundant charging and steering arrangements were strengths, but the first-season electronics package required repeated replacements. For a buyer able to sort the wiring from the hull, the platform is sound.
Pros
- Aluminum hull and deck, lead ballast, and a swing centerboard providing a 3.7–10.3-foot draft range
- Redundant steering through a Windpilot vane and NKE autopilot
- Multiple independent charging sources with comprehensive system monitoring
- Recent stove upgrade option in place of the standard Eno
Cons
- Repeated electronics failures aboard the evaluated boat, including the radar, AIS, monitor, and GPS
- Control lines weren’t led aft, requiring deck work at the mast
- Windpilot rudder sat close to the hydrogenerator propeller
- Philippi monitor shut down the DC generators while the engine alternator was charging
