Design and Construction
Boréal Yachts built the 55 in aluminum for both hull and deck, with a solid hull core rather than a cored laminate. The lead ballast gives her a ballast-displacement ratio of 29.09 percent, and the hull speed calculates to just over nine knots. The centerboard keel is the defining geometry: a 10.27-foot maximum draft for windward bite and a 3.74-foot minimum for gunkholing. That swing range, paired with the 15.26-foot beam, makes the 55 unusual among boats her length in being able to tuck into anchorages a fin-keeled 54-footer could not reach, while still standing up to her sail plan offshore.
Rig and Handling
The 55 carries a cutter rig with 1,399 square feet of sail area and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 20.39, a moderate number that speaks to controlled power rather than outright speed. On the evaluated boat Eala Bhan, the control lines were not led aft to the cockpit, a detail that puts reefing and headsail handling at the mast rather than in the shelter of the stern. A custom bag mounted on the boom kept the reefing lines organized and coped well with the volume of line involved. The boat was fitted with bow and stern thrusters, which the tester found excellent for close-quarters maneuvering. A Windpilot wind vane and an NKE autopilot provided redundant steering, with the NKE described by the owner as terrific, strong, reliable so far, and easy to use.
Accommodations and Systems
Eala Bhan demonstrated the kind of self-sufficient outfit a long-distance cruiser needs. Her domestic battery bank comprised four 105Ah gel batteries, and 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 oversaw tanks and all charging inputs, able to display them cumulatively or broken down by source. The galley stove was a recent option offered as an upgrade from the standard Eno, and the tester judged the upgrade well worth the money. Navigation relied on a B&G Zeus Touch with 4G radar and an Echopilot FLS forward-looking sonar, the latter loved by the owner for shallow-water confidence.
Known Issues
The electronics suite on Eala Bhan proved fragile in her first season. The B&G system suffered one failure after another, beginning with the radar failing as the boat left the river at Tréguier on the maiden voyage anchor. After the radar was replaced, the AIS failed, and the system monitor itself was changed out when it stopped picking up the forward scan and other functions. The GPS receiver at the stern also had to be replaced, though the owner noted that as an easy job. A second physical conflict appeared at the stern gear: the Windpilot wind-vane rudder sat in close proximity to the Watt & Sea propeller, a layout the builder adjusted per the wind-vane maker's guidance. Separately, the Philippi monitor was observed to shut down all DC generators — wind, solar, and shaft — whenever the engine alternator was charging, a behavior that limits simultaneous charge management under power.
The Verdict
The Boreal 55 is a thoughtfully conceived aluminum voyager whose centerboard hull and serious ballast give her a rare dual personality: shoal draft for exploration, deep draft for offshore work. The evaluated example showed both the strength of a redundant charging and steering plan and the weakness of a first-season electronics package that needed repeated replacement. For the buyer who can sort the wiring from the hull, the platform is sound.
Pros
- Aluminum hull and deck with lead ballast and a swing centerboard for 3.7–10.3 foot draft range
- Redundant steering via Windpilot vane and NKE autopilot
- Multiple independent charging sources with comprehensive system monitoring
- Recent stove upgrade option over the standard Eno
Cons
- Electronics suite on the evaluated boat suffered repeated failures (radar, AIS, monitor, GPS)
- Control lines not led aft, putting deck work at the mast
- Windpilot rudder in close proximity to hydrogenerator prop
- Philippi monitor disables DC generators while engine alternator charges
