Design and Construction
The Bluewater 56 has a classic hull shape that tapers toward the stern. Its 46-foot waterline and 15.8-foot beam provide substantial interior volume without resorting to extreme beaminess. The yacht displaces roughly 50,000 pounds, with 20,000 pounds of lead ballast. That puts the ballast-to-displacement ratio near 40 percent, placing it firmly in the serious offshore-cruiser camp rather than the coastal-weekender category.
The structure sets this boat apart. The builder uses Twaron, an aramid fiber similar to Kevlar, in alternating layers with fiberglass. Vinylester resin is used throughout the hull and deck laminate. Unlike many contemporaries, the hull contains no core material; both hull and deck are solid fiberglass. The yard claims that the Twaron mixture provides exceptional mechanical strength, heat resistance, and light weight. The Twaron is laid in alternating layers with fiberglass and hardened in vinylester throughout the hull and deck laminate.
Built in China, the yacht favors heavy, rugged deck hardware over flush modern skylights. Details include massive deck hatches, 34-inch stainless-steel stanchions, and guard rails running along the deck to provide firm handholds in rough conditions.
Deck and Rig
The deck layout puts safe, efficient offshore sailing first, while remaining comfortable at anchor or alongside. Wide side decks give the crew room to move fore and aft in rough conditions. A wraparound stern pulpit extends forward to the cockpit gate, while the bow pulpit reaches aft beyond the windlass. Mid-deck shrouds and on-deck handrails reinforce a deck plan that favors security over minimalism.
A single skeg-hung rudder protects the steering. The mast is stepped in a traditional arrangement without pronounced spreader sweep. Owners can choose in-mast or in-boom furling, standard jiffy reefing, a cutter rig with a removable staysail stay, or a carbon-fiber mast and boom.
The standard 135-percent overlapping genoa produces about 170 square meters of upwind sail area. A bowsprit can be added for an asymmetric sail.
Accommodations
The raised saloon lifts the main living area, bringing in exceptional light through numerous deckhouse portholes while sheltering a dry central cockpit. The saloon has six and a half feet of headroom. It can accommodate twelve people for cocktails or seat a family of eight around the port table, which folds or lowers to create a sleeping or cocktail surface. The starboard settee provides lounging space and can become a sea berth if designed that way.
The full-teak interior conceals every trace of bare GRP behind veneer and solid joinery. Off-white overheads and tinted wraparound windows admit light without heat.
Aft, the master suite has a raised centerline double berth accessible from both sides, ample hanging lockers, opening ports, and a large hatch for ventilation in tropical conditions. Its large private head includes a proper enclosed shower stall.
The mid-cabin has a double berth with an astonishing amount of stowage beneath it. A forward V-berth cabin has its own opening ports, while a starboard head with a separate shower serves the rest of the boat.
The galley runs along the passageway to the master cabin. It includes a Corian worktop, insulated drawer refrigeration, and custom sinks and cabinetry.
Equipment and Systems
The builder describes the electrical installation as far superior to the industry standard. Domestic battery capacity often exceeds 1,000 to 1,300 amp-hours.
Opposite the galley, a portside navigation station has room for a full suite of electronics while still providing storage for full-size paper charts. The standard engine is a 150-horsepower Yanmar diesel. Tankage is roughly 280 gallons of fuel and 275 gallons of water.
The yacht displayed at Cannes carried four Vitrifrigo drawer units that could serve as refrigerators or freezers. It also had a fixed dodger designed for heavy spray and chrome-plated Antal fittings throughout the cockpit.
Production and Ownership
The design began as the Hylas 56. The Bluewater 56 is a German Frers design from 2011. The design lineage runs through 27 hulls as the Hylas 56 before Bluewater Yachts acquired the molds and continued production under the Bluewater name.
Bluewater builds no more than three to five of these yachts annually. Each owner works with the company’s in-house designers to tailor the deck layout. With that stated low production volume, buyers are looking at a semi-custom yacht rather than a mass-market model.
The Verdict
The Bluewater 56 is a thoughtfully resolved offshore cruiser. Its aramid-reinforced solid laminate and substantial ballast ratio point to a boat intended for passagemaking rather than marina display. The raised saloon and wide deck routes make it comfortable to live aboard and safer to move around at sea. However, the cockpit is small for a yacht of this size, and low annual production means the boat is neither inexpensive nor easy to compare with production-built rivals.
Pros
- Twaron-and-vinylester laminate with no core, built for strength and heat resistance
- Raised saloon with a sheltered cockpit and exceptional natural light
- Wide side decks, 34-inch stainless-steel stanchions and guard rails, and guard rails for offshore security
- Semi-custom deck layout with substantial electrical and battery capacity
Cons
- Cockpit is very small relative to the yacht’s size
- Low annual production limits comparable sales and resale data
- Heavy, traditional deck hatches rather than flush modern units
