Design and Construction
The hull is hand-laid fiberglass with a solid laminate. The deck is balsa- or Airex-cored using a conventional inner-flange joint.
Below, a grid of nine full-length stringers and twelve transverse timbers stiffens the structure. A stainless steel I-beam provides further support and carries the keel-stepped mast. Ballast consists of a 14,500-pound lead inlay sealed inside the fiberglass keel.
The underbody combines a long keel with a separate, skeg-hung rudder, giving the boat a soft, balanced motion offshore. Above the waterline, the Stevens Hylas 47 has a modern raked bow, modest sheer, and a “rocket ship” stern that improves anchor clearance.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The hull form and keel-and-rudder arrangement make the boat unexpectedly stiff and fast. It remains well balanced in a range of conditions, moves smoothly offshore, and is known to cover 200-nautical-mile days regularly. Cruising World noted that the tall cutter rig provides both strong light-air performance and useful heavy-weather flexibility.
The skeg-hung rudder runs on three bearings. The lowest bearing sits well above the skeg heel, reducing the chance of jamming during a hard grounding. Under forward power, the boat can turn in roughly twice its own length. At low speed in reverse, however, it tends to back into the wind.
Accommodations and Systems Access
The 14-foot-3-inch beam provides room for three staterooms, finished in light teak with notable woodwork. Most boats have a centerline queen berth aft, although some Stevens hulls were fitted with split berths.
The saloon is deliberately narrow because pilot berths sit above and outboard of both settees. Owners commonly converted these berths into cruising storage. The narrower layout is also safer underfoot in a seaway. The L-shaped table seats four diners, or six with its leaf extended.
Forward of the saloon, there’s a head with shower to starboard, a bunk room to port, and a V-berth stateroom in the bow. Each stateroom has a hanging locker. The galley occupies the port walkway, while a full, forward-facing navigation station sits to starboard.
The engine is mounted well forward beneath the cockpit. It offers three-sided access under a kitchen counter, favoring service access over a more open interior arrangement.
Six hatches, 14 opening portlights, and five closable dorade vents provide ventilation.
Known Issues
Fixed portlights may weep and allow water to reach the interior veneer. A survey should therefore trace any staining around the fixed portlights.
The Verdict
The Hylas 47 is a purpose-built bluewater cruiser with a substantial internal grid, a stiff and quick hull, and a three-cabin interior that has matured into a practical passage-making layout. Its Taiwan-built solid hull and cored deck, together with a lead-ballasted long keel and skeg-hung rudder, make it a measured, balanced offshore boat rather than a lightweight racer-cruiser.
The narrow saloon and forward engine placement reflect the priorities of their era. Both favor security in a seaway and service access over contemporary open-plan styling.
Pros
- Stiff, quick hull form with a record of regular 200-nautical-mile days
- Strong internal structure, including the stringer grid and stainless steel I-beam mast support
- Three-stateroom teak interior with a practical seagoing layout
- Bridge-clearing 63-foot mast, inboard chainplates, and tight sheeting angles
Cons
- Leaking fixed portlights can damage the interior veneer, so all should be inspected
- Narrow saloon lacks the open-plan appeal of many contemporary interiors
- Production ended in 1991, with no newer factory support for this generation
