Hylas 48 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Hylas 48 means considering a Bill Dixon-designed 48-foot cruiser built from 2018 onward by Hylas Yachts, with most used examples coming from ex-charter fleets or private ownership in the United States. The boat’s semi-custom nature means layouts and equipment vary, but the core is a center-cockpit deck-saloon vessel with serious offshore intent.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner versions with three staterooms are the more common configuration seen on the used market, though two-cabin boats are also available. The base plan includes a pair of cabins and two heads, but a forward port compartment can be fitted as a third cabin — for over-under bunks, a desk, or utility storage — and appears on many boats. Ex-charter examples are common and typically show the higher-cabin-count layout to maximize charter appeal. Either way, the aft master with island queen and the forward guest cabin with its own head define the liveaboard comfort buyers expect.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, commonly fitted gear centers on short-handed cruising and autonomy. Electric winches, a bow thruster, furling main, autopilot, radar, AIS, chartplotter, inverter, air conditioning, and a freezer are typical, reflecting a boat built to be handled by a couple. For power and energy, the 7kW Northern Lights genset and a 24-volt AGM battery bank with dedicated windlass cells support the air conditioning and inverter loads. Sail handling and canvas commonly include the furling main and a Bimini with a robust frame that doubles as a handhold. Less commonly seen owner upgrades include a self-tacking jib, hot water, teak decks, cockpit shower, dodger, and bimini — these are worth noting when present as they add value but are not standard.
What to Inspect
The hull is hand-laid solid fiberglass with vinylester resin and an isophthalic gelcoat, and two layers of epoxy barrier coat sit below the waterline to prevent blisters anchor, so check for any repair history that would indicate osmotic damage. The deck is balsa cored, which warrants a moisture survey for soft spots. The builder added three inches of draft to Dixon’s original keel to make the boat less tender anchor; confirm the keel joint and fairing are intact. The saildrive unit should be inspected for seal condition, as it replaces a straight shaft and sits farther aft in the hull.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are found in the United States market. When evaluating a Hylas 48, prioritize a hull moisture reading, a balsa-core deck survey, saildrive seal inspection, and verification of the semi-custom modification history. Confirm the three-cabin layout matches your needs and that commonly fitted systems — genset, bow thruster, furling main — are operational.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Hylas 48. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 | 2 | $1,769,000 | — |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $48 | -100.0% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $1,800,000 | +3749900.0% |
Where they're listed
Hylas 48 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 5.
Country view
5 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $1,769,000 | 5 | 3 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tayana 48 | 48' | $ 330,000 | 29 | 5 |
| Swan 48 | 48.49' | $ 576,812 | 18 | 2 |
| Hylas 44 | 44.17' | $ 109,990 | 15 | 2 |
| Hallberg-Rassy 48 | 49.18' | $ 576,812 | 13 | 4 |
| Moody 48 DS | 50.59' | $ 1,199,339 | 10 | 4 |
| Nautor Swan Swan 48-2 | 49.51' | $ 810,450 | 6 | 0 |
| Hylas 48You are here | — | $ 1,769,000 | 5 | 3 |