Design and Construction
The 56’s hull is solid fiberglass with no coring, built by the Taiwanese yard Queen Long using Twaron, a bulletproof Kevlar-like aramid fiber anchor. The deck mold was reworked from the 54 to accept a larger cockpit and a beamier, taller coachroof, and the coach roof itself was widened seven inches on the beam. Structural closure is an inner-flange hull-deck joint glued with 3M 5200, fastened to the toerail on 6-inch centers with aircraft locking bolts, and tabbed from below. A skegged rudder gives grounding protection, and two keel drafts were offered at 6’ 4” and 7’ 4”. Writing in Cruising World, judges cited the sturdy hull, high-quality systems installation, and copious on-deck storage as defining traits anchor, while tester Ed Sherman praised the excellent workmanship and magnificent systems installation.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck, the triple-spreader rig carries a 76-foot Selden mast with forward and aft lowers on individual chainplates for extra strength, and all control lines are led aft to oversized Antal winches and electric primaries that make shorthanded sailing unremarkable rather than heroic. A suit of Doyle sails brings a 135% genoa and a choice of mainsail configurations including in-mast furling, totaling 1,821 square feet of canvas. The cockpit was stretched 24 inches fore and aft and widened eight inches over the 54, with a table seating six. Polar data shows 4 knots in 10 knots apparent at 60 degrees, 7–8 knots on a beam reach in 16 knots flat water, and 9–10 knots on a broad reach in 20–25-plus knots. Cruising World found her gathering and holding speed in 6–8 knots, and the in-mast furling boat they sailed performed well in light sea-trial breeze anchor.
Accommodations
Below, the saloon ports were deleted in favor of a single fixed circular dark Lexan wrap-around port, and the social space pairs a straight starboard settee with a port L-shaped dinette. An office-sized L-shaped nav station with swiveling chair and split panel exposing the wiring harness anchors the technical end. The almost-11-foot galley to starboard doubles as the walk-through to the aft stateroom, where a centerline queen, double head bookshelves, and a hanging locker amidships sit under two extra inches of headroom; the en suite head has a separate shower and space for a washer/dryer. Forward, a guest cabin holds a 6-foot-8 walk-around island berth with three drawer rows and a hanging locker, opening to a guest head with shower, while opposite lies a third cabin configurable as bunks, office, workbench, or utility room thanks to Hylas’ semi-custom approach. Bamboo flooring is an available upgrade.
Deck and Safety Detail
On deck, a hefty dual bow roller and divided anchor locker separate docklines and fenders while forming a watertight collision bulkhead, backed by a second watertight section behind the dual aft lazarettes. A Hylas trademark steel bow plate shields the deck from anchor dings, and beefy 12-inch cleats complete the ground-tackle picture. Stern-step deck storage grew enough to swallow an air compressor and several SCUBA tanks. Cruising World noted well-conceived handholds, logical brace points, and good berths with excellent lee cloths anchor.
Systems and Power
Twin house banks deliver 840 amp hours from four AGM 8Ds plus 675 from three more 8Ds, charged by a 135-amp house alternator and a separate 60-amp starting unit. A standard bow thruster eases close-quarters work. The engine stepped up to a 150-hp Volkswagen common-rail diesel, and stainless tanks under the saloon hold 555 gallons fuel and 500 gallons water.
The Verdict
The Hylas 56 distills Frers’ bluewater logic into a semi-custom 54-foot-plus platform with serious aramid-reinforced structure, a genuinely shorthanded-friendly deck, and an interior that scales from charter-grade three-cabin layouts to owner office configurations without feeling compromised. She is a moderate-displacement ocean boat with the tankage and battery bank to linger off-grid, though her size and systems density demand an owner comfortable with maintenance scope.
Pros
- Solid hull with no coring built using Twaron aramid fiber, robust inner-flange joint and twin watertight bulkheads
- Led-aft lines, electric winches, and bow thruster make singlehanding plausible
- Semi-custom interior with walk-through galley and configurable third cabin
- Large battery banks and 555/500 gallon tankage for extended cruising
Cons
- Moderate-displacement hull is no light-air sprinter despite decent 10-knot polars
- Complex systems inventory implies higher ownership and survey overhead
