Design and Construction
Queen Long Marine builds the Hylas 60 in Taiwan. Atech Composites performs the SCRIMP infusion of the cored hull, deck, and bulkheads; those components then return to Queen Long for build-out. The hull is infused in vinylester with a Divinycell core. The builder says this process produces a hull that is 8 percent lighter and 40 percent stronger than a conventional lay-up.
The construction descriptions also identify the deck as solid fiberglass and the hull as solid fiberglass, alongside the cored structure noted above. A watertight crash bulkhead sits forward of the VIP cabin, while additional watertight bulkheads are distributed throughout the boat for safety.
Systems and tankage are grouped beneath the raised cabin sole to keep the center of gravity low. The saloon sole is also raised to accommodate tankage below.
The bulb keel comes in two versions: a shoal-draft option drawing 6 feet 6 inches and a standard keel drawing 8 feet 10 inches. The standard configuration carries 22,562 pounds of lead ballast. Freeboard is a somewhat tall 6 feet, but the cabinhouse sits close to the deckline, and the flush foredeck helps keep the profile low.
Rig, Sailing, and Engine Performance
Frers specified a triple-spreader fractional rig carrying just over 1,800 square feet of sail. An aluminum mast is standard, with carbon available as an option. A fixed composite sprit incorporates the anchor roller and provides for an A-sail, and buyers can add a self-tacking staysail. Twin rudders keep the boat firmly under control at aggressive heel angles.
On hull #1, sail handling centered on a single elevated centerline winch for the end-boom mainsheet, with another pair of winches forward of the helms for the headsail sheets. The production review describes a massive Antal electric winch between the wheels, plus four smaller electric winches for the sheets and cutter-style rigging. It also notes Seldén hydraulic in-mast furling and electric headsail furlers. Jefa steering proved smooth and responsive in close quarters.
The test boat carried a North Sails NPL laminated sail suite, including an in-mast furling mainsail and 105-percent jib. In 11 knots of wind, it made 6.1 knots on a beam reach. In a 13-knot puff at 60 degrees apparent, speed rose to 6.5 knots. Broad reaching at 120 degrees in very light air, it ghosted along at 3.7 knots.
A Volvo Penta D3 150-horsepower diesel drove the boat to 8.1 knots at the wide-open setting of 2,900 rpm. At a 2,200 rpm cruising speed on flat water, it made 7.4 knots.
Accommodations and Interior
The standard three-cabin layout puts the master cabin aft and an island-queen VIP cabin in the bow, immediately behind the crash bulkhead. An over/under cabin to port can instead serve as an office. In the four-cabin version, the aft stateroom is divided into two rooms with twin berths.
The in-line galley occupies the starboard passageway leading aft, a long-standing Hylas arrangement. Its Meganite counters resist staining. To port, a substantial navigation station accommodates both electronics and paper charts. Farther aft, the engine compartment offers walk-in access.
No fewer than six steps lead down into the vast, deep saloon. An L-shaped settee and centerline stools sit to port, with a second couch to starboard. Storage is extensive, with lockers outboard of and above the settees, as well as around both main berths.
Hull #1 featured light wood and leather. The catalog also lists a darker teak finish and Hot Lab’s white-ash, white-leather, and wenge-accent scheme.
Cockpit and Deck
The exterior combines a low cabinhouse and an almost plumb bow with a sculpted sprit. A slightly reversed, drop-down transom conceals a dinghy garage sized for a 9-foot Highfield tender.
Broad side decks, flush hatches, and a continuous toerail-bulwark outboard provide security when moving forward. The tester also praised the high lifelines. Interior grabrails offer additional handholds.
The sleek helm pods have a superyacht-like appearance, with engine controls positioned at waist level. Renderings show a long, open walk-through cockpit. The tested bridge-deck arrangement instead had a recessed forward lounge with settees and a drop-leaf table.
Known Issue
The only sailing complaint from the review trials concerned the Bimini, which blocked the helmsman’s view of the mainsail. The awning rolls back to restore the sightline.
Verdict
The Hylas 60 confidently reinvents the brand’s looks and engineering. It trades traditional Hylas cues for a light, cored, low-profile hull, substantial offshore safety bulkheads, and a flexible modern interior. The boat sails efficiently in modest breeze and motors at a useful pace. Its tall freeboard and the Bimini’s effect on the helmsman’s view are minor trade-offs.
Pros
- Infused Divinycell hull with claimed weight and strength gains
- Multiple watertight bulkheads, including a forward crash bulkhead
- Low center of gravity from tankage beneath the raised sole
- Twin rudders and a fractional rig, with electric furling options
- Flexible three- or four-cabin layouts
- Extensive saloon storage
Cons
- Bimini can obstruct the view of the mainsail from the helm
- 6-foot freeboard is tall for the boat’s length
