Design and Construction
The 57-foot-6-inch hull carries a 54-foot waterline and a beam of just over 16 feet. Displacement is nearly 57,000 pounds, with a 30-percent ballast ratio.
The hull and deck use vacuum-infused sandwich construction with blister-resistant vinylester resin over a Divinycell foam core and multi-axial E-glass. This modern approach keeps weight down while resisting osmosis. The deck is both bonded and bolted to the hull, and high-stress areas, including the winch foundations, receive additional fiberglass reinforcement. Below the waterline, a couple of layers of epoxy primer cover the laminate.
Longitudinal stringers, a reinforcing floor-plate grid, and structural bulkheads stiffen the hull. The nearly plumb bow and slightly angled reverse transom maximize waterline length, while the long, flush deck forward of the mast gives the boat a purposeful profile. Teak decking is standard.
The fin keel combines a cast-iron blade with a lead bulb. A balanced spade rudder turns on a solid stainless-steel post, and buyers can choose shoal- or deep-draft versions.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The tall, three-spreader fractional rig is aluminum, keel-stepped, and supported by wire rigging. A full-batten mainsail and 106-percent working jib are standard.
Cruising World’s testers sailed the shoal-draft version, which had a Seldén furling mainsail and Furlex furling jib. They found the evenly balanced hull a delight to drive, with a ridiculously light helm at the twin carbon wheels.
A 180-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel driving a four-blade folding propeller provided plenty of power. With Max Power bow and stern thrusters, the test yacht could spin in its own length. Thruster joysticks were mounted at the twin pedestals alongside Furuno autopilot repeaters. Despite her size and power, the 570 can be handled easily by a crew of two.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The low, generous center cockpit sits at the heart of the layout. Below, Rhoades Young styled the interior in light African mahogany, with trim and flooring in another light wood. Teak underfoot, a raised-deck saloon, and wraparound saloon windows help keep the living space bright.
Because the 570 is semicustom, owners have considerable freedom in arranging the staterooms. The forward-facing navigation station to starboard is fixed, however. Its fold-down switchboard provides ready access to the fuses and circuit breakers.
A large walk-in engine room lies amidships. It can also be reached by removing the companionway stairs and a series of panels behind the galley, giving useful access for servicing.
Equipment and Deck Gear
The test yacht carried a complete Holmatro hydraulics package and a full set of Andersen winches, along with generous Lewmar hardware and Spinlock clutches. Its belowdecks Lofrans windlass handled a large Delta anchor through husky twin bow rollers.
A pedestal-mounted Furuno Navnet 3-D GPS/chart plotter logged boat speed. The boat also had a bow thruster as backup during maneuvers.
Verdict
The Najad 570 is a thoroughly modern, vacuum-infused semicustom cruiser with the stiffness and tankage for extended offshore work. Thruster and hydraulic assistance make this sizable yacht manageable short-handed, while shoal- and deep-draft options and owner-driven layouts suit both charter and private use.
Her heavy displacement and large rig bring corresponding maintenance demands, especially across the systems that make short-handed sailing practical. The standard teak deck also requires ongoing care.
Pros
- Vacuum-infused vinylester-Divinycell sandwich hull and deck, reinforced by a structural grid and bulkheads
- Easily handled by two with thruster, hydraulic, and autopilot assistance
- Semicustom interior with a bright saloon and walk-in engine-room access
Cons
- Heavy displacement and a large rig demand serious systems upkeep
- Standard teak deck requires ongoing maintenance
