Sail Magazine named the Sundeer 56 one of the Best Boats of 1995, and Cruising World awarded it Best Offshore Cruiser that same year. Jimmy Cornell later praised it as a superbly designed and built boat capable of taking its owners anywhere in comfort and safety.
Design and Construction
The hull is narrow, with a length-to-beam ratio of 4.9 and very fine 14-degree entries from the centerline. Its wide beam carries aft, while the sheer is straight and rises slightly. The plumb bow carries a tough bowsprit for anchor clearance, and the cut-off stern ends in a molded swim platform. Three large, squarish portlights punctuate each side of the hull.
The hull and deck are fiberglass with balsa core for stiffness and insulation. The hull is molded in one piece, with an integral grid supporting the keel, mast, and rigging loads. The deck is bonded to the hull with epoxy and through-bolted to an inward flange. A teak toe rail covers the joint, adding strength and visual warmth.
Below the waterline, a fin keel with a lead bulb provides stability while limiting draft to 1.8 meters. The spade rudder sits behind a long, narrow skeg, which protects it from damage and helps the boat track steadily. The propeller shaft emerges near the skeg at a steep angle to reduce drag and cavitation.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The simple fractional sloop rig uses a raked, double-spreader mast and a large, powerful mainsail, with 96.9 square meters of sail area. The foresail region can accommodate jibs, staysails, genoas, and spinnakers. Some boats use swept-back spreaders or a B&R rig to avoid running backstays. Mast height is usually about 19.7 meters above the waterline, though it can vary according to owner preference.
Offshore, the narrow, light hull easily averages more than 200 nautical miles a day. Its displacement-length ratio of 88 puts the design among ultra-light racers, but a ballast ratio of 29 percent and a theoretical hull speed of 10 knots show a cruising sensibility beneath the performance numbers. The capsize screening value is 1.68, within accepted offshore limits.
Accommodations
The deck-saloon layout brings plenty of natural light and air below through large windows, hatches, and dorades. Headroom ranges from 1.9 to 2 meters throughout.
Forward of the mast, the saloon has a U-shaped dinette to port, seating six around a table that lowers to form a berth. A long settee to starboard doubles as a sea berth, with stowage beneath and behind it.
Aft of the saloon, the L-shaped galley is to port and has access to the cockpit. It offers ample counter space and stowage, along with a three-burner stove and oven, double sink with hot and cold water, top-loading refrigerator and freezer, and microwave. Opposite, the navigation station includes a large chart table, adjustable seat, and instrument array.
The owner’s cabin is forward, with a double berth, hanging locker, drawers, and a private head with shower. The head is also accessible from the saloon. A guest cabin in the port quarter has two single berths that convert to a double, plus its own ensuite head.
A teak-and-holly sole, vinyl overhead, and LED lighting give the interior a warm, practical character suited to long-term cruising. Ventilation and daylight come through 12 ports, 8 hatches, and 4 dorades.
The Verdict
The Sundeer 56 distills Dashew’s offshore philosophy into a compact, light, and genuinely fast cruiser. It combines a thoughtful liveaboard interior with a structure built for latitude. Its scarcity means buyers may have to wait for the right example, but the design’s awards and Cornell’s endorsement support its bluewater credentials.
Pros
- Ultra-light fractional rig with flexible foresail options and offshore averages of more than 200 nautical miles a day
- Balsa-cored fiberglass hull with an integral structural grid
- Protected spade rudder
- Deck saloon with generous headroom, natural light, and strong ventilation
- Well-separated owner and guest cabins, each with access to an ensuite head
Cons
- Only 17 boats in the 56/60 series were built, limiting market availability
- Fin keel with lead bulb draws 1.8 meters
