The 58-foot monohull displaces 65,000 pounds and carries 19,500 pounds of lead ballast. Its 16.5-foot beam is concentrated amidships between conventionally tapered ends, a shape intended to promote seakindly behavior in ocean conditions and good performance to weather.
Design and Construction
Construction follows Lloyd’s specifications, and an ABS certificate was available as an extra-cost option. The solid, hand-laid fiberglass hull is reinforced with ten foam-filled longitudinal stringers and ten high-density, PVC-foam-cored transverse floors, all glassed in for rigidity. Unidirectional tape provides further reinforcement.
The three outermost layers of hull laminate use vinylester resin to resist osmotic penetration. The decks and cabin structure have end-grain balsa cores for lightness and stiffness, with marine plywood substituted wherever hardware is secured. The deck is bedded to the hull’s inturned flange with 3M 5200 and fastened with stainless-steel through-bolts.
Above the waterline, the finish is upscale, with rich teak decks. The evaluated boat had pronounced teak toe rails in place of the standard aluminum rails. Its coachroof is raised to create more volume below and accommodate a fully protected secondary helm, but it sweeps aft to preserve a sleek, low profile.
Hull Form and Rig
Dixon’s hull has a fine entry forward, gently rounded sections aft, a longish externally mounted Scheel keel, and a large skeg-hung rudder.
The mast sits well forward, leaving room for a large, high-aspect mainsail and a reduced foretriangle. An intermediate staysail stay provides cutter capability. All halyards and reefing lines lead aft across the cabintop. The mainsail sheets to a traveler just aft of the cockpit coaming, while the primary winches are within reach of the helm. Together, these arrangements allow a shorthanded crew to manage the boat from the sheltered cockpit.
The boat is designed to chug resolutely upwind while maintaining predictable, forgiving offshore manners. Writing in Cruising World, test sailors found her refined and able to track in light to moderate air, with a responsive, beefy rudder.
Accommodations
Below, the interior is plush without being overstated. Bulkheads are finished in honey-toned teak, while the overheads use off-white Majilite vinyl with teak battens. The sole is laminated teak and spruce.
Three basic interior plans were offered, two of them with a second steering station in the upper saloon. All layouts include queen berths in the forward and aft staterooms, plus bunks in a smaller port-side cabin. There are also two capacious heads with showers, one private to the aft cabin.
A roomy navigation station sits to starboard at the foot of the companionway. The galley is to port and can be arranged either as a U-shaped space forward or an L-shaped galley aft. The aft L-shaped version is somewhat cramped for a boat of this scale.
Systems and Power
The standard engine is a 140-horsepower Yanmar 4LH-HTE. It shares a vented, foam-and-lead-insulated compartment behind the main companionway with the optional generator. Access is through a starboard hatch across from the navigation station.
The electrical system includes four 200-amp-hour house batteries and one 120-amp-hour starting battery, all mounted in dedicated fiberglass boxes. Distribution is handled through a comprehensive Bass panel, offered in either 12/110-volt or 12/220-volt formats.
The domestic plumbing system uses a 12-volt pump, two accumulator tanks, and a 15-gallon hot-water heater connected to the engine. The boat’s semi-custom nature allowed owners considerable freedom in specifying mechanical and electrical loads. The inspected example had an extensive hydraulic system driving its Lewmar winches, windlass, and bow furler.
The Verdict
The Taswell 58 RS is a well-designed boat on a large scale. Its deck arrangement lets a shorthanded crew sail from the sheltered cockpit, while its substantial construction and protected second helm suit long-range offshore cruising.
There are trade-offs. The aft L-shaped galley feels cramped for a boat this size, and heavily customized systems—particularly extensive hydraulics—bring additional maintenance complexity. This is a capable, thoughtfully arranged cruiser, but one best matched with an experienced owner.
Pros
- Lloyd’s-specification solid hull with vinylester outer layers
- Balsa-cored deck with marine-plywood reinforcement at hardware locations
- Amidships beam and Scheel keel intended to support seakindly, weatherly offshore tracking
- Raised saloon with a protected secondary helm
- Plush three-cabin accommodation
- Large battery bank
- Insulated, accessible machinery compartment
Cons
- L-shaped aft galley feels cramped for the boat’s size
- Extensive hydraulics and semi-custom systems increase maintenance complexity
