Design Brief & Intent
The Tayana 58 DS was designed specifically for long-distance, liveaboard cruising couples or families who require a home that is as comfortable at anchor as it is secure in a Force 9 gale. During its era of introduction, the model competed directly with high-end European cruisers like those from Hylas and Oyster, as well as American-built passage makers like the Catalina-Morgan 440. What set the Tayana 58 DS apart from its peers was its sheer volume and the customizability offered by the Ta Yang yard.
At the heart of the design is the deck saloon configuration. By raising the saloon sole, Beeldsnijder created space for massive fuel and water tanks directly over the keel, lowering the center of gravity while simultaneously flooding the main cabin with natural light and providing panoramic 360-degree visibility from the companionway and nav station.
Below decks, the hand-crafted joinery is a testament to the golden age of Taiwanese yacht building. Constructed primarily with solid Burmese teak or optional cherry, the interior finish features flawless satin varnish, louvred locker doors, and robust, deep-fiddled counter spaces. Unlike production boats that rely on modular liner systems, the Tayana’s interior bulkheads and furniture are tabbed directly to the hull, serving as structural stiffeners. The crowning jewel of this design is a full, stand-up engine room with a dedicated workbench and tool storage—a rare luxury on a vessel of this length that dramatically simplifies mechanical triage during extended voyages.
Variations & Configurations
Ta Yang built the Tayana 58 DS as a semi-custom platform, meaning that while the hull lines remained constant, owners could drastically alter the interior and deck layouts.
- Layouts: The standard arrangement is a three-cabin, two-head layout featuring a palatial master suite aft with a centerline queen berth, a VIP guest suite forward, and a lateral crew or bunk cabin to port. Some charter-configured models were built with a four-cabin layout, sacrificing the dedicated walk-in workbench area to squeeze in a second midships cabin.
- Rigs: The vast majority of Tayana 58 DS models were delivered as cutter rigs, which offer the most versatile sail plan for changing weather conditions offshore. However, a small number of custom ketch rigs were produced. To make short-handed sailing manageable, most owners specified in-mast electric furling or in-boom furling systems (such as Leisure Furl).
- Draft Options: The standard deep-draft fin keel draws 7 feet 2 inches, optimizing upwind performance. For cruisers targeting the Bahamas or the US East Coast, a shoal-draft option drawing 6 feet 6 inches was made available, utilizing a wider keel footprint to preserve ballast effect.
Sailing Performance & Handling
With a displacement of 48,400 pounds, the Tayana 58 DS is undeniably a heavy-displacement cruiser. Its displacement-to-length (D/L) ratio of 223.15 classifies it as a moderate-to-heavy displacement vessel, meaning it has the momentum to slice through a nasty chop without losing headway. The boat feels exceptionally solid at the helm, and its motion comfort ratio of 38.07 indicates a very soft, predictable ride in a seaway, minimizing crew fatigue.
With a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 36.36%, the boat is stiff and carries its canvas well into the upper wind ranges. A capsize screening formula rating of 1.77 places it well within the safest parameters for ocean voyages, demonstrating excellent ultimate stability. Under sail, the moderate sail area-to-displacement (SA/D) ratio of 16.85 means she requires a bit of breeze—typically 10 to 12 knots—to really wake up. However, once she gets moving, the cutter rig allows the crew to easily adjust the sail area, shifting down to a staysail and deeply reefed main to maintain flat, comfortable, and fast tracking when the wind climbs past 25 knots.
Modernization & Upgrades
As these vessels cross the two-decade mark, veteran owners are undertaking extensive refits to adapt the Tayana 58 DS to modern cruising realities.
- Electrical System Overhauls: The original factory-installed lead-acid battery banks are commonly replaced with high-capacity Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) systems. To support these systems, owners often mount large solar arrays (often 1,000 to 1,400 watts) on custom stainless steel arch-bimini integrations, allowing the vessel to run air conditioning and watermakers without relying on an auxiliary diesel generator.
- Drivetrain Upgrades: While some models carried 120 HP Perkins diesels, many were delivered with Yanmar engines ranging from 140 HP to 160 HP. In recent refits, owners have upgraded to modern, common-rail electronically controlled diesels to improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
- Spars and Rigging: Original hydraulic furling gear is frequently retrofitted to electric or simplified manual systems, and aging standing rigging is routinely swapped out for modern Dyform or rod rigging to increase safety margins.
Known Issues & Triage
While the Tayana 58 DS is fundamentally built like a tank, buyers must look out for several age-related areas of concern during a pre-purchase survey.
- Teak Deck Wear: Many early hull numbers were delivered with traditional laid teak decks screwed directly into the fiberglass laminate. Over time, the caulking degrades and the screws can back out, creating a direct path for moisture to enter the balsa or foam deck core. Inspecting the decks with a moisture meter and thermal camera is crucial. Many owners have undertaken the costly process of completely stripping the old teak and replacing it with synthetic decking or a non-skid fiberglass finish.
- Hydraulic System Fatigue: Models equipped with early hydraulic winches or furlers can suffer from hose degradation. Over time, hydraulic lines running through the bilge can corrode or leak, requiring complete line replacement—a labor-intensive process due to the boat's routing pathways.
- Stainless Steel Chainplates: Though Ta Yang used high-grade stainless steel, any chainplates that have not been re-bedded periodically are susceptible to crevice corrosion where they pass through the deck. Checking these areas for rust staining or microscopic pitting is a standard structural checklist item.
The Verdict
The Tayana 58 DS remains a premier choice for serious cruisers seeking a safe, beautifully crafted, and highly capable global passage maker. It successfully bridges the gap between classic heavy-displacement sea-kindliness and modern deck saloon livability.
Pros
- Exceptionally strong, solid-fiberglass hull construction capable of handling heavy weather.
- An expansive, bright, and well-ventilated deck saloon layout with excellent 360-degree visibility.
- A true stand-up engine room with a workbench that makes mechanical maintenance a breeze.
- Beautiful, high-grade Burmese teak or cherry custom interior joinery.
- Safe, predictable motion in a seaway with high comfort and stability ratings.
Cons
- Traditional screwed-down teak decks on older models are prone to wear and potential core leaks.
- Heavy displacement means sluggish performance in light winds under 10 knots.
- The boat’s high windage from the raised deck saloon can make close-quarters maneuvering challenging without a powerful bow thruster.
- Significant labor costs are involved when accessing hidden plumbing and wiring runs behind the semi-custom joinery.
