The Hylas 42 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Hylas 42, a masthead sloop, was designed by German Frers and built in Taiwan by Queen Long Marine.

'Exit Stage Left', a Hylas 42 approaches the anchorage in Deep Bay, Antigua, West Indies.The Hylas 42, a performance cruising boat from the 1980's.

Published Specification for the Hylas 42

Underwater Profile: Fin keel and spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 42'1" (12.8m)

Waterline Length: 33'6" (10.2m)

Beam: 13'0" (4.0m)

Draft: 7'0" (2.1m)

Rig Type: Masthead Sloop

Displacement: 17,600lb (7,983kg)

Designer:  German Frers

Builder: Queen Long Marine (Taiwan)

Year First Built: 1985


Published Design Ratios for the Hylas 42

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 19.6

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 50.0

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 209

4. Comfort Ratio: 24.8

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Hylas 42

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 19.6 suggests that the Hylas 42 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 50.0 means that the Hylas 42 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 209, tells us the Hylas 42 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 24.8 suggests that crew comfort of a Hylas 42 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 indicates that a Hylas 42 would not be the wisest choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making owing to the lower resistance to capsize in strong winds and heavy seas that is associated with sailboats with a CSF of 2.0 and above.


Any Questions?

Is the Hylas 42 still in production and, if not, when did production end and how many of these sailboats were built?

No, the Hylas 42 is no longer in production. Production ended in 1990 after 22 units were built.

What do owners of the Hylas 42 have to say about their boats?

Owners of the Hylas 42 have generally positive things to say about their boats. According to a discussion on the SailNet Community forum, one owner described the Hylas 42 as a "beautiful boat" with everything in great condition except for the teak decking in the cockpit, which they would either remove or replace.

Another owner on the Hylas Yacht Owners Association Forum described their 1985 Hylas 42 as an "incredible boat" that is "much admired" and often mistaken for a Swan or Baltic.

Some owners have discussed the unorthodox cockpit design of the Hylas 42, with one owner on the SailNet Community forum wondering how happy they would be with it long term. Another owner on the same forum suggested looking at the Hylas 44, which has a more conventional cockpit design.

However, another owner preferred the Hylas 42 over the 44 for several reasons, including its lower price, higher performance, and traditional straight settees in the salon area compared to the curved design in the 44.

Overall, it seems that owners of the Hylas 42 are very happy with their boats and appreciate their performance, design, and build quality.

How did the sailing press review the Hylas 42?

The Hylas 42 received positive reviews from the sailing press for its performance, quality, and comfort. For example, Jordan Yacht Brokerage described it as a "Frers Swan in disguise", referring to its fast and elegant design by German Frers, who also designed many Swans. Practical Sailor included it in its list of "the best sailboats for the high seas", praising its aft stateroom and centerline queen berth.

What is the history of the builders of the Hylas 42 and is the company still in business?

The builders of the Hylas 42 are Queen Long Marine, a family-owned company founded in 1978 in Taiwan. The company is still in business and continues to produce Hylas yachts, ranging from 46 to 70 feet, in collaboration with various designers. The company also builds other brands of sailboats, such as Moody and Taswell.

What keel options, if any, are available for the Hylas 42?

The Hylas 42 has two keel options: a deep fin keel with a draft of 7 feet and a shoal fin keel with a draft of 6 feet 2 inches. Both keels are made of lead and have a ballast ratio of about 50%.

What is the Hylas 42 like to sail?

The Hylas 42 is generally considered to be a good performer that is very stable and stiff.

What other sailboats have been created by the designer of the Hylas 42?

The designer of the Hylas 42 is German Frers, a renowned naval architect from Argentina. He has created many other sailboats, both for racing and cruising, such as the Swan 36, the Swan 46, the Swan 65, the Hallberg Rassy 53, the Nautor Club Swan 50, the Wally 80, and the Wallynano. He has also designed some of the Hylas models, such as the Hylas 44, the Hylas 49, and the Hylas 70.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge, we believe them to be accurate.


Other sailboats in the Hylas range include:






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