BoatsHylas 42

Hylas 42

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1985–1990

A German Frers-designed masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio, built for offshore performance and stability

Designed by German Frers, built by Queen Long Marine Co.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Hylas 42, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from SEILmagasinet

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 25 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 25
CoastalBluewater

2.00 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.00
LightHeavy

209 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 209
EasygoingPowered-up

19.6 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.6
TenderStiff

50% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 50%

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

  • Draws more than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2634 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Hylas 42, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Hylas 42 is a 12.8-meter Masthead Sloop sailboat designed by German Frers and built by Queen Long Marine Co, Ltd. in Taiwan between 1985 and 1990. It features a fin keel with a spade rudder, a 4.0-meter beam, a 2.1-meter draft, and displaces 7983 kg. A deck-saloon cruiser, the Hylas 42 includes a glass bulkhead separating the cockpit and salon.2:53 Its design draws comparisons to models like the Sirius and Nauticat.2:28 During European Yacht of the Year testing in Kiel, Germany, the Hylas 42 was among a diverse fleet tested in conditions ranging from light air to high winds requiring heavy reefing.watch A shoal draft version of the Hylas 42 draws 6.21 feet.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
50.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.6
Displacement / length
209.0
Comfort ratio
24.8
Capsize screening
2.00
Hull speed
7.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1556
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1985–1990
Units built
22
Designer
German Frers
Builder
Queen Long Marine Co, Ltd. (TAIWAN), Hylas Yachts USA

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Grand Soleil 40 (Polli)12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Matteo Polli-designed fractional sloop optimized for ORC competition with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Sailing Alone in Fog Without Losing Your Cool11:09from The Mariner
Baltic Yachts 42 DP12.78 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Doug Peterson design with a 2.41-metre draft, available in tall mast and keel-centerboard configurations.
Ep.29 Aland, to Finland! Through the Finnish Archipelago. Beautiful. And standing rigging fail.10:06from Sailing Northern Brees
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/4212.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.8-metre cruiser featuring a fin keel with bulb and spade rudder, designed for offshore stability and speed
Back on land after nearly 3 years - nasty surprise?? Shipyard part 1/20:47from Eternal Sailing
Bavaria Yachts 4112.83 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1995 fractional sloop with a high 23.59 SA/D ratio, designed for performance-oriented cruising
WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT WE'D BE SAILING HERE AGAIN! EP-897:58from Leading the Escapade
Dufour Yachts 425 Grand Large12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.9-meter fractional sloop with a 2.1-meter bulb keel, optimized for a stable 8.13-knot hull speed
Dufour 425 Grand Large Boat Tour | Our home at seafrom Sailing Blue Prince
X-yachts Xc-4212.81 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Niels Jeppesen-designed performance cruiser balancing a deep bulb keel with a displacement-heavy hull for offshore stability
#9 | At Sea Reaction | ‘Encountering Storm Force 10’6:45from The Mariner

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Hylas 44A 13-metre cruiser featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a substantial 49% ballast ratio for offshore stabilityHylas 56A 2011 masthead sloop with a 21.51 sail area to displacement ratio, engineered for spirited offshore performanceHylas Yachts 46A German Frers-designed masthead sloop built for offshore performance with a high sail area to displacement ratioHylas 54A German Frers-designed cutter with a high comfort ratio and bulb keel, built for stable, long-distance blue water cruising

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