1996 Hylas 46 Center Cockpit

Hawke: German Frers Bluewater Cruiser Rigged for Shorthanded Sailing

Hawke is a 1996 Hylas 46, a center cockpit cruiser designed by German Frers and built by Queen Long Marine in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The model built its following among offshore sailors on a solid fiberglass hull, a secure cockpit, wide side decks and a spade rudder protected by a partial skeg. She wears black Awlgrip topsides with a gold cove stripe, and her exterior brightwork was refinished with Awlwood in 2026.

In 2019 her sail handling was upgraded with a Schaefer furling boom, a Schaefer 3100 genoa furler and a new headstay. Reefing or stowing the main is a matter of rolling it into the boom, and an electric halyard winch, self tailing Lewmar winches and nine clutches keep the rest of the work manageable for a couple. Both working sails are lightly used Quantum Dacron triradials, and the original main, genoa, staysail and two spinnakers come with her as spares.

Below, she has teak joinery throughout, a teak and holly sole and 6'8" of headroom. Two cabins and two heads keep the layout simple. The owner’s stateroom aft can be reached from either side of the boat, so nobody has to squeeze past the cook to get to bed, and the guest cabin forward has its own head. Two Cruisair reverse cycle air conditioners keep her comfortable through a Gulf Coast summer.

Hawke is kept in New Orleans on Lake Pontchartrain, where the water is brackish and low in salinity. Her 5'5" shoal draft and 63' mast height make her a good fit for the Gulf Coast, the ICW and the Bahamas, and with 100 gallons of fuel, 200 gallons of water, an SSB and storm gear aboard, she is ready to head further offshore whenever her next owner is.

Key Features:

• Schaefer furling boom, Schaefer 3100 genoa furler and new headstay – 2019
• Quantum Dacron triradial furling main and 155% genoa, offshore finish, lightly used – Aug 2019
• NEW Exterior brightwork refinished with Awlwood – 2026
• Two cabin, two head layout with port and starboard access to the aft owner’s stateroom; 6'8" headroom
• ICW friendly 63' mast height and 5'5" shoal draft
• Yanmar JHTE 62 HP diesel with Max Prop feathering propeller – 4,400 Hours
• (2) Cruisair reverse cycle air conditioners with digital controls
• Black Awlgrip hull with gold cove stripe, custom stainless steel arch and sugar scoop transom with garage storage
• 100 gallons of fuel and 200 gallons of water in stainless steel tanks
• Offshore gear including SSB, 406 EPIRB, (4) PLBs, parachute anchor and Galerider drogue
• Original main, genoa, staysail and (2) symmetrical spinnakers included as spares

Hawke’s interior is traditional Hylas, with teak joinery throughout, a teak and holly cabin sole, beige canvas upholstery and 6'8" of headroom. Opening stainless steel ports and overhead hatches bring in light and air, 12V fans run throughout, and two Cruisair reverse cycle units handle cooling and heating. The plan is a simple two cabin, two head layout, with the owner’s stateroom aft and the guest cabin forward.

Coming down the companionway, you step into the saloon. To port is a C shaped dinette with an island seat and a forward facing nav station, and a settee runs along the starboard side. The galley lines the passageway leading aft, where the cook has something solid to brace against at sea. The owner’s stateroom is all the way aft, with a centerline berth and an en suite head, and a second entrance from the other side of the boat keeps traffic out of the galley. Forward of the saloon, the guest cabin has a pullman berth, extra storage and its own en suite head.

Interior Styling and Additional Features:

• Teak joinery throughout with a teak and holly cabin sole
• 6'8" headroom
• (2) Cruisair reverse cycle air conditioners with digital controls
• Opening stainless steel ports and opening deck hatches
• 12V fans throughout
• Beige canvas upholstery
• Ship’s clock and barometer

MAIN SALOON

The saloon has seating on both sides, light from the overhead hatches and ports, and the nav station a step from the dinette.

• C shaped dinette to port with an island seat
• Settee to starboard
• Forward facing nav station to port
• Teak joinery with a teak and holly sole
• Opening overhead hatches and opening stainless steel ports
• Beige canvas cushions

MASTER STATEROOM (AFT)

The owner’s stateroom is aft of the center cockpit and private from the rest of the boat, with entrances from both the port and starboard sides.

• Centerline berth
• Entrances from both the port and starboard passageways
• En suite head with sink and shower
• Generous storage
• Opening ports and overhead hatch for ventilation
• 12V fans

Master Head

The master head is en suite to the owner’s stateroom.

• Manual marine head with Y valve for overboard discharge or the holding tank
• Sink with an adjacent shower
• Pressure hot and cold water

GUEST CABIN (FORWARD)

The guest cabin forward has a pullman berth, additional storage and its own en suite head, a good arrangement for family or a second couple.

• Pullman berth
• Additional storage
• En suite head
• Opening deck hatch overhead

Guest Head

The guest head is en suite to the forward cabin.

• Manual marine head with Y valve for overboard discharge or the holding tank
• Sink with an adjacent shower
• Pressure hot and cold water

GALLEY

The galley is laid out along the passageway aft, a secure place to cook underway, with double sinks, propane cooking and refrigeration that runs on 120V or off the engine.

• Force 10 propane stove and oven, replacing the original Princess – 2008
• Grunert refrigeration, 120V and engine driven, with top and front loading access
• Microwave oven
• Double stainless steel sinks
• Pressure hot and cold water, plus manual water
• Seawater pump
• Abundant cabinet storage

NAVIGATION STATION

The nav station faces forward on the port side of the saloon, giving the navigator a dedicated spot to work.

• Forward facing chart table to port
• Standard Horizon VHF with RAM remote microphone at the helm
• ICOM VHF
• SSB radio

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

Hawke carries two chartplotters, radar, an autopilot and wind, speed and depth instruments, covering the basics for coastal and offshore sailing.

• Garmin GPSMAP 540 MFD/chartplotter
• Standard Horizon MFD/chartplotter
• Furuno radar, mast mounted
• Raymarine autopilot
• Raymarine wind instrument
• Autohelm speed and depth instruments
• (2) Handheld VHF radios

HULL

German Frers drew the Hylas 46 with a fine bow and plenty of beam carried aft, for good form stability under sail and room for a large owner’s stateroom. The hull is solid fiberglass, and the deck is cored with balsa for stiffness without extra weight.

• Solid fiberglass hull
• Balsa cored deck for stiffness at a lower weight
• Lead shoal draft fin keel, 5'5"
• Spade rudder supported by a partial skeg
• Black Awlgrip topsides with gold cove stripe and red boot stripe
• (4) Custom hull ports with ¼" glass matched to the hull thickness and interior stainless steel frames, replacing the original ¼" tempered glass
• White antifouling – 2024

DECK

The two tone grey and white deck has wide side decks and solid handholds for moving forward at sea, and the foredeck leaves room to work the anchors and sails.

• NEW Exterior brightwork refinished with Awlwood – 2026
• Two tone grey and white deck with wide side decks
• Teak toerail
• Stainless steel cowl vents with guards
• Midship boarding ladder, starboard side
• Ground Tackle:
  • Electric Maxwell windlass with up and down foot switches at the bow
  • Stainless steel anchor on stainless steel chain
  • Fortress aluminum anchor on stainless steel chain
  • Stern anchor stowed in the starboard locker
• Beige fitted covers for the winches, seats, toerail, mainsail head, windlass, helm, handrails and cowl bases

COCKPIT

• Center cockpit with deep seating and clear sightlines forward
• Wheel steering with helm chair and cover
• Compass and Standard Horizon RAM remote VHF microphone at the helm
• Dodger and beige bimini; dodger windshield isinglass due for replacement
• White cockpit cushions
• Varnished teak grate cockpit sole
• Cockpit shower
• (2) Deck chairs with covers
• Stern rail mounted grill with cover
• Custom stainless steel arch
• Sugar scoop transom with garage storage and swim ladder

MAST AND RIGGING

• Schaefer furling boom, a $45,000 upgrade – 2019
• Schaefer 3100 genoa furler – 2019
• Headstay replaced – 2019
• Mast height 63', ICW friendly
• Rigid vang
• Adjustable backstay
• Checkstays
• Harken traveler
• Spinnaker pole with adjustable spinnaker track
• Adjustable whisker pole
• Spreader lights
• Windex
• Bosun’s chair

SAILS AND WINCHES

• Quantum Dacron triradial furling mainsail, offshore finish, good condition with light use – Aug 2019
• Quantum 155% Dacron triradial furling genoa, offshore finish, good condition with light use – Aug 2019
• Spare Dacron mainsail (original)
• Spare Dacron genoa (original)
• Staysail (original)
• (2) Symmetrical spinnakers (original)
• Electric Lewmar 44 self tailing halyard winch
• (2) Lewmar 54 self tailing primary winches
• (2) Lewmar 44 self tailing secondary winches
• Lewmar 44 self tailing mainsheet winch
• Lewmar 44 self tailing winches at the mast
• Lewmar 7 halyard winch
• (9) Rope clutches

ENGINE AND MECHANICAL

A 62 HP Yanmar diesel drives a Max Prop feathering propeller through a dripless shaft seal. Fuel gauges were added to both tanks, so checking fuel no longer means reading a dipstick.

• Yanmar JHTE 62 HP diesel – 4,400 Hours
• Engine oil and filter, transmission fluid and impeller changed – Aug 2025
• Max Prop feathering propeller
• Dripless shaft seal
• Racor fuel filter/water separator
• Oil change pump
• Cable and wire wheel steering
• Spare large destroyer wheel
• Fuel gauges added to both fuel tanks

PLUMBING AND TANKAGE

Tankage is sized for cruising, with 200 gallons of water and 100 gallons of fuel in stainless steel tanks. Both heads can discharge overboard or into the holding tanks through Y valves.

• Fresh water: 200 gallons in (2) stainless steel tanks
• Fuel: 100 gallons in (2) stainless steel tanks, with gauges on both
• Holding: (2) plastic tanks, 40 gallons total
• Manual heads with Y valves for direct overboard discharge or the holding tanks
• Pressure hot and cold water with manual backup; (2) water pumps
• Water heater, 120V and engine heat exchanger
• Seawater pump at the galley
• Cockpit shower
• (2) 12V bilge pumps, a manual bilge pump and an emergency bilge pump in the aft lazarette

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

• (2) 4D house batteries
• (2) 6V batteries for the windlass
• Battery charger
• (2) 30A shore power services with cords, one a Smart Cord
• 12V outlets throughout
• Interior lighting and navigation lights

AUDIO/VISUAL AND ENTERTAINMENT EQUIPMENT

• Stereo
• Mast mounted TV antenna

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

• 406 EPIRB
• (4) PLBs
• Switlik 6 person liferaft in hard case, stored on deck (service overdue)
• Lifesling in hard case, mounted on the stern pulpit
• Parachute anchor
• Galerider drogue
• Man overboard pole with (2) horseshoe buoys, one attached to the pole
• (2) Jacklines
• (4) Life jackets with lanyards
• Radar reflector
• Ship’s bell

BROKER’S COMMENTS

Hawke’s owner has put money where it counts on a cruising boat: the furling boom, genoa furler and Quantum sails in 2019, and a fresh Awlwood finish on the exterior brightwork in 2026. She has spent her time in the brackish, low salinity water of Lake Pontchartrain, and her original sails come with her as a full spare set.

• Port and starboard access to the owner’s stateroom
• Original main, genoa, staysail and (2) symmetrical spinnakers included as spares
• Located at New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor, a short drive from New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

REVIEWS

• “Frers’ design has sophisticated performance written all over it.” Cruising World, Bill Lee (2001)
• “You can trust that German Frers would not give you a slug.” Sailing Magazine, Bob Perry
• “These boats usually survey well with consistently good build quality and workmanship.” SpinSheet, Capt. Tarn Kelsey (2021)
• “On the brokerage market, Hylas Yachts have proven to hold their value and seem to sell quickly if properly priced.” SpinSheet, Capt. Tarn Kelsey (2021)

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.