Southern Cross

Center Cockpit Southern Cross

A Circumnavigated, Custom-Rigged, Offshore-Ready Hylas 46

Southern Cross, hull #52 of the world-renowned Hylas 46 series, is one of the most capable and proven blue water sailboats ever built. Originally launched in 2004 as Fetching Light, she was commissioned by a detail-obsessed couple who worked closely with Queen Long Marine in Taiwan to elevate the standard design into a high-performance, self-sufficient passage maker, customized for long-term, off-the-grid voyaging in the Pacific.

Her first chapter spanned nearly 10 years of sailing from California to Mexico to the South Pacific and to the Pacific Northwest. Based on the owners’ sailing experiences and engineering background, she was customized at the factory with a rare combination of modifications: 7.5-foot titanium bowsprit, repositioned inner forestay, enlarged working staysail, enlarged sail locker, and a cockpit-controlled Code 0 system that remains one of a kind for a Hylas 46. The custom-built hard dodger and bimini were added later to provide additional safety, security, and comfort in the cockpit. These enhancements complement a robust three-headsail rig with dual whisker poles and triple-reefed mainsail—built for safe, shorthanded, offshore sailing in all conditions.

In 2015, Fetching Light was sold to her second owners, who renamed her Southern Cross and set off on an extraordinary eight-year circumnavigation. Departing from the West Coast, they sailed through the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea—eventually reaching the Mediterranean and returning to the States via the Atlantic and Caribbean. Everywhere she went, Southern Cross impressed with her performance, safety, and self-reliance.

Now back in Fort Lauderdale and under her third ownership as of January 2025, Southern Cross has received over $110,000 in upgrades—transforming an already well-maintained and remarkable yacht into a fully modernized, turnkey blue water cruiser. The current owners had plans for an extended voyage, thus completed a comprehensive systems refresh before their plans changed, making Southern Cross available to an adventurous new owner.

Notable 2025 Upgrades (Over $110,000 Invested):

• New Yanmar 4JH110 (110HP) engine (upgrade from original 75HP)
• New MaxProp 3-blade feathering propeller
• New Simrad Autopilot with hydraulic drive
• New 960Ah Lithium House Battery Bank
• New Victron GX Touch Display & BMS
• New B&G Chartplotter at helm
• New North Sails 135% Genoa
• New Force 10 Stove/Oven
• New Highfield Aluminum RIB with storage cover
• New Yamaha 15HP Outboard
• New Starlink Satellite Internet System
• New anti-foul bottom paint, hull polish, and anodes

Additional Highlights:

• New mainsail, stack pack, and standing rigging (2022-2023)
• Forward-relocated inner forestay for true working staysail
• Custom, removable, 7.5’ titanium bowsprit with Code 0
• Large 65 cu. ft. sail locker forward, accessible from deck and interior
• Stainless steel & armored Lexan hard dodger and hard bimini with full enclosures (isinglass and bug screens) plus solar panels
• Three furling headsails, dual carbon telescoping whisker poles, two asymmetrical halyards
• Fischer Panda 8000i Generator with 250 hours (2023)
• Significant number of spare parts and tools, valued at over $10,000.

Why Southern Cross?

This is not a typical Hylas 46. Southern Cross is a yacht with pedigree, serious ocean miles, and real-world systems that have been tested and proven around the globe. She is fully equipped for immediate offshore sailing—no need for years of prep or a refit yard period. Whether your dreams include the ARC, a return to the Pacific, or simply coastal cruising with confidence and grace, Southern Cross is the rare Hylas 46 that’s ready today to fulfill those dreams.