As professional yacht brokers in the United States, few names elicit as much reverence among long-distance blue-water sailors as Tayana Yachts. Built by the Ta Yang Yacht Building Co., Ltd. in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Tayana has crafted over 1,400 ocean-going sailing yachts since its inception.
Renowned for heavy displacement, hand-laid solid fiberglass hulls, exquisite interior teak joinery, and iconic double-ended sterns, Tayana yachts remain a staple choice for American sailors seeking to cross oceans in safety, comfort, and classic style.
The Origins of Ta Yang Yacht Building
In 1973, Ta Yang Yacht Building Co., Ltd. was established in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The brand name “Tayana” roughly translates to “Goddess of Grace”—a fitting description for the classic, sweeping lines that would define the shipyard’s output over the coming decades.
During the 1970s, Taiwan emerged as a global hub for skilled fiberglass boatbuilding and traditional woodworking. While many yards built production boats under private labels, Ta Yang distinguished itself by establishing Tayana as a distinct global brand. Their core philosophy focused on semi-custom, heavily built blue-water cruisers designed specifically by Western naval architects to handle extreme offshore conditions.
Tayana Yachts in the United States
Tayana’s introduction to the U.S. market in the mid-to-late 1970s coincided with an explosion of American interest in offshore cruising and circumnavigation. American sailors were looking for strong, dependable, double-ended cruisers capable of global passage-making without the prohibitive costs of domestic custom builds.
To capture the U.S. market, Ta Yang partnered with legendary Seattle-based naval architect Robert H. Perry. Perry’s designs—starting with the revolutionary Tayana 37—defined the brand’s identity in North America.
Over the years, Ta Yang expanded its U.S. presence through partnerships with renowned designers, including Robert Harris, Doug Peterson, and Bill Dixon, distributing through established East Coast and West Coast brokerage networks.
Tayana Models Imported to the United States
Below is an overview of the primary Tayana models imported into the U.S. brokerage and new-boat markets:
| Model | Designer | Primary Layout / Style | Key Characteristics |
| Tayana 37 | Robert H. Perry | Aft Cockpit / Double-Ender | Iconic blue-water cutter; over 600 built. |
| Tayana 36 / Vancouver 36 | Robert Harris | Aft Cockpit / Double-Ender | Heavy-displacement offshore cutter. |
| Tayana 42 / Vancouver 42 | Robert Harris | Aft Cockpit (Double-Ender or Transom) | Versatile ocean cruiser available as a cutter or ketch. |
| Tayana 47 | Doug Peterson | Center or Aft Cockpit | Performance-oriented hull with modern underwater profile. |
| Tayana 48 | Robert H. Perry | Center Cockpit | High-volume ocean passage-maker with skeg-hung rudder. |
| Tayana 52 / 55 | Robert H. Perry | Aft Cockpit / Pilothouse | Powerful, long-range offshore performance cruiser. |
| Tayana 58 | Bill Dixon | Center Cockpit | Modern luxury cruiser with dual helms and spacious deck salon. |
| Tayana 64 | Bill Dixon | Center Cockpit | Flagship semi-custom luxury blue-water yacht. |
Detailed Model Breakdown
Tayana 37
- Designer: Robert H. Perry
- Production Years: 1975 – 1990’s
- Overview: The vessel that built the brand. With over 600 hulls produced, the Tayana 37 is widely recognized as one of the most successful double-ended blue-water cruisers in yachting history. Featuring a full keel with cutaway forefoot, heavy displacement, high bow deck, and lush teak interior, it remains a favorite for U.S. sailors heading out on extended voyages.
Tayana 42
- Designer: Robert Harris
- Production Years: 1979 – 1990s
- Overview: Designed by Robert Harris (famous for the Vancouver series), the Tayana 42 offered buyers options for either a classic canoe stern or a traditional transom stern. Available in cutter or ketch rigs, it delivered impressive load-carrying capacity and easy motion in heavy seas.
Tayana 47
- Designer: Doug Peterson
- Production Years: 1980s – 2000s
- Overview: The Tayana 47 marked a shift toward modern performance cruising. Designed by Doug Peterson, it featured a sleek underwater profile, fin keel, and skeg-hung rudder, offering improved light-wind performance and higher average speed over long passages without sacrificing blue-water capability.
Tayana 48
- Designer: Robert H. Perry
- Production Years: 1990s –
- Overview: A modern evolution of Perry’s offshore designs, the Tayana 48 center-cockpit yacht is a premier long-distance live-aboard vessel. It combines high interior volume, standing headroom throughout, high displacement stability, and an accessible engine room designed for easy maintenance in remote anchorages.
Tayana 52 & 55
- Designer: Robert H. Perry
- Production Years: 1980s – 2000s
- Overview: Built for sailors needing greater speed and space for international cruising, the Tayana 52 and 55 were offered in custom configurations, including flush deck, aft-cockpit, and pilothouse designs. They are powerful vessels designed to comfortably handle high-latitude environments.
The Tayana Legacy Today
Today, Tayana Yachts continues semi-custom production in Taiwan. On the U.S. brokerage market, vintage and late-model Tayanas consistently command high interest due to their solid structural integrity, classic aesthetic, and proven track record of safe circumnavigations.