Design and Construction
The C&C 45 carries a nearly plumb stem and a reverse transom, a profile that reads as a deliberate turn away from the raked terminals of earlier C&C cruisers toward a more race-bred silhouette. The hull is predominantly fiberglass built predominantly of fiberglass, with a solid fiberglass hull and deck rather than a cored laminate, and the ballast is 9,800 pounds of lead on a 19,100-pound displacement. That 51 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio, paired with a 2.06 capsize screening value and a 21.98 comfort ratio, places the boat in the stiff-and-stable band rather than the featherweight racer class. The spade rudder is internally mounted and wheel-steered, and the keel is a fixed fin carrying 8 feet 9 inches of draft.
Rig and Handling
Tripp gave the 45 a fractional sloop rig on a 13 foot 9 inch beam, with 1,107 square feet of sail area driving an 8.38-knot hull speed. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 24.78 and a displacement-to-length ratio of 142.86 describe a boat that is quick without being skittish: the numbers say performance cruiser, not grand prix sled. The nearly plumb bow and reverse transom extend the waterline effective length at speed, while the internally mounted spade rudder gives the helm a direct, modern feel in close quarters. A 44-horsepower Yanmar diesel provides the auxiliary power, turning a single drive on 20 gallons of diesel and 60 gallons of water.
Accommodations
The specific layout is not described in the available sources. What can be said is structural: the solid fiberglass hull and deck, lead ballast, and 60-gallon water capacity establish the platform as a self-contained coastal and offshore vessel rather than a dayboat. The 13 foot 9 inch beam gives the midsection room that the 39-foot waterline translates into useful cabin volume.
The Verdict
The C&C 45 is a Tripp-designed performance cruiser from the 2000 build year, built in fiberglass with a lead-ballasted fin keel and a fractional rig that rewards sailors who want stiffness and speed without a race-crew workload. The available facts describe a coherent modern design rather than a compromised crossover.
Pros
- Designed by William Tripp III and built by C&C Yachts in 2000 as the IMS 45
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with 9,800 lb lead ballast on 19,100 lb displacement
- Fractional sloop rig with 1,107 sq ft sail area and 8.38 kn hull speed
- 44 hp Yanmar diesel, 20 gal fuel and 60 gal water capacity
Cons
- No interior layout, berth count, or accommodation details available
- No sailing-handling assessment or sea-trial observation available
