Design and Construction
What sets the Exploration 45 apart structurally is its serious compartmentation. The hull carries a watertight bulkhead at the bow and another at the stern upstream of the helm system, and period surveys note the two collision bulkheads do eat into interior volume fore and aft. The aluminium rudders are preceded by a protective skeg, with a deep skeg also housing and protecting the propeller and shaft; the propeller shaft itself is wrapped in a fin. Each rudder features a composite sacrificial zone at the top, and there is no direct propeller wash over the rudders. The deck saloon cabinhouse uses a cored fiberglass coachroof over the aluminium structure, while the hull carries 74 mm of insulation with insulated flooring and double-glazed windows throughout the saloon; a watertight double-glazed door and obstructable dorade boxes paired with forced mechanical ventilation complete the envelope. The builder's aluminium background shows in the watertight bulkheads and skeg-protected shaft, which give the boat a go-anywhere constitution.
Rig and Handling
The cutter rig carries about 980 square feet of upwind sail area and a gennaker spanning 980 to 1,720 square feet, with all control lines led under the deck to the cockpit coamings. Test sailors found her easily driven, particularly off the wind when the board is raised to cut wetted surface, and fully powered up at roughly a 40-degree apparent-wind angle while making better than 6 knots in a 20-knot chop. The wheel stays light and easy with just a touch of weather helm in strong breeze and positive with little lee helm in light air, and the deep skeg adds directional stability so sails can be left untended for long stretches. Her motion is remarkably smooth for a monohull and very comfortable through a confused sea, though windward work suffers from the lack of weight low down and she is not the most exciting boat to sail. One owner report has her more closewinded than an Ovni 435, and the foil-shaped centerboard is the builder's own description of the lifting foil.
Accommodations
Inside, the raised saloon dominates with a 270-degree panoramic view shared by the galley, and the forward nav desk sits behind the windshield with secondary autopilot and engine controls for an active watch. The owner's stateroom forward has an island double and ensuite head, with two bunks along the passage and a larger port aft double opposite a cramped starboard aft room with two singles; layouts run two to three cabins and five to six berths. A real workshop for tools and spares sits aboard, and the seat aft of the saloon converts to a chaise longue. Reviewers found the cockpit layout excellent, with the overhanging coachroof acting as a hard dodger and creating a sheltered outdoor post, though the raised roof does block forward sightlines near the centerline and the interior as a whole feels a bit cramped. Ventilation and heating are excellent in every cabin thanks to radiators off a central diesel boiler, and the galley has an opening hatch above the stove.
Equipment and Systems
Systems installations are first-rate, with easy access to the engine space and a centerboard trunk carrying a useful inspection port. Transfer pumps shift contents between port and starboard tanks to fine-tune weight as fuel and water are consumed, and the anchor chain runs from the bow through a sealed pipe to a windlass just forward of the mast, dropping into a watertight locker in the owner's head. Aventura IV exemplifies the self-sufficiency brief with a full solar array, wind generator, and water generator, while the standard equipment list also names a watermaker, hydrogenerator, and generator. Jefa steering and a bow thruster option round out the controls, and the rigid cap over the helm station is inspired by IMOCA yachts.
Known Issues
The one handling caveat reviewers isolated was friction: certain important line runs, notably the main halyard and mainsheet, have a bit too much friction in their under-deck routing. The hull-lights and hatches are not double-glazed, unlike the saloon windows, which is worth noting for cold-weather condensation at those openings.
The Verdict
The Exploration 45 is a purpose-built voyager whose aluminium hull, twin watertight bulkheads, and retractable centerboard deliver genuine high-latitude credibility without sacrificing the deck-saloon comfort of a home afloat. It is a boat conceived for one watch-keeper to manage while caring for the crew, and it shows in the forward nav station, sheltered cockpit, and untended-sail stability.
Pros
- Aluminium hull with bow and stern watertight bulkheads and skeg-protected shaft
- Retractable centerboard gives 3 ft 5 in shoal draft yet 9 ft 2 in with board down
- Panoramic deck saloon with forward nav station and secondary controls
- Smooth, easily driven motion with light helm and good downwind range
Cons
- Under-deck control-line routing adds friction at halyard and mainsheet
- Interior feels cramped; raised roof blocks centerline forward sightlines
- Non-double-glazed hatches and hull-lights weaker in cold
