Morrelli & Melvin conceived the 48 as the builder’s second production model and a smaller sibling to the 62 Tribe, pairing a towering carbon-fiber spar with a vacuum-bagged monocoque structure to chase bluewater miles without surrendering livability. Only a handful were completed, but the design’s reputation outgrew its production run. Yachting World calls it a very popular model despite just six hulls being built between 2004 and 2009 anchor.
Design and Construction
The Gunboat 48’s structure is uncompromising. Its hull and deck form a vacuum-bagged, oven-cured monocoque built from a foam-core laminate of epoxy, biaxial and unidirectional glass, Kevlar, and carbon fiber. The daggerboards, lifting rudders, stringers, ring frames, and crossbeams are all carbon fiber, as is the towering spar.
The boat has a 24-foot 3-inch beam and displaces 20,100 pounds. With the boards raised, draft is just 1 foot 1 inch; lowering the daggerboards increases it to 7 feet 5 inches.
As Morrelli & Melvin’s follow-up to the larger Tribe, the smaller model retained the same performance-cruising brief. Yachting World notes that it still managed 300–400 mile days anchor.
Deck Layout and Rig
The deck plan revolves around a forward cockpit, reached through a door from the central bridgedeck saloon, wheelhouse, and galley. The builder credited the arrangement to earlier influences rather than presenting it as a Gunboat original.
Nearly all the running rigging and sailhandling gear is mounted at chest height near the base of the carbon spar. Harken blocks and winches and Spinlock clutches are all close at hand. The steering wheel, engine controls, chart plotter, and instruments sit just inside the forward door, allowing a short-handed crew to steer and trim from one sheltered station. A Raymarine autopilot keeps the boat on course while the watch relaxes.
The fractional sloop rig carries 1,106 square feet of sail area. Paired with the daggerboard hull form, it underpins the passage-making range reported in period reviews.
Accommodations
Inside, the bridgedeck opens aft onto a roomy back porch suited to dining or drinks, with convenient access to the dinghy davits and transom steps.
Below, two staterooms have queen berths, while a third cabin provides a single berth. Two heads with showers are positioned forward, one in each hull.
In the saloon, a folding dining table veneered in Brazilian mahogany faces a forward-facing settee. The result is a calm, bright command post rather than merely a corridor beside the galley.
Power and Systems
Twin 35-horsepower Westerbeke Universal diesels provide direct drive. Fuel and water capacities are 120 gallons each.
Verdict
The Gunboat 48 is a rare, low-production performance catamaran whose reputation far exceeds its six-boat run. It suits owners who want Tribe-level ambition in a tighter, more manageable hull.
Its carbon-intensive construction and forward-cockpit workflow are genuine strengths. Its scarcity and bespoke systems, however, call for a disciplined survey.
Pros
- Morrelli & Melvin performance-cruising pedigree in a 48-foot hull
- Carbon fiber used extensively in the structure, daggerboards, rudders, and crossbeams
- Forward cockpit places sailhandling controls at chest height near the spar
- Reported 300–400 mile days, according to Yachting World
Cons
- Only six were built, limiting brokerage availability
- Bespoke vacuum-bagged construction and twin Westerbeke diesels require specialist care
