Hunter 45 DS Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Hunter built the 45 DS hull with a glass-and-balsa-core laminate above the waterline and solid glass below, while the bow laminate is reinforced with layers of Kevlar for impact resistance anchor. The interior is preassembled as modular components fit into a single molded structural grid; bulkheads are glassed into that grid and also to the hull above it, and the whole grid module is fiberglassed into the keel sump and glued with Plexus adhesive. The deck is mechanically fastened and glued to the hull’s external flange with 3M Marine 5200. The cherry interior uses a film veneer over marine-plywood laminate, which the builder describes as tough and hard to dent. Before any model leaves the line, Hunter’s offshore-sailing director sea-tests the grid-and-keel package by running each new hull hard aground ten or more times to expose weak spots.

Rig, Keel, and Handling

Henderson gave the 45 DS low masts to keep the sails manageable and to fit under bridges along the ICW, and the hulls are stable yet offer low resistance so they move along well anchor. The boat carries a newly developed all-iron keel in deep- and shoal-draft versions; the production iron keel holds equal stability to the prototype through a slight enlargement of its shoal-draft wings. Compared with the 44 DS, the keel is smaller and the rudder bigger, so the boat is faster in light air and easier to steer. Henderson describes these as boats with big rudders and small keels that need to foot rather than pinch, and the hollow bows travel farther into each wave without bouncing up. The sail plan’s center of effort and the underbody’s center of lateral plane were moved closer together to reduce weather helm. In a flat-water test off St. Augustine in 6 to 8 knots of breeze, the shoal-draft prototype—carrying an experimental cast-iron keel with a lead bulb and a three-blade prop—consistently topped 5 knots and sometimes reached 6. Lewmar steering with direct shaft linkages to the rudder quadrant made for a smooth, satisfying sail.

Cockpit and Deck Layout

The cockpit follows a familiar twin-wheel arrangement, but the centerline table has well-rounded edges and serves as a good brace in a seaway. A cockpit traveler arch carries a 4:1 Harken traveler above a T-top bimini. The double-ended mainsheet is cleverly routed: one part runs through a Spinlock rope clutch to an electric Lewmar winch that also handles the port jib sheet, while the other part leads conventionally to another Lewmar sheet winch on the cabin top, reachable quickly from either steering position.

Accommodations

Below, the raised saloon and galley are outstanding living spaces that take advantage of visibility from six moderately large ports and a central overhead hatch. Good storage sits under the sole. To port, the L-shaped galley has a sole-to-ceiling post on its inboard end for support, with strong grippable fiddles and corner cuts that make the counter easy to wipe. The Force 10 propane stove is gimbaled for a seaway alongside a microwave and a front-opening Waeco refrigerator. To starboard lie the main head with shower and a front-facing nav station. Forward, a step down leads to a Pullman-style double nearly 6 feet 6 inches long, and a head with shower occupies the bow. The aft cabin’s only compromise is a large island double with somewhat limited headroom.

Hunter’s offshore director noted that the design team was modifying the production version by extending the bridgedeck aft 8 inches, tightening the soft headliners, and lowering the bunk mattress anchor. These were adjustments to the as-sailed prototype rather than changes to the underlying structure.

The Verdict

The Hunter 45 DS is a thoughtfully evolved deck-saloon cruiser that trades a little aft-cabin headroom for bright, practical living spaces and a hull tuned for light-air speed and low weather helm. Its modular grid construction and deliberate grounding tests speak to a production process built around structural confidence.

Pros