This is a heavy-displacement cruiser conceived for offshore comfort rather than regatta pace. The boats were built on a semi-custom basis, so no two interiors are exactly alike.
Design and Construction
The Little Harbor 46 has a designed displacement of 32,500 pounds and a displacement/length ratio well over 300, making her a genuinely heavy boat for her length.
The hulls were built with Airex foam-core composite construction, while the decks used Divinycell foam rather than the more conventional balsa core. The stated purpose of the cored construction was sound and thermal insulation, not weight savings, and the fiberglass skins remained quite substantial.
Joiner work is exceptionally well crafted, rivaling the work of custom cabinetmakers. However, the “as built” specifications for the final Little Harbor 46 list a displacement of 47,000 pounds and a board-up draft of five feet eight inches, compared with the original five-foot board-up draft. That real-world increase in mass across the series is worth keeping in mind for buyers and surveyors.
Rig, Deck, and Handling
The Little Harbor 46 was offered with either a sloop or yawl rig, although one reviewer noted having never seen a yawl-rigged example beyond a drawing. The sloop-rigged, center-cockpit arrangement was by far the most popular; aft-cockpit versions are rare.
On deck, the layout is well suited to offshore sailing. Features include secure teak-overlaid decks, substantial teak toe rails, a large and unobstructed foredeck, secure rails and lifelines, and large dorades that ventilate the interior in foul weather.
On both versions, the cockpit is quite small for a 46-foot yacht. A large helm console and fixed drop-leaf table further obstruct the available space.
Under way, the Little Harbor 46 shares the slow acceleration typical of heavy boats and isn’t likely to win a tacking duel against a Farr 40. Yet few, if any, boats of this size will be more comfortable at sea.
Accommodations
Because each Little Harbor 46 was built on a semi-custom basis, interior arrangements vary slightly. The general plan follows a standard layout, with a V-berth cabin, head, and hanging locker forward. Aft of that is the main saloon, with a dinette to starboard and a settee to port.
The fiberglass water and fuel tanks are located beneath the berths and cabin sole and are integral with the hull. This construction saves space, but it also ties tank condition directly to hull integrity.
Machinery and Systems
Auxiliary power came from Westerbeke or Yanmar marine diesels. Most examples have constant-velocity drives between the engine and shaft to keep vibration to a minimum.
Service and maintenance access is good, and there’s room forward of the engine for an auxiliary generator. The builder specified a single 70-horsepower diesel, 100 gallons of fuel, and 200 gallons of water, placing the boat firmly in the long-range cruiser class.
Verdict
The Little Harbor 46 is a limited-production Ted Hood cruiser that trades outright speed for sea-kindly motion and first-rate craftsmanship. Its cored hull and deck were engineered for insulation and quiet rather than lightness. Because the interiors were semi-custom, buyers need to evaluate each boat on its own merits.
The small cockpit, further restricted by its helm console and fixed table, is the clearest concession to the design’s preference for offshore comfort over competitive performance.
Pros
- Exceptionally well-crafted joiner work that rivals custom builders
- Few boats of this size are more comfortable at sea
- Good engine access and space for an auxiliary generator
- Cored construction chosen for sound and thermal insulation
Cons
- Heavy displacement means poor acceleration and weak tacking performance
- Small cockpit obstructed by the helm console and fixed table
- Only 21 were built, and aft-cockpit and yawl configurations are especially rare
- Final boats had markedly higher displacement than the original design
