Period editorial reviews describe the boat as well built, with excellent sailing performance and a spacious interior arranged for comfortable life at sea.
Design and Construction
The Malö 45 was designed for offshore work and long-distance sailing. Malö Yachts built its hulls with a balsa-cored sandwich layup rather than PVC foam, choosing balsa for rigidity and strength.
The builder joined the hull and deck into a single laminated unit before installing the interior joinery, an approach intended to maximize stiffness and keep leaks at bay. Instead of using a pre-molded tray, Malö laminated a structural grid of transverse and longitudinal bulkheads directly inside the hull. Together, these methods support the boat’s bluewater brief.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The 45 carries a slab-reefing mainsail on a deck-stepped mast. Its aft cockpit is laid out for offshore routines.
Under sail, the boat is credited with an easy, comfortable motion at sea. Period reviews say it performs reasonably well in light winds, though it may need assistance from the engine in those conditions. The combination points to a boat tuned more for comfort on passage than all-out light-air speed.
Accommodations
Below, the Malö 45 has a spacious interior with plenty of room for living aboard. The saloon has the galley to port and the navigation station to starboard. Two cabins provide four berths, and the boat has two heads.
This arrangement favors a couple or small crew voyaging long term. The same reviews that praise the interior volume identify the limited number of cabins and berths as a drawback for larger crews. The layout prioritizes comfort aboard rather than maximum bunk capacity.
Verdict
The Malö 45 Classic is a considered bluewater cruiser, with a balsa-cored hull, a hull-and-deck structure laminated as one unit, a comfortable motion under sail, and an interior suited to liveaboard life without crowding the footprint.
The trade-offs follow from that brief. Two cabins are best suited to a small crew, and light-air passages may call for engine assistance. For a couple or a family of three or four, the 45 is a thoroughly competent offshore home.
Pros
- High-quality construction, with a balsa-cored sandwich hull and unified hull-and-deck joint
- Excellent sailing performance, with an easy and comfortable motion at sea
- Spacious, liveaboard-oriented interior, with the galley to port and navigation station to starboard
- Designed and built specifically for offshore and long-distance cruising
Cons
- Only two cabins and four berths, limiting its suitability for larger crews
- May need engine assistance to sustain progress in light winds
