Her arrival also marked a turning point for Moody. The 45 DS was the first model built after HanseYachts acquired the marque, and the first Moody to be laid up and finished in Germany rather than Britain. She debuted at the Southampton Boat Show in late 2008, with an interior by Mark Tucker and hull and deck design by Dixon.
Deck Saloon and Accommodation
The defining feature is the arrangement of the saloon and galley in the deckhouse, on the same level as the cockpit. This allows the boat’s social spaces to flow directly out toward the helm.
Below, the layout provides three staterooms—two of them essentially amidships—and two heads. A spacious-looking master cabin occupies the bow. Modular furniture components allowed the original specification to be mixed and matched to a degree, giving owners more scope than usual on a production cruiser to tailor the lower arrangement within the fixed hull structure.
Construction and Deck Protection
Above the sheerline, the boat carries a calf-height bulwark around the deck. The design also features solid stainless-steel rails mounted atop substantial bulwarks to help keep the crew aboard.
The catamaran influence continues in the hardtop extending over the cockpit from the deckhouse roof, sheltering the forward part of the working area. German construction under Hanse ownership represented a clear break from Moody’s long history of British production, and the 45 DS reflects that transition in both its build site and its contemporary deck-saloon styling.
Cockpit, Steering, and Rudders
Twin wheels connect to twin rudders. The wheels sit just aft of the extended coachroof, which covers the forward six feet of the cockpit. This geometry keeps the helmsman close to the protected saloon while leaving the after part of the cockpit open.
The arrangement deliberately departs from the single-wheel, separate-cockpit norm of earlier Moody cruisers, combining responsive twin-blade steering with a sheltered helm.
Foredeck and Stowage
The builder claims a dedicated foredeck locker for a cruising spinnaker. It also describes an innovative way to stow the anchor out of the way while keeping it readily deployable. These features are intended to leave the bow clean and free of trip hazards, in keeping with the deck-saloon design’s emphasis on uncluttered, secure movement around the boat.
Verdict
The Moody 45 DS boldly reinterprets the bluewater cruiser as a one-level living platform, with substantial deck protection and modern twin-rudder handling. Her polarizing looks divide opinion, but the layout and construction discipline are coherent.
Pros
- Saloon, galley, and cockpit on one level, creating genuine indoor-outdoor flow
- Solid stainless-steel rails atop substantial bulwarks for deck security
- Twin rudders and twin wheels for responsive control
- Innovative foredeck stowage for the spinnaker and anchor
Cons
- Striking styling that period testers said could be loved or hated
