Morgan 45-2 Buyer's Guide
Shopping a Morgan 45-2 on the used market means looking at a Henry Scheel design built by Morgan Yacht Corp., a 45-foot fiberglass masthead sloop whose solid hull and lead-ballast fin keel define its ownership profile. These boats have circulated long enough that many carry decades of owner refinement, and the typical buyer is evaluating both the original Scheel hull and whatever was added since.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 45-2 is a single-generation Scheel design with a 13.33-foot beam over a 39.25-foot waterline, giving a cabin broader than just over half of comparable sailboats by the spaciousness index. The buyer should expect the standard centerpiece saloon and forward accommodation of the late-seventies Morgan cruiser rather than multiple deck-saloon variants.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Air conditioning, heating, hot water, electric winches, and a chartplotter are commonly fitted on boats offered today, meaning a buyer can usually expect climate control and powered sheet handling as baseline rather than rare retrofits. Electric winches in particular change the solo or short-handed sailing equation on a 30,000-pound boat, while a chartplotter supplants the original navigation suite. The presence of heating and hot water points to a boat equipped for liveaboard or extended-coast cruising rather than bare weekend use.
What to Inspect
The solid fiberglass hull and deck should be confirmed free of impact damage and the fin keel stub checked for separation at the hull joint. Verify the lead ballast remains secure without weepage, and exercise the skeg-hung rudder for play at the stock. Check that the masthead rig's halyards and 5/8-inch sheets are not degraded beyond the estimated 113-foot and 45-foot lengths, since oversized replacements add weight aloft.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts are typically found in the United States. Before committing, walk through this short list:
- Confirm hull and deck are sound solid fiberglass with no impact damage
- Inspect fin keel-to-hull joint for separation or weepage
- Check skeg-hung rudder stock for freeplay
- Test electric winches and verify chartplotter function
- Confirm heating, hot water, and air conditioning operate
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Morgan 45-2. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 1 | $49,500 | — |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $57,000 | +15.2% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau Oceanis Oceanis 45 | 45.42' | $ 251,110 | 253 | 59 |
| Bavaria Yachts C45 | 47.34' | $ 326,278 | 90 | 17 |
| Elan 45 | 44.03' | $ 86,231 | 23 | 1 |
| Hirsch Hirsch 45 | 44.67' | $ 77,000 | 15 | 2 |
| Swan 45 | 45.37' | $ 319,955 | 14 | 1 |
| Catalina Morgan 45 | 45.25' | $ 40,000 | 11 | 9 |
| C&C 40-2 | 39.58' | $ 25,000 | 11 | 6 |
| Morgan 42-2 | 42' | $ 23,000 | 7 | 4 |