Design and Construction
Peterson laid out a hull with a length-to-beam ratio of 3.46 and a displacement-length ratio of 216, placing her in the heavy cruiser camp. The 34 percent ballast ratio and 1.65 capsize screening value describe a vessel meant to carry load and stand up to weather, while the 37.5 Motion Comfort Ratio suggests an easy motion. The wetted surface runs about 570 square feet, and the immersion rate of 1,769 pounds per inch means she settles as loaded. The 6.5-to-6.8-foot draft ties to load condition anchor.
Rig and Handling
The boat was offered with either a ketch or a cutter rig, and the sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 13.69 marks her moderately powered for her weight. The theoretical hull speed is 8.4 knots from a 39-foot-6-inch waterline. Jib and genoa sheets run 44.4 feet at 5/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet is 111.1 feet, and the spinnaker sheet is 97.7 feet anchor.
Accommodations and Cruising Profile
Her near-thirteen-foot beam paired with a 150-gallon fuel tank and 200-gallon water tank supports extended living aboard. The fin keel and skeg-hung rudder are the classic Peterson offshore plan, and the 6.5-foot draft keeps her out of shallow corners.
Known Issues
The load-dependent draft means a fully provisioned boat draws more than the bare figure, and the heavy displacement demands attention to payload if you want to preserve her motion.
Ownership and Refits
With only 13 hulls completed, the Passport 45 is rare. Any example is decades old, so rigging fatigue, engine hours on the Ford Lehman diesel, and osmotic check of the solid hull govern survey. The ketch option rewards an owner who wants manageable sail pieces offshore.
The Verdict
The Passport 45 is a quietly competent Peterson cruiser that never sold in volume. She is heavy, comfortable, and conservatively rigged.
Pros
- Low capsize screening value and high comfort ratio for passage-making
- Offered in ketch or cutter, both sensible offshore plans
- Solid fiberglass hull with lead ballast and documented stability figures
Cons
- Only a few built, so spares and comparable sales are hard to come by
- Load-dependent draft limits marina access when fully provisioned
