Design and Construction
The Shearwater 45 blends traditional voyaging character with a contemporary fin-and-spade underbody. The hull carries a clipper bow, substantial sheer, and slight tumblehome aft that fairs into a radiused champagne-glass stern, while the underbody itself is clean and undistorted, with a fine entry, easy midship section, and powerful stern. Construction is a GRP sandwich using an Airex core in the hull and balsa in the deck, and the boat was also offered in wood as an alternative to the glass version. The keel is a moderately long fin with a lead casting bolted to a molded GRP stub, and that stub forms a large sump for collection of bilge water. Acheson Yachts built her in Cape Town, and the profile stays low in both freeboard and coachroof, giving the boat a restrained, traditional silhouette rather than a tall modern slab side.
Rig and Handling
She was designed around two rig choices: a powerful cutter in the image of the smaller Shearwater 39 for all-round performance, or a staysail schooner that costs more but is more easily handled. The schooner carries heavily raked masts and a traditional North American appearance, and as is normal for schooners it is at its best from a fetch to a broad reach. The cutter version shows a sail area of 1,144 square feet with a 100 percent foretriangle, a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 20, and a righting moment of 9,047 kgm at 30 degrees that climbs to 11,191 kgm at 60 degrees before falling to 7,788 kgm at 90. Cruising World's judge described the way she sailed as being like a train on tracks, and writing in Yachting Monthly, James Jermain called her a stunning looking boat with impressive performance and delightful manners. Owner Steve Hunt, sailing his Maggy May, reported the boat was magnificent in steady 36-knot winds with gusts over 50 and high quartering seas, and after 11,000 miles he found her comfortable to live aboard with remarkable sailing qualities.
Accommodations
All layouts are based on a mid-engine position with the U-shaped galley placed directly over the engine, a choice that lets the cook work safely without being tied in and gives the best possible access for maintenance. Sleeping cabins are kept compact to give more space to the living areas, and layouts generally sleep four to six in two or three private cabins. Cruising World's judge found the interior traditional but a sweet ergonomic layout for passagemaking and living in warm climates, with a wood-dominated interior executed by a fine ship's carpenter. The rig options and flexibility of interior design were noted by Jermain as satisfying the needs of a range of serious-minded cruising yachtsmen.
The Verdict
The Shearwater 45 is a thoughtfully resolved voyager that won its awards on the strength of matching traditional cruising values to a capable modern hull. The mid-engine galley-over-engine arrangement is a genuine ownership advantage, the dual rig choice lets a buyer tune handling to taste, and the offshore reports from owners underline the seakindly behavior the magazines praised. The compact cabins are a deliberate trade for larger living spaces, and the schooner's premium and reach-biased performance are worth weighing against the cutter's all-round brief.
Pros
- Recognized by Cruising World as Best Overall Cruising Boat and Best Traditional Voyager in 2001
- Cutter or staysail schooner rig options for all-round or easier handling
- Mid-engine with galley above gives excellent engine access and a safe working galley
- Owner reports of steady, magnificent behavior in 50-knot gusts and quartering seas
- Low freeboard and coachroof with clipper bow and rounded stern for traditional voyaging looks
Cons
- Schooner rig costs more and performs best only from a fetch to a broad reach
- Sleeping cabins kept compact, trading berth space for larger saloon and living areas
- Keel stub sump collects bilge water and must be part of any inspection routine
