Tanton 45 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Tanton 45 is a double-ender with a volumetric, radiused stern and an abrupt spoon bow augmented by a sprit for headsail work anchor. The full, powerful stern carries considerable volume above the waterline for static buoyancy in following seas, while the bow shows sharp sections at the waterline flaring to strong deck lines anchor. Her keel is a longish, low-aspect NACA foil, and the rudder sits aft under the protection of a formidable skeg anchor. Ballast is cast iron, encapsulated so that keel bolts are unnecessary anchor.

Structurally, the hull and deck specify end-grain balsa core with Nytex E-glass and isophthalic polyester resins chosen for osmosis resistance anchor. Deck hardware lands on marine plywood rather than balsa, and hull balsa is confined to the topsides between rub rail and waterline, with an Airex-cored grid of stringers and frames reinforcing the underbody anchor. Tanton's drawings are meticulously detailed and fully approved by the American Bureau of Shipping for compliance with its offshore racing yacht guide, and owners describe the finished boats as built like a tank despite being fast and fairly light anchor.

Rig and Handling

The heart of the boat is her towering unstayed cat-ketch rig: a mainmast just shy of Station 0 rising about 55 feet above the waterline, with a mizzen virtually amidship and nearly as tall anchor. A freestanding carbon rig saves roughly two-thirds the weight of an equivalent stayed aluminum rig, and without conventional standing rigging the decks stay clear and easy to negotiate anchor. Full-battened, highly roached sails are carried on wishbone booms—the designer's preference, since they need no vanging—or traditional booms, and a 1,054-square-foot mizzen staysail sets between the spars anchor.

Owners report that the wishbone acts as a shock absorber through gybes, letting them bear away all standing in 30 to 40 knots "like butter" anchor. Tacking or gybing is a matter of turning the wheel, and the boat is so well balanced she will steer herself upwind for miles with only the wheel brake set anchor. A modest five-foot draft lets her sail upwind right with full race boats, and one owner recorded an 18.6-knot top surfing down a big wave anchor.

Accommodations

Below, the cockpit is large, secure, and nestled into the deck aft, with a convertible table seating eight to ten anchor. The offset port main hatch leads to a navigator's niche at the companionway base, flanked by a quarter-berth and followed by a wet locker and the galley, whose convertible cabinetry opens all sides of the centrally located engine anchor. To starboard, the owner's double connects to a head and stand-up shower, while the saloon offers a U-settee to port, a drop-leaf dinette, and starboard armchairs behind which a pilot berth tucks anchor. A second head with shower serves the forward cabin and the forepeak double anchor.

Known Issues

One hull broke loose in a hurricane, surged through Ipswich harbor, and sank four other boats while suffering minimal damage herself anchor. Teak decks were a factory option rather than standard, and individual cosmetics may need attention on a given boat anchor.

The Verdict

The Tanton 45 is a rare, purpose-driven passagemaker whose unstayed cat-ketch rig delivers extraordinary handling ease without sacrificing upwind ability or rough-water composure. Five hulls mean any example is a semi-custom artifact, but the construction detail and ABS-approved drawings speak to a serious voyaging foundation.

Pros