Design Brief & Intent
Bill Tripp was a pioneer of early fiberglass and a champion of the centerboard cruising yacht. He designed the US 46 to strike a compromise between the deep-draft fin-keel racers of the late 1960s and the shallow-draft coastal cruisers. The hull was laid up with an exceptionally robust, solid-fiberglass laminate. For the interior, the center-cockpit layout was a major selling point. It allowed for a private and remarkably spacious master stateroom aft, complete with an en-suite head. A narrow walkthrough or navigation alley connected the aft quarters to the main saloon, which maximized the boat’s 12-foot beam. Sturdy handholds, a functional U-shaped or L-shaped galley secure for cooking while heeled, and a forward guest stateroom with its own separate head spoke directly to the needs of long-distance liveaboard couples. Respected naval architects of the era noted that the US 46 was one of the most sensible cruisers in its size range, preserving the general handiness and sea-kindly comfort that were starting to vanish in the era's race-oriented stock boats.
Variations & Configurations
The US 46 was offered with both masthead sloop and masthead yawl rigs. The yawl configuration split the total sail area across smaller, more manageable sails, making it a favorite for couples cruising shorthanded. Some hulls were delivered to high-end outfitters like Adler & Barbour or finished by European yards like Frans Maas in the Netherlands, yielding variations in interior layout, joinery, and deck hardware.
The boat’s true defining characteristic was its centerboard keel. Drawing only 5.16 feet with the board raised, the US 46 could easily access shallow harbors, estuaries, and inland waterways. With the board fully extended, its draft increased to 10.33 feet, providing a massive lateral plane that transformed its upwind tracking and reduced leeway. Some early marketing even highlighted an optional twin tandem centerboard setup, designed to give the skipper micro-adjustment of the lateral plane to achieve perfect helm balance in heavy weather, although most hulls utilized a single, heavily ballasted centerboard.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The US 46 is a traditional heavy-displacement cruiser that prioritizes stability and tracking over light-air agility. With a displacement-to-length ratio of 310.56, it relies on momentum and mass to smash through a chop smoothly, lacking the jerky, quick motion of lighter, modern fin-keel designs. Its comfort ratio of 38.26 signifies an exceptionally comfortable and motion-friendly ride, which significantly reduces crew fatigue over long passages. This safety is further illustrated by its capsize screening ratio of 1.64, which is well below the conservative ocean-racing threshold of 2.0, proving its inherent offshore stability and outstanding righting capability.
Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.45 indicates a respectable but moderate power-to-weight profile. The boat struggles in light air and requires a stiff breeze of 10 to 12 knots to find its groove. However, once the wind builds, she tracks beautifully on a reach, balanced by the centerboard and the split rig. The steering is heavy but predictable, stabilized by a large skeg-mounted rudder that protects against debris and improves directional stability.
Market Snapshot & Economics
Because of its extreme scarcity—with only about a dozen hulls ever molded—the US 46 rarely appears on the brokerage market. It commands a niche premium among traditionalists who appreciate Tripp's design philosophy and the pedigree of early, robust fiberglass construction.
However, prospective buyers must expect classic-era refit economics. While the structural fiberglass hull is almost certainly sound, the cost of renewing systems like the rigging, sails, plumbing, electrical, and propulsion can quickly outpace the initial purchase price. Buyers should approach a purchase with a clear-eyed view of restoration costs, seeing the boat as a long-term labor of love rather than a quick turn-key investment.
Known Issues & Triage
Prospective buyers should focus on several age-related technical areas common to late 1960s and 1970s fiberglass construction:
- Deck Delamination: Like many boats of this era, the deck utilizes a balsa core. Hardware bedded decades ago, including stanchions, tracks, and windlasses, must be inspected for water intrusion. A thorough percussion test or moisture meter survey is critical to locate any rotten balsa core.
- Chainplates: The stresses of a large rig require careful chainplate inspection. Look for crevice corrosion, especially where the chainplates pass through the deck to attach to the bulkheads.
- Centerboard Mechanics: The centerboard trunk, pivot pin, and lifting pennant are critical failure points. The pennant is subject to wear and can snap, leaving the board down, while fouling inside the trunk can jam the board. Regular haul-outs are required to inspect the pivot and replace the lifting cable.
- Osmotic Blistering: The polyester resins used during this construction era are prone to blistering. Haul-out inspections are mandatory to determine if a barrier coat or a more extensive bottom peel is required.
- Aging Tanks: The original fuel and water tanks are often located beneath the cabin sole. If they are constructed of mild steel or iron, they may be rusted out and will require highly invasive carpentry to replace.
Modernization & Upgrades
Many surviving hulls have undergone significant updates to keep them viable for modern cruising:
- Repowering: Replacing the original, outdated engines with modern, efficient diesel units like Beta Marine or Yanmar engines. Original auxiliary power ranged from 55 to 85 horsepower, and a modern 50-to-80 horsepower diesel provides reliable, fuel-efficient propulsion.
- Electrical Overhaul: Converting the heavy-displacement cruiser to modern standards by integrating lithium iron phosphate battery banks to support high-draw systems like modern refrigeration, watermakers, and electronic suites without requiring a noisy generator.
- Rig and Sail Upgrades: Installing roller furling headsails, lazy jack systems, and stack packs to make the large mainsail and mizzen much easier to manage for shorthanded crews.
The Verdict
The US 46 is a masterfully designed, offshore-capable cruiser that offers a rare blend of classic aesthetics, heavy-displacement comfort, and shallow-draft versatility. For the cruising couple willing to maintain its complex systems, this Bill Tripp design provides an unmatched sense of security and motion-comfort at sea.
- Extremely robust, solid fiberglass hull construction.
- Exceptional tracking and motion-comfort in heavy weather.
- Large, private center-cockpit aft cabin layout is ideal for liveaboards.
- Highly versatile centerboard design offers shallow draft capability without sacrificing deep-water tracking.
- Prestigious design pedigree by William H. Tripp Jr.
Cons
- Poor performance in light air and mediocre windward pointing ability.
- Heavy displacement makes the boat difficult to maneuver in tight modern marinas.
- Ongoing, labor-intensive maintenance required for aging decks, centerboard pennants, and iron tanks.
- Extreme rarity makes locating a hull for sale very difficult.
