Design and Construction
Tripp's hull measures 46 feet overall with a 33-foot waterline, and the 12-foot beam gives her a length-to-beam ratio of 3.78 — a relatively narrow, sea-kindly proportion by modern standards. The displacement-length ratio sits at 361, which places her firmly among what the design data calls "ultra heavy cruisers," and the 25,000-pound displacement is carried on a solid fiberglass hull with a solid fiberglass deck built by Grampian Marine Ltd. and at other yards. Her 9,000 pounds of lead ballast works out to a 33 percent ballast ratio, and the motion comfort ratio of 45.6 speaks to a hull that absorbs ocean swell rather than crashing through it. The wetted surface of the underbody runs about 559 square feet, a large footprint that, combined with the 7.7-knot theoretical hull speed, defines a boat built to cover distance at a steady, undramatic pace.
Rig and Handling
The US 46 is rigged as a masthead sloop, and the standing and running rigging dimensions are generous throughout. Halyards for the mainsail, jib, and spinnaker each run 32.5 meters with a 14 mm diameter, while the sheet inventory scales up to 16 mm line — the mainsheet alone is 34.6 meters long. With the ISO 8666 reference sail the sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 12.3, rising to 14.6 with a 135 percent genoa, figures that confirm modest light-air acceleration but ample power once the breeze fills. The stub-and-centerboard keel lets the board be raised for a draft of roughly 5 feet and dropped for about 10.3 feet, so she can enter most marinas yet stand up to her canvas offshore. The capsize screening value of 1.54 indicates a hull form that, by that formula, ranks within accepted ocean-cruising limits, and the immersion rate of about 1,397 pounds per inch underscores how heavily she is loaded before she loses freeboard.
Accommodations
The available record does not describe the interior arrangement beyond the hull's gross dimensions and cruising intent. What can be said is that the 33-foot waterline and 12-foot beam establish the envelope within which any layout must work, and the ultra-heavy-cruiser classification implies volume devoted to tankage, stowage, and liveaboard permanence rather than open racing space.
Refits and Ownership
The rigging table establishes original line lengths and diameters, which a prospective owner can treat as the baseline for replacement rather than evidence of a known weakness.
The Verdict
The US 46 is a thoughtfully proportioned Tripp design that wears her cruising purpose in every ratio: narrow, heavy, deeply ballasted, and quietly powered. She is a boat for sailors who value motion comfort and shallow access over outright speed, and who are content with a masthead rig and a centerboard that asks for periodic attention in exchange for versatility.
Pros
- Long waterline and 45.6 motion comfort ratio suit extended offshore cruising
- Centerboard keel gives ~5-foot raised draft for marinas and ~10.3-foot lowered draft offshore
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with 9,000 lb lead ballast at 33 percent ratio
Cons
- Ultra-heavy-cruiser displacement-length ratio of 361 limits light-air performance
- Sail-area-to-displacement of 12.3 (reference sail) is modest until a genoa is set
