Design and Construction
Wauquiez built the Centurion 45S in solid fiberglass. The length-to-beam ratio of 3.28 and the comparative spaciousness rating tell the central story of the design: Dubois gave her a wide, volume-rich hull that translates directly into livable interior square footage without pushing into the extremes of a dedicated charter barge. Her immersion rate of about 380 kg/cm, or 2130 pounds per inch, is a meaningful measure of how heavily she sits in the water for a 45-footer of this type — every centimeter of sinkage demands substantial added weight, which speaks to a firmly loaded cruising displacement rather than a featherweight racer.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Centurion 45S is built with a masthead rig, and the combined mainsail and jib area totals 983.8 square feet. That is a conservative, easily handled foretriangle-and-main combination for a boat her size, suited to predictable loads rather than over-canvased performance. The standing and running rigging dimensions are worth noting for any owner planning replacements: the three halyards — mainsail, jib/genoa, and spinnaker — each run 40.3 meters (132.2 feet) at 14 mm diameter, while the jib and genoa sheets are 13.7 meters (44.8 feet) at 16 mm, and the mainsheet stretches 34.1 meters (112 feet) also at 16 mm the rigging lengths a rigger needs. The spinnaker sheet is 30 meters (98.5 feet) at the same 16 mm, and the shorter control lines — cunningham at 5.9 meters, kicking strap and clew outhaul each at 11.8 meters — are 14 mm. These are the measurements to order against, not estimates to ignore.
Accommodations
The comparison of hull spaciousness places the Centurion 45S ahead of nearly two-thirds of similar designs, and that volume is the boat's quiet selling point below decks. With a beam of 13.67 feet carried well aft, the wide hull supports a three- or four-cabin arrangement without the pinched bow or compromised saloon that narrower 45-foot hulls force upon their designers. The large sailboat designation reflects not just length but the genuine interior footprint Dubois engineered into the beamy hull.
The Verdict
The Centurion 45S is a solid-fiberglass, beamy cruiser from the Dubois-Wauquiez collaboration, with a masthead rig and a measured sail area that favors manageable loads over raw speed. Her immersion rate and spaciousness ranking define a boat built to carry cruising weight in comfort.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull from Wauquiez
- Beam-to-length ratio of 3.28 yields a roomy hull, more spacious than 62% of comparable designs
- Masthead rig with 983.8 sq ft of main-plus-jib area for predictable handling
- Full rigging lengths and diameters recorded for planned maintenance
Cons
- High immersion rate (2130 lbs/inch) indicates heavy loading sensitivity
