Wauquiez Centurion 45S Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

The Wauquiez Centurion 45S represents a significant chapter in the evolution of the French yard, bridging the gap between traditional blue-water robustness and modern performance-oriented design. Launched in the early 2000s as a successor to the legendary Jean Berret-designed Centurion 45 of the late 1980s, the "S" (Sport) designation signaled a shift toward a more aggressive, Berret-Racoupeau naval architecture. Built during an era when Wauquiez was under the ownership of Beneteau but maintained its independent high-end production standards in Neuville-en-Ferrain, the 45S was engineered to compete with the likes of Swan and Baltic. It targets the "performance-cruiser" niche, offering a sophisticated hull form capable of high average speeds without sacrificing the luxurious, offshore-ready interior for which the brand is known. According to Cruising World, the model was distinguished as the Best Performance Cruiser in the 2004 Boat of the Year awards, cementing its status as a benchmark for high-speed coastal and offshore passage-making.