Bristol 45.5
Description
The Bristol 45.5 is a highly regarded classic bluewater cruising sailboat built by Bristol Yachts in Bristol, Rhode Island, from 1979 to 1989 (with production ending around 1989–1990, after which it was succeeded by the similar but updated Bristol 47.7 using the same hull mold). Designed by legendary naval architect Ted Hood (with contributions from Dieter Empacher), it's part of Bristol's "second-generation" series (following models like the 35.5 and 41.1), blending solid construction, comfortable motion, and capable performance for offshore and extended cruising. It's often praised as one of the best Ted Hood designs for serious cruisers, known for luxurious/classic appeal, heavy build quality, and excellent handling in heavy weather. The model came in center cockpit (CC) (most common, for better privacy and motion) and aft cockpit variants, with sloop or optional ketch rig. It features a keel/centerboard arrangement (Hood's signature for shallow draft versatility without sacrificing upwind performance).
Construction Details
| Designer | Ted Hood |
|---|---|
| Builder | Bristol Yachts |
| LOA | 45.250 ft |
| LWL | 37.250 ft |
| Beam | 13.160 ft |
| Displacement | 34660 lb |
| Max Draft | 11.000 ft |
| Min Draft | 4.920 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 54 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 18.50 ft |
| p | 47.50 ft |
| e | 16.50 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 ft | 18.50 ft | 47.50 ft | 16.50 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Bristol 45.5 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 47.5 ft - (14478 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 16.5 ft - (5029 mm) |
| Leech | * 49.35 ft - (15042 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.01 ° |
| Diagonal | * 49.74 ft - (15161 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 399.39 ft² |
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Bristol 45.5 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 45.66 ft - (13917 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.8 ft - (7559 mm) |
| Leech | * 39.2 ft - (11948 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.28 ft - (6486 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.99 ° |
| Area | * 485.79 ft² |
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Bristol 45.5 - GENOA
| Luff | 54.23 ft - (16529 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 30.13 ft - (9184 mm) |
| Leech | * 50.75 ft - (15469 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 27.75 ft - (8458 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 752.42 ft² |
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Bristol 45.5 - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 54.23 ft - (16529 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 30.52 ft - (9302 mm) |
| Leech | * 49.89 ft - (15206 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1241 ft² |
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Bristol 45.5 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 54.23 ft - (16529 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 33.3 ft - (10150 mm) |
| Foot | * 33.3 ft - (10150 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 1535 ft² |
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Bristol 45.5 - STORMJIB
| Luff | * 31.39 ft - (9568 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14.07 ft - (4289 mm) |
| Leech | * 25.31 ft - (7714 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 60 % |
| Length Perp | * 11.1 ft - (3383 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 19 ° |
| Area | * 174.23 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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