What the fleet has seen
The Bristol Yachts 45.5, as the fleet has seen it
Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.
The Bristol Yachts 45.5 is a masthead sloop designed by Ted Hood and Dieter Empacher, built by Bristol Yachts Inc. from 1979 to 1989, and available in sloop or ketch rigs and aft or center cockpit configurations. With an LOA of 13.8 meters, a beam of 4.0 meters, and a displacement of 15,721 kg, the vessel features a keel/centerboard hull.0:12 Aboard *Plan-Sea*, a 1979 Bristol 45.5 named *Plan C*, the crew undertook extensive refits, including electrical upgrades, custom interior construction, and deck hardware installation.0:04 They installed a Starlink system by repurposing a wind generator pole and powered it with a 24-to-30-volt DC-to-DC step-up converter.5:36 The crew also built a custom bed frame with integrated storage and a Dometic refrigeration unit, and replaced Lewmar winches.21:29 Preparations for a Bahamas passage included replacing a leaking head, troubleshooting a propane stove, and replacing a macerator pump.1:36 They identified and resolved a siphoning issue from a fresh water tank and patched a black water bag leak.21:18 The crew also installed a 12-volt Dometic fridge and freezer, upgraded the navigation suite with a BNG chartplotter, and replaced the jib halyard, spinnaker line, and main sheet.1:40 A custom DIY solar arch was fabricated from aluminum tubing, reinforced with diagonal supports after a boom strike, and secured with five solar panels.1:17
