BoatsGarcia Yachts Exploration 45

Garcia Yachts Exploration 45

Cutter · Keel/centreboard, twin rudders · First built 2014

A rugged aluminum cutter by Berret-Racoupeau featuring a centerboard and dual rudders for high-latitude exploration

Designed by Berret-Racoupeau.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Keel/CB w/dual Rudders

See her sail

The Garcia Yachts Exploration 45, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from El Viaje de Bohemia

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

Shoal draftDraws 1.14 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 32 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 32
CoastalBluewater

1.84 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.84
LightHeavy

205 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 205
EasygoingPowered-up

15.5 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.5
TenderStiff

31% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 31%

A capable offshore cruiser with an easy motion when the sea gets up.

  • Beamier than ~76% of boats her size on file

Compared with 200 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Garcia Yachts Exploration 45, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Garcia yachts Exploration 45 is an aluminum cutter-rigged monohull designed by Berret-Racoupeau and built by Garcia Yachts since 2014, known for its high-latitude sailing capabilities. It features a keel/centerboard with dual rudders, a LOA of 14.9 m, a beam of 4.4 m, a draft of 2.9 m, and a displacement of 14612 kg. The design prioritizes structural integrity, thermal insulation, and 360-degree visibility from the interior. Aboard El Viaje de Bohemia, the crew noted its centerboard for shallow draft, a crash compartment for safety, and a windlass configuration that centralizes weight.3:57 Sailing Northern Brees compared the Garcia Exploration 45 to other aluminum expedition boats, preferring it over the Boreal for its less claustrophobic interior.16:34 Sailing Florence observed that the heavier Garcia Exploration 45 maintained higher speeds in stronger winds compared to their lighter 37-foot sailboat.24:46 The Garcia Exploration series influenced the design of the Nahoa series catamaran, with its naval architect Pierre Delion also designing the Garcia Exploration.12:36

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 4 times across 4 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Garcia Yachts Exploration 45 on video

Our Sailboat Started to Become Taxing… Then We Went to a Boat Show Ep 53A failed 18-year-old hot water tank floods engine wiring at La Rochelle while the crew tours aluminum expedition boats.Sailing Northern BreesSailing Mexico to El Salvador 🇸🇻 Episode 453The crew of Catalpa navigated a 200-nautical-mile passage to El Salvador, crossing the Bahia del Sol bar.Sailing CatalpaSailing across the North Sea to Norway | Sailing Florence Ep.210The crew of *Florence* diverts to Ålesund, Norway, to avoid 35-knot gusts and steep seas near Bodø.Sailing FlorenceTwo years with "Mirage", my Amel 50. Review and five wishes for next-generation push-button sailing.Vlad proposes five push-button upgrades for the Amel 50 after two seasons aboard Mirage.Sailing Mirage7 Features to consider in a Bluewater Sailboat | Interview with Dick BeaumontKraken Yachts founder Dick Beaumont details essential blue water design features including fuel polishing and hull rigidity.Sailing Millennial Falcon

Who's been looking

Market signal

Crews the fleet has filmed weighing this model up — no sale seen, and no asking price.

2channels looked into buying

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
31.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.5
Displacement / length
205.0
Comfort ratio
32.3
Capsize screening
1.84
Hull speed
8.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2147
Hull
Hull type
Keel/CB w/dual rudders
Construction
Aluminum
Ballast type
Aluminum
Production
Years built
First built 2014
Designer
Berret-Racoupeau
Builder
Garcia Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Southerly Yachts 48014.98 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Stephen Jones-designed 14.98-metre cruiser featuring a Solent rig and a centerline skeg to protect the propeller
Mahi Mahi, Man Overboard - Transatlantic on a Catamaran Part 314:55from Distant Shores TV
Alden Yachts 5416.48 mSame hull family1.6 m longerAn extended-stern evolution of the 50-foot series, available in both center and aft cockpit layouts as well as cutter or ketch
The Most Unique Catamaran We’ve Ever Sailedfrom Gone with the Wynns
Southerly 42012.86 mSame hull family2.0 m shorterA Rob Humphreys-designed fractional sloop featuring a versatile swing keel that later evolved into the Southerly 430
Sailing Annapolis Boat Show9:39from Distant Shores TV
Allures 4413.60 mSame hull family1.3 m shorterA centerboard-equipped aluminum cruiser designed for deep-water exploration with a versatile three-meter draft
Best Bluewater Sailboat (& Catamaran!) Under $300K0:50from Be The Captain
Bristol Yachts 45.513.79 mSame hull family1.1 m shorterA heavy-displacement masthead sloop with a 3.35-metre keel-centerboard draft, built for deep-water cruising performance
Bringing Our Sailboat Back to Life | (EP. 021)from Plan-Sea
Boreal Yachts 4714.55 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 14.55-metre aluminum cutter with a 2.48-metre draft, optimized for high-latitude stability and blue-water performance
Ski and sail in the Lyngen area2:52from SEILmagasinet

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Garcia Yachts Exploration 52A 16.65-metre aluminum expedition vessel featuring a variable draft centerboard and dual rudders for remote cruisingGarcia Yachts Exploration 60A 19.5-metre aluminum cutter designed for high-latitude autonomy with a 3.65-metre draft and a high comfort ratioExplocat 52Fractional Sloop · 16.95 mGib'sea 35-1A Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead ketch featuring a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder for stable, classic cruisingXc 47A modern 15-meter fractional sloop featuring a high-stability bulb keel and a displacement-to-length ratio built for performance

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Garcia Yachts Exploration 45, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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