BoatsFreedom Yachts 45 AC

Freedom Yachts 45 AC

Frac. Sloop (Free standing) · Wing Keel · First built 1987

An extended-stern evolution of the 42, featuring a freestanding fractional rig and a shoal-draft wing keel

Designed by Gary Mull, built by Tillotson Pearson Inc.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Wing Keel

See her sail

The Freedom Yachts 45 AC, on the water

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

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 30 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 30
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.90
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 252
EasygoingPowered-up

14.5 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 14.5
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Draws less than ~95% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2341 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Freedom Yachts 45 AC, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Freedom Yachts 45 AC is a 13.7-meter fractional sloop designed by Gary Mull and built by Tillotson Pearson Inc. and Freedom Yachts from 1987 to the present. This model is an extended stern version of the Freedom 42, with a center cockpit variant also available. It features a wing keel, a 4.1-meter beam, a 1.5-meter draft, and displaces 10,429 kg.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Frac. Sloop (Free standing)
Ratios
SA / displacement
14.5
Displacement / length
252.2
Comfort ratio
29.5
Capsize screening
1.90
Hull speed
7.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1659
Hull
Hull type
Wing Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1987
Designer
Gary Mull
Builder
Tillotson Pearson Inc, Freedom 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.

Gulfstar Yachts 4413.62 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop designed by Richard C. Lazzara, featuring a fin keel with a skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability
Is the Gulfstar 44 a STEAL of a DEAL?from Practical Sailor
Cal Boats 46 III (1975)13.87 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead ketch variant of the Lapworth hull, configured with a shallow 1.52-metre draft for coastal cruising
FALL BOAT AUCTION 2023: Where to buy a SUPER CHEAP sailboat! - EP318:10from Sailing Solé
Cal Boats 2-4613.87 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthFeaturing a midships engine room and expanded living quarters, this 46-foot cruiser prioritizes interior volume
Sailing Maverick - Guatemala to Belize3:48from GenXPats - The Sailing Advisor
Bavaria Yachts 44 Vision13.70 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13.7-metre fractional sloop with a high 23.82 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive, spirited cruising
Spearfishing African Pompano!!!(Best Fish In The Sea!!!) [Adventure Vacation Day 11]17:31from Adventureman Dan
Amel Maramu 4613.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13.8-metre ketch produced throughout the 1980s, balancing a moderate displacement with a stable, sea-kindly motion
Welding, angle grinders, and lots of sweat: This is how we made our SOLAR ARCH in Greece | Windy W...from Windy_Wayra
Catalina Yachts Morgan 4513.79 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1991 Nelson Marek design distinct from the 1966 original, featuring a partial skeg rudder and a deep keel option
Episode 1 - The Beginning5:05from Vela Sin Rumbo

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.

Freedom Yachts 45 CCA center-cockpit cruiser with a 41% ballast ratio and a wing keel, optimized for stability and shoal-water accessFreedom Yachts 42A Gary Mull-designed 42-footer featuring a free-standing fractional rig and a deep fin keel for offshore stabilityFreedom Yachts 40 ACAn unstayed cat ketch designed by Hoyt and Herreshoff, featuring a simple, easy-to-handle rig on a 40-foot aft-cockpit hullFreedom Yachts 36A Gary Mull-designed cruiser featuring a freestanding fractional rig and a shoal-draft fin keel for easy handlingFreedom Yachts 38An extended 38-foot evolution of the Freedom 36 offering flexible shoal, wing, or deep keel configurationsFreedom Yachts 40/40A David Pedrick-designed fractional sloop featuring a self-tending jib and a free-standing mast for simplified sailing

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