Overview
The Morris 46 is a Chuck Paine center-cockpit cruiser built by Morris Yachts in Maine from 1994 to 2007. Only 14 were built. Like other Morris boats it was semi-custom, finished to a high standard and expensive.
Design and Construction
The underbody is a fin keel with a deep skeg-hung rudder, and draft is a moderate 5 ft 6 in. Displacement is 23,500 lb with about 8,630 lb of lead ballast, and Robert Perry put the displacement-to-length ratio at 288, a moderate cruising figure. The waterline is 34.5 ft on a 46-foot hull, so the ends are long in the traditional Down East style. Perry noted the center cockpit posed aesthetic problems for the profile and that the staterooms are not large for the length. Perry’s review of the plans shows the galley in the passageway leading to the aft cabin, a generous nav station and a good-sized lazarette. He gives a length/beam ratio of 3.6 and notes far less beam aft than in most newer designs, with a small transom and a strong sheer.
Under Sail
The rig is a masthead sloop of about 879 sq ft. Perry described the rudder as having very little balance, which favors directional stability over a light helm.
Ocean Racing Record
Diva (Edwin G. Fischer, MD) finished the Newport Bermuda Race in 2000, 2006, 2008. Escapade II finished the Marion-Bermuda Race in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Buyers Notes
With 14 built and semi-custom finishes, boats differ from one another; compare equipment and layout hull by hull. Morris build quality is the main reason to buy one, and prices reflect it.
