Creekmore 45 Ketch

Description

The Creekmore 45 (sometimes listed as Creekmore 45/46 or Creekmore 46 due to paperwork variations) is a classic American bluewater cruising sailboat renowned for its heavy-duty construction, seaworthiness, and offshore capability. It's a full-keel (or modified full/long keel) design built for serious passagemaking, with a reputation for being "bomb-proof" and comfortable in heavy weather, though not particularly fast or light-air optimized. Many owners use it for liveaboard cruising, extended voyages (e.g., Bahamas, Venezuela, or longer passages), and it's praised for stability, tank-like build quality, and a motion that's forgiving at sea. Designed by Ray Creekmore (a Florida-based naval architect known for robust, no-nonsense cruisers), it was built by Creekmore (Ray and his son Lee) in Florida, USA. Hulls were often sold semi-complete (shells or basic layups), with owners or custom finishers handling interiors, rigs, and details — leading to significant variation across examples (e.g., sloop, cutter, ketch, or yawl rigs; different keels, engines, and layouts). 26 hulls built (per sailboatdata.com), starting around 1981 (some earlier examples from late 1960s/1970s roots). A relatively high number for Creekmore designs (most models were one-offs or very limited). Many are semi-custom, contributing to rarity and uniqueness today.