Gulfstar 45 (Hirsch 45)
Description
The Gulfstar 45, also marketed as the Hirsch 45, is a well‑regarded bluewater cruising sailboat designed by Vince Lazzara and built by Gulfstar Yachts in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the early to mid‑1980s. The model represents the transitional period when Gulfstar evolved from heavier, traditional cruisers into higher‑performance, semi‑custom yachts that rivaled contemporary quality builders. The Hirsch name was used mainly for marketing through charter fleets and brokerage branding, but the Gulfstar 45 and Hirsch 45 are identical hulls, sharing the same mold and specifications. The boat combines a fin keel and skeg‑hung rudder underbody with a moderate displacement hull and a powerful masthead sloop rig (a few ketches were built). It has a center cockpit layout with a luxurious interior, typical of Gulfstar’s emphasis on comfort—featuring two private staterooms and two heads, making it ideal for extended cruising or liveaboard life. Solid fiberglass hull construction and robust rigging give the boat offshore capability, while the interior workmanship reflects the higher‑quality phase of Gulfstar’s production.
Construction Details
| Designer | V.S. Lazzara |
|---|---|
| Builder | Gulfstar Yachts |
| Length | 45.000 ft |
| LOA | 44.670 ft |
| LWL | 37.000 ft |
| Beam | 13.170 ft |
| Displacement | 3200 lb |
| Ballast | 12000 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.500 ft |
| Year Built | 1981 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 45.10 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 15.20 ft |
| p | 37.30 ft |
| e | 19 ft |
| p2 | 45.10 ft |
| e2 | 15.20 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45.10 ft | 15.20 ft | 37.30 ft | 19 ft | 45.10 ft | 15.20 ft | - | - |
Sails
Gulfstar 45 (Hirsch 45) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 37.3 ft - (11369 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 19 ft - (5791 mm) |
| Leech | * 40.98 ft - (12491 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 41.27 ft - (12579 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 362.52 ft² |
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Gulfstar 45 (Hirsch 45) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 38.07 ft - (11604 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 20.31 ft - (6190 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.78 ft - (9991 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.48 ft - (5328 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.98 ° |
| Area | * 332.75 ft² |
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Gulfstar 45 (Hirsch 45) - GENOA
| Luff | * 45.21 ft - (13780 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.7 ft - (7529 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.37 ft - (12914 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 22.8 ft - (6949 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.99 ° |
| Area | * 515.41 ft² |
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Gulfstar 45 (Hirsch 45) - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 45.21 ft - (13780 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 25.08 ft - (7644 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.59 ft - (12677 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 850 ft² |
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Gulfstar 45 (Hirsch 45) - MIZZEN
| Luff | * 45.1 ft - (13746 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.2 ft - (4633 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 46.69 ft - (14231 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 47.09 ft - (14353 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 349.58 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.