MORGAN 46 (SCHEEL)

About the MORGAN 46 (SCHEEL)

Also sold as MORGAN CUSTOM 46. The designer, Henry Scheel, was also the builder of the original molds for this yacht at his company in Maine in the early 1970's. (Sheel had collaborated with Charles Morgan on a number of the earlier Morgan's.) The molds later came into the possession of Morgan Yachts, where they were used for a number of years with various modifications to build a number of models similar to the one shown here. The Morgan nomenclature is especially confusing in the 45-46 foot range. Names were reused for entirely different models. Boats very similar to this one were sold as the MORGAN 45/46 (SCHEEL) the MORGAN 461, MORGAN 462, MORGAN 463 and possibly others. (There is at least one other MORGAN 46, (usually referred to as MORGAN 454-5, designed by Nelson/Marek and also built by Morgan Yachts.) Available as sloop or ketch. (See MORGAN 462 for other details.) Thanks to Skip Gundlach for sharing his knowledge of Morgan's of this generation.

The Morgan 46 is a classic American ketch designed by Henry Scheel and built by Morgan Yachts (USA) in 1979. With a displacement of 30000.0 lb and a LOA of 46.0 ft, this vessel represents a substantial, heavy-displacement cruising platform from the late 1970s.

Best for:

This boat is best suited for experienced coastal cruisers and those seeking a comfortable, stable liveaboard platform, given its high comfort ratio of 35.09 and spacious interior layout typical of Morgan designs.

Bluewater capability:

With a low capsize ratio of 1.74 and a high displacement-to-length ratio of 221.49, the Morgan 46 is well-regarded for offshore passage-making due to its heavy, stable hull form and proven ketch rig configuration.

Comparables:

Comparable vessels include the Morgan 41 and 43, which share the same designer and builder lineage, as well as other heavy-displacement ketches from the era like the Tartan 44 or O'Day 42 that prioritize stability over speed.