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In today’s motoryacht marketplace, the general assumption seems to be that bigger is always better. Many of the same people who thought a 60-footer was the epitome of luxurious cruising five years ago find that, in the 21st century, nothing smaller than a 70-footer will do. Let those guys have their great big boats. Skippers in the know are well aware that a smaller boat can be much easier to handle (especially if you want to run the boat yourself), but just as well-appointed as those mansionette mega-yachts. A case in point: Offshore Yachts’ 48 Sedan has long been popular with Western boaters who have a good grasp on the reality of life at sea. The boat’s seakindly William Crealock design offers all the luxury features a cruising couple could ask for — along with such â real world⠝ essentials as a large cockpit for fishing enthusiasts, wide and well-protected walk-around decks, a large full-view flybridge and a galley on the same level as the boat’s spacious saloon. All of this comes from a respected Western builder that has been producing pleasurecraft since the 1940s. Offshore’s Greatest Hits Offshore Yachts has its roots in several companies founded by Richard O. Hunt and his sons, Richard Jr. and Robert. Richard O. Hunt worked with the Navy during World War II in the development of fiberglass-reinforced plastic hull boats — and in 1948, went on to introduce one of the world’s first lines of laminated fiberglass pleasureboats. In 1966, the Hunt family introduced the first Offshore models, built with contemporary fiberglass hull construction technology and traditional nautical-quality handcrafted wood joinery throughout the interior. Renowned West Coast yacht designer William Crealock began providing designs for the Hunt family’s boats in 1968. Then as now, the boats were built in Taiwan — taking advantage of the region’s abundance of skilled craftsmen and lower overall production costs. This allowed Offshore to offer a higher-quality boat for a lower price than its competitors. However, unlike many other companies that would later offer Taiwan-built boats with U.S. nameplates, the Hunts actually built — and continue to build — their own boats in Taiwan. Offshore has its own exclusive designs, which are built using its own tooling. The Hunts do their own supervision and maintain quality control over all aspects of production of their boats. After introducing the popular Marauder line of high-performance power boats in the 1970s, the Hunts turned their attention to developing a high-speed line of cruising yachts with Crealock. The first boat of the series was the Offshore 48 Yachtfisher, introduced in 1984. In 1986, Offshore Yachts introduced the Offshore 48 Sedan. The 48 Sedan was a long-running success, with production continuing through 2000. Part of the reason for its success is the hull it was built upon. The Hull Story The 48’s hand-laminated fiberglass hull has four full-length stringers and multiple athwartship frames for high strength and stiffness. Balsa coring is sandwiched between layers of fiberglass from the waterline up to the caprail, for additional rigidity. With a modified-V design, the 48’s hull offers a sharp V entry and a deep forefoot that gradually tapers to 12 degrees of deadrise at the transom. The boat gets on plane quickly (at about 12 knots) and knifes cleanly through waves and chop. Thanks to the boat’s substantial displacement, long shallow keel, low profile and low center of gravity, the 48 offers a rock-solid ride and a high degree of directional stability. Handling is sure and responsive in a variety of sea conditions — earning the 48 a reputation as a good boat in heavy weather. The boat was made available with a variety of engine packages — including Caterpillar, Cummins and Volvo Penta diesels. With a pair of 375 hp Caterpillar diesels, the boat cruises at around 17 knots and can reach a top speed of around 20 knots. Larger engine packages, such as twin 420 hp Caterpillar diesels, provide 1 to 2 knots more top-end speed. However, even at wide-open throttle, the 48 is a relatively quiet-running boat. Double insulation installed throughout the engine room keeps onboard noise to a minimum. The boat can be operated either from a lower steering station opposite the galley or from the boat’s expansive flybridge. The flybridge offers ample space for friends and family to gather with the skipper — and an adjacent aft deck provides enough space to stow a dinghy. While the 48 Sedan is a motoryacht, not a sportfisher (Offshore made an equally popular 48 Yachtfish model), the cockpit is quite roomy. An overhang from the aft deck provides sun protection, but there is still ample open space for fishing. Wide walk-around decks are protected not only by stainless-steel rails, but also by high sides and the sheltering aft deck overhang. A side door offers quick access to the inside helm station. The Inside Story The 48’s saloon is surrounded by large windows, which bathe it in natural light. The windows are leakproof, thanks to a unique Crealock design that makes the window frames an indented part of the cabin side, with a wide lip that accepts the window track. It is notched at each end to allow trapped water to drain out quickly. The saloon is nicely appointed with finely crafted teak joinery and trim — and it appears even larger than it actually is, thanks to all those windows and the fact that it is open to the U-shaped galley, on the other side of a handy breakfast bar. Belowdecks, the 48 offers two staterooms and two heads. The forward stateroom is the largest, however the smaller portside stateroom also offers a double berth and hanging locker. Additional overnight guests can be accommodated on an optional convertible settee in the saloon. With comfortable accommodations, high-quality construction, timeless lines and a seakindly hull, the Offshore 48 continues to be in high demand on the brokerage boat market. In Sea’s last broker survey, it was ranked among the West’s top five brokerage motoryachts — and it justly deserves the title “ modern classic”.