36O NAUTICAL miles
maximum cruising range at 23.5 knots
barely detect the whistle of the turbos), and helm conversations didn’t require raising my voice. As the makers of high-end cars learned long ago, this kind of quiet adds substantially to the occupant’s feeling of luxury. ¶ Speaking of feelings of luxury: The 45 has Ultraleather Stidd helm seats, a pair of settees (one L-shaped and the other straight), an electronically opening aft bulkhead window, a varnished cherry interior, and teak-and-holly soles. A hardtop power sunroof is optional. ¶ The galley is two steps down from the salon’s deck level and two steps up from the lower cabin, an arrangement Sabre accurately terms “half-up.” The positioning gives the galley a bit of separation from the main entertaining area without removing the chef from the conversations. The design also minimizes the amount of salon space sacrificed to the galley while providing enough room for a two-burner cooktop, a microwave oven, three refrigerator/freezer drawers and a sink. ¶ Below, a guest stateroom is to starboard with a double berth that can slide apart to become twins, and the master forward has an island berth and bureau. Both staterooms are en suite with stall showers. ¶ Cherry battens are on the interior hull sides in the staterooms, a design touch that’s a big step up from fiberglass liners. The head and shower soles have custom tile. Drawers are dovetailed maple. There’s even wood trim in the utility room, which Sabre had space to include thanks to the compact IPS drives. And if you appreciate the gleam and heft of polished stainless steel, check out the frame of the Italian-built, mirror-polished door leading to the cockpit. ¶ The cockpit holds true to the rest of the boat’s Downeast attitude. There’s a U-shaped settee and an aft-facing seat. Gates to the swim platform are on both sides of the transom, and steps lead up to side decks with teak underfoot. The hardtop overhang shades most of the cockpit; for complete coverage, an electrically extending shade is an option. ¶ Traditional looks, modern building techniques and seakeeping abilities come together in the Sabre 45 Salon Express. She’s built for owners who like to feel as good as they look, in any weather.
“Five minutes after we cleared the breakwater and opened up the throttles on the pair of 435 hp Volvo Penta D6 diesels coupled to IPS600 drives, the weather was an afterthought.”