The Elan 450 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Elan 450 sailboat, a light-displacement performance cruiser, was designed by Rob Humphreys, a British naval architect known for his expertise in various yacht designs. The vessel is constructed by Elan Yachts, a company situated in Begunje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia.

Published Specification for the Elan 450 Sailboat

Keel & Rudder Configuration: Bulb fin keel with dual spade rudders
Hull Material: Fiberglass
Length Overall: 13.60m (44'7")
Waterline Length: 12.25m (40'2")
Beam: 4.37m (14'4")
Draft:* 2.25m (7'3")
Rig Type: Fractional sloop
Displacement: 10,900kg (24,030lb)
Ballast: 3,480kg (7,671lb)
Designer: Rob Humphreys
Builder: Elan Yachts
Year First Built: 2007
Year Last Built: 2013
Number Built: Approximately 100

* There are two other draft options:

shallow draft - 2.05m (6'9")
deep draft - 2.60m (8'6")

Published Design Ratios for the Elan 450 Sailboat
The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 19.2 suggests that the Elan 450 has reasonably good performance capabilities. With a value of 19.2, it is in the range that indicates it will perform well, making it neither underpowered nor extremely high performance.

The Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 33.9 signifies that the Elan 450 should have moderate stiffness and the ability to withstand wind forces reasonably well. While it falls short of the 40+ value that indicates a stiffer, more powerful boat, it does suggest that it is adequately designed for various sailing conditions. However, it is crucial to note that this ratio does not account for the distribution of ballast. If the ballast is placed lower in a bulb keel, the boat might be stiffer than another with the same ratio but with ballast distributed higher up.

The Displacement/Length Ratio of 160 positions the Elan 450 firmly in the Light Displacement category. This typically means that the boat will require less sail area to achieve hull speed and should be relatively responsive and easier to handle. Light displacement boats are often quicker and more agile but may have a rougher motion in heavy seas compared to heavier displacement boats.

The Comfort Ratio of 26.4 indicates that the Elan 450 is best suited as a coastal cruiser with moderate stability and comfort. This suggests a balance between performance and comfort in typical coastal cruising condition.

With a Capsize Screening Formula score of 2.0, the Elan 450 meets the threshold for blue water capability, meaning it should be capable of handling ocean passages. The lower this value, the better the boat's ability to resist capsizing, but 2.0 is a good benchmark for safe offshore performance.

But...

Ballast/Displacement Ratio - One limitation of this ratio is that it does not consider the vertical distribution of the ballast. A boat with a lower center of gravity (e.g., a bulb keel) is generally more stable than a boat with a higher center of gravity, even if both have the same Ballast/Displacement Ratio.

Comfort Ratio - Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio is biased toward heavy displacement, narrow-beam vessels with long overhangs. Modern light-displacement, beamy boats with plumb bows tend to score lower on this ratio, but this does not necessarily mean they are uncomfortable or unsuitable for bluewater cruising. It may indicate a different style of motion at sea which some sailors might find preferable.

These ratios provide valuable guidance but must be considered as part of a broader evaluation of a sailboat's design. Practical experience, sailboat configuration, and specific sailing needs also play critical roles in determining the overall suitability and performance of a vessel like the Elan 450.

Here's how to calculate the KPIs yourself - without having to wrestle with the mathematics...

What the Yachting Press had to Say about the Elan 450 Sailboat

Yachting World tells us:

"She looks like a performance machine, but Rob Humphreys and the team at Elan swear she is really aimed at cruising yachtsmen – in fact, less of a race yacht than the Elan 410. That means she is revolutionary – this type of thinking may exist on performance racers, but has never been seen to this extreme on a production cruising boat." Read more...

Cruising World tells us:

"Twin rudders and a retractable sprit make a bold statement about this Rob Humphreys design’s intended hunting grounds. The Elan 450 also has a performance mainsheet system-double-ended and led each side of the cockpit-so out of the box it’s headed for the starting gate. Still, even, or perhaps especially, cruising sailors will appreciate the control the rudders will give over the powerful hull." Read more...

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.