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A True Bluewater Passagemaker
Introduction to Wanderlust
Welcome aboard Wanderlust, our 2014 Passport 545 Aft Cockpit sailboat.
Sailing across oceans isn’t just a dream—it’s a test of preparation, design, and seamanship. And for those aboard Wanderlust it’s a reality backed by decades of thoughtful design and robust construction. Conceived as a voyaging vessel for short-handed crews to adventure across oceans safely and comfortably, Wanderlust embodies what it means to be a true bluewater passagemaker.
While it is true that, with proper seamanship, almost any seaworthy vessel can undertake passages, especially downwind tradewind sailing like the Coconut Milk Run, a sailboat with true passgemaking capabilities offers the freedom to do more challenging voyages and does so with increased safety and comfort. With her strong hull, flexible sail plan, large fuel and water tanks, voluminous storage, robust systems, and functional interior layout, Wanderlust is perfect for the rigors of crossing oceans.
The Technical Details
”Passports have crossed every ocean and many have made fast and safe circumnavigations. And they have always done so with style. —Blue Water Sailing, April 2016
Designed for the Ocean
The Passport 545 is far more than just another sailboat—it’s the product of a design partnership spanning decades between award winning yacht designer Robert Perry and the Passport Design Group, led by Passport Yachts owner Thom Wagner and Graham Bowes. Known for legendary bluewater cruisers like the Valiant 40 and Tayana 37, Perry worked closely with Wagner to fine-tune every element of design, ultimately bringing the award-winning Passport 545 to life.
Wanderlust embodies this legacy with elegance and purpose. She’s not merely a boat—she’s an artfully crafted instrument of exploration. As a proud member of the renowned Passport Yachts family, Wanderlust fuses classic design with modern innovation. As a 2014 model, she draws on a proven lineage of offshore cruisers, incorporating key advancements in hull form and rig design. With refined aesthetics and true liveaboard comfort, she reflects a deep understanding of what long-distance sailors really need. Every detail—every angle, system, and line—has been shaped by the input of experienced voyagers who have spent months, even years, at sea.
In recognition of this outstanding design, Cruising World magazine named the Passport 545 Aft Cockpit the 2016 Best Full-Size Cruiser Over 50 Feet and awarded it the prestigious title of Overall 2016 Boat of the Year.
General Construction
To endure the demands of repeated offshore passages—often in punishing seas—a true bluewater sailboat must combine strength, durability, and a hull design that delivers a seakindly motion without compromising performance across a wide range of wind conditions. The Passport 545 Aft Cockpit exemplifies this standard, built with precision using state-of-the-art fabrication techniques and premium materials.
Wanderlust features a solid fiberglass hull reinforced with aramid fibers, hand-laid using advanced stitched biaxial fabric. This laminate is bonded with 100% vinyl ester resin, providing superior resistance to osmotic blistering. The hull is finished with Ashland Maxguard gelcoat, renowned for its exceptional durability and long-lasting color stability.
To enhance stiffness and structural integrity, the hull is internally reinforced with longitudinal and transverse stringers, laminated with biaxial cloth and high-performance foam core. Additionally, structural bulkheads are securely glassed to both the hull and deck, creating a unified load-bearing structure that significantly increases strength and durability. This integrated construction method not only enhances the boat’s ability to withstand extreme offshore conditions, but also minimizes flexing and movement over time, contributing to a quieter, more stable ride and greater long-term reliability.
The deck structure is crafted from composite materials using closed-cell Divinycell foam coring, striking the ideal balance between strength and weight. The hull-to-deck joint is engineered for maximum security: an outward-turning deck flange mates with an inward-turning hull flange, bonded and through-bolted, then encapsulated in fiberglass for a watertight, structurally unified connection.
All high-load areas, such as deck hardware mounting points, are reinforced with high-density Divinycell H200 foam coring. Every piece of deck hardware is through-bolted with stainless steel backing plates and bolts, ensuring long-term durability and security under the most demanding conditions.
Wanderlust is equipped with a low aspect ratio fin keel that is integrally molded as part of the hull—not bolted on. This construction method eliminates the structural vulnerabilities often associated with bolt-on keels, such as loosening over time or damage from hard groundings. By forming the keel as a seamless extension of the hull, the design enhances structural integrity, improves safety offshore, and reduces maintenance concerns—an essential feature for serious bluewater voyaging.
Encapsulated within the keel is 14,700 pounds of internal ballast, securely sealed in fiberglass. This significant ballast provides a low center of gravity and exceptional righting moment, contributing to Wanderlust's renowned stability and seakeeping in heavy weather. The encapsulated design also prevents issues like keel bolt corrosion or water intrusion, further solidifying Wanderlust’s status as a vessel built for long-range, self-reliant ocean passages. Balanced skeg mounted rudder, with internal stainless steel rudderpost and integral stainless steel reinforcement.