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Model profile · for Great Loop buyers
Hans Christian Independence 45
What the published record establishes about this model, what owners report,
and the questions worth asking while a boat is still a listing. This page is about the
MODEL — a specific hull always gets its own homework.
A rare, heavily-built Taiwan/Cherubini semi-displacement cruiser with a prop-protecting keel and low folded air draft — a genuinely Loop-capable hull if the specific boat's tanks, teak and systems ch…
The Hans Christian Independence 45 is a rare passagemaker — only about 18 were built by Hans Christian in Taiwan (roughly 1985–1995), evolving from the earlier Positive 42, before production moved to Cherubini in New Jersey from 1996 (hull #19 on). Because so few exist, consolidated owner-failure data is thin; most substantive discussion comes from a handful of Trawler Forum threads and brokerage listings. The hull is a semi-displacement, keel-protected design with a low folded air draft and long range, which suits it well to the Great Loop. Individual boats vary considerably in engine, layout and helm configuration, so nearly everything of consequence must be confirmed on the specific hull.
How to read this: 🟢 Fact = confirmed against a document, spec sheet,
or owner. Everything else — Claim, Pattern, Question, Context — is not yet
verified: things to check, not settled truth. Sources are linked where published.
Air draft
CLAIM
Marketed as a low-clearance boat with a folding radar/light mast
Owner and broker material describes this model as well-suited to the Loop specifically because of low bridge clearance. Owner spec sheets for the sister Cherubini 45 list bridge clearance around 15 feet with the antenna and light mast laid down (about 23 feet with them up), and some Cherubini 45 listings claim the radar mast folds for as little as 13.5 feet. The folded figure depends entirely on how the specific boat's mast, arch and antennas are rigged to lower. Measure the actual air draft on this hull and identify exactly what can be lowered and how long it takes.
src:
Trawler Forum HC 45 'SWAN' listing; Trawler Forum '2002 Cherubini Independence 45' listing; boats.com Cherubini 45 listing
Your move: Have the current owner demonstrate lowering the mast/arch, then measure the true folded height from the waterline including any fixed antennas or lights that do not fold.
CONTEXT
Some antennas and lights are designed to lay down — confirm each one
On documented examples the antenna and light mast were designed to hinge flat, which is what makes the low folded clearance achievable. Not every boat will be rigged identically, and a previous owner may have added a fixed antenna, radar dome or hardtop that raises the number.
src:
Trawler Forum '2002 Cherubini Independence 45' listing
Hull & handling
CLAIM
Semi-displacement hull with a long, prop-protecting keel
Reviews describe a semi-displacement hull with moderate beam, hard aft chines to reduce roll rather than rounded bilges, and a long keel that protects the running gear. The protected running gear is a real plus for the Loop, where soft groundings and shallow water are routine, and the keel gives some directional stability and grounding protection.
src:
HMY Yachts review of the Independence 45
CLAIM
Loop-friendly draft, but confirm the loaded figure
The model's draft is generally shallow enough for the Loop and the keel protects the props. Actual draft varies with load, tankage and any bottom growth, and a cruising-loaded boat sits deeper than the brochure figure.
src:
Trawler Forum owner spec sheet ('OC Diver')
Your move: Confirm the loaded draft on this specific hull with tanks and gear aboard, not the empty spec figure.
Range & tankage
CLAIM
Large fuel capacity gives long range at displacement speed
Fuel capacity across the range is roughly 650–720 gallons. Combined with modest burn at 6–8 knots, the model has ample range for Loop legs and fuel is not a limiting factor. Higher-horsepower and twin-engine boats burn considerably more, and consumption climbs sharply above hull speed. Range figures assume displacement-speed cruising, not planing.
src:
PassageMaker review 'Independence Cherubini 45'; Trawler Forum owner logs ('OC Diver')
QUESTION
What are the fuel tanks made of, and what is their condition and age?
Documented examples list aluminum fuel tanks of around 650 gallons. Aluminum tanks in older cruisers can suffer pitting and corrosion where they sit against damp surfaces or under decks, and replacement in a boat this age is a significant, access-driven job. On a rare boat, tank access and replaceability matter as much as capacity.
src:
Trawler Forum owner spec sheet ('OC Diver')
Your move: Ask the broker/owner for tank material, age and any repair history in writing, and have the surveyor inspect the tank tops and bottoms for corrosion and check for water in the fuel.
Layout & helm
QUESTION
Does this boat have a pilothouse only, or an added flybridge helm?
Configuration varies notably boat-to-boat. At least one Independence 45 was fitted with a flybridge helm in addition to the pilothouse, described by a longtime owner as unusual. A flybridge adds height and windage and changes the air-draft equation for the Loop, so the helm arrangement affects both handling and clearance.
src:
Trawler Forum 'Independence 45 For Sale' thread ('OC Diver')
Your move: Confirm the helm configuration and, if there is a flybridge, factor its structure into your measured folded air draft.
Build quality
CONTEXT
Heavily-built Taiwan/Cherubini passagemaker with extensive teak
Hans Christian and Cherubini boats of this era are known for heavy, traditional construction and generous exterior and interior teak. That build gives a solid, comfortable cruiser but also means teak decks, toe rails and brightwork that demand ongoing maintenance and can hide problems if neglected.
src:
HMY Yachts review; PassageMaker review 'Independence Cherubini 45'
Reading this boat
QUESTION
If the boat has teak decks, are the fastenings and core sound underneath?
Teak-over-fiberglass decks common on this type can allow water past aged bungs and fastenings and into the deck core, leading to soft spots and expensive repairs. On a low-production boat this is a bigger commitment than usual because parts and shipwright familiarity are scarce.
src:
PassageMaker review 'Independence Cherubini 45'
Your move: Have the surveyor moisture-map the decks and sound them for delamination, and get the age and any recaulk/refasten history of the teak in writing.
QUESTION
Which builder and which hull number is this — Taiwan or Cherubini?
The model spans a Taiwan-built Hans Christian run (roughly 1985–1995, about 18 boats) and a later U.S. Cherubini run from hull #19 (1996 on). Build origin affects systems vintage, likely repowers, parts sourcing and resale. With so few boats built, provenance and hull number are worth pinning down early.
src:
Trawler Forum HC 45 threads; PassageMaker review 'Independence Cherubini 45'
Your move: Ask for the hull identification number and builder documentation to establish whether this is a Taiwan Hans Christian or a Cherubini hull, and its build sequence.
CONTEXT
Rare model — expect thin data and vet each system individually
With only around 18 Hans Christian boats built plus a small Cherubini run, there is no large body of owner-failure data to lean on. That means fewer known model-wide gotchas but also fewer people who know the boat, harder parts sourcing, and more reliance on a thorough survey of this individual hull's systems, wiring, plumbing and steering.
src:
Trawler Forum HC 45 threads