Liberty 458
Description
The Liberty 458 is a robust, bluewater-capable center-cockpit cutter designed primarily by Peter Hoyt (with hull lines based on an extended Doug Peterson 44 design) and built by Shin Fa Boatbuilding Co. / Liberty Yachts in Taiwan from 1981 onward. It features heavy-displacement fiberglass construction (solid hull with skeg-hung rudder for protection and tracking), a cutter rig for versatile sail handling (easy to shorten down in heavy weather), generous beam for stability, and exceptional interior joinery (often teak) with multiple layout options—typically including a forward stateroom (sometimes convertible Pullman), large saloon, galley, nav station, aft cabin, and ample storage (including a dedicated sail locker). Only 31 hulls were produced, making it a rare, high-quality classic prized by long-distance cruisers for its comfort, tankage, and offshore seaworthiness (many have circumnavigated or done extensive Pacific/Atlantic passages), though it's noted as moderate in light air/upwind performance compared to lighter designs.
Construction Details
| Designer | Peter Hoyt |
|---|---|
| Builder | Shin Fa Boatbuilding Co. / Liberty Yachts |
| Length | 45.800 ft |
| LOA | 45.800 ft |
| LWL | 40.330 ft |
| Beam | 12.920 ft |
| Displacement | 31000 lb |
| Ballast | 11000 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.330 ft |
| Year Built | 1981 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 56 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 19.90 ft |
| p | 46 ft |
| e | 16 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 ft | 19.90 ft | 46 ft | 16 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Liberty 458 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 46 ft - (14021 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 16 ft - (4877 mm) |
| Leech | * 47.89 ft - (14597 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 48.17 ft - (14682 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 377.72 ft² |
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Liberty 458 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 47.54 ft - (14490 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 26.85 ft - (8184 mm) |
| Leech | * 40.56 ft - (12363 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 22.88 ft - (6974 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.99 ° |
| Area | * 543.87 ft² |
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Liberty 458 - GENOA
| Luff | * 56.46 ft - (17209 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 32.57 ft - (9927 mm) |
| Leech | * 52.7 ft - (16063 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 29.85 ft - (9098 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 842.68 ft² |
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Liberty 458 - GENOA
| Luff | 55 ft - (16764 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Leech | 47.75 ft - (14554 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 130.7 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 26.01 ft - (7928 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 10.34 ° |
| Area | * 715.2 ft² |
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Liberty 458 - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 57 ft - (17374 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 33 ft - (10058 mm) |
| Leech | 53 ft - (16154 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1411 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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