Clipper Cordova 45

However, more than a handful of companies have invested their energies into setting up factories in that part of the world, and rather than steer the ship from overseas, they have well-placed staff on the ground to quality control every facet of the process.

Clipper is one of these companies. Australian owned with British-trained boat builders turning out trawler style boats for the world market from 36 to 65 feet in length and it was obvious to us they have the mix right.

The Cordova 45 is the little brother of the already entrenched 48, the latter being two-cabin, two-bathroom configuration while that which we review here is two cabins sharing the same bathroom. Around 60 boats over three models are exported to Europe, Asia and the Americas per year from their China factory.

There can be no doubt they are finding their niche amongst those looking for traditional style, comfort and economic cruising.

A eutectic fridge/freezer is located in the cockpit against the starboard aft cabin wall and if entertaining upstairs in the bridge, a refrigerator is built into the BBQ module which forms the back of the L-shaped lounge that compliments the bridge helm.

This BBQ is an electric grill type with auto cut-off switch that activates should the lid be accidentally closed whilst cooking.

Two, 12,000 BTU air conditioners cool the interior of the boat and on the hot water side of things a 68-litre service is fitted standard as well.

An automated/manual Seafire fire system is installed in the engine room and a huge bank of batteries in FRP moulded and ventilated boxes are tucked away against the transom bulkhead in the lazarette. The bank consists of two house batteries, a cranking battery for each engine, a stand-alone battery for bow thruster operation and another to start the 7kW Onan generator.

The price as reviewed for the Cordova 45 is $869,000 which included $74,000 in options.

Wide access is available each side of the superstructure for easy passage to the bow and a staircase leads to the bridge where a stainless-steel framed acrylic hatch may be closed to section that part of the boat off from that below.

Up on the bridge a sturdy fibreglass module sits aft and to the starboard side of the helm seat. The front of it forms an L shaped lounge with a built-in refrigerator and BBQ along its side and top respectively.

A lounge is situated on the portside of the fly bridge and all up there is enough seating under the hard top for the entire crew and the guest list if required.

Back down on the cockpit deck one enters the saloon via a quality stainless-steel sliding door.

The dining suite is situated in the aft end of the saloon with a long lounge positioned along the starboard side. The table may be lowered to form another bunk if need be and there is ample cupboard space and stowage areas next to and below cushions. The leather upholstery certainly sets the scene here for an opulent journey forward.

A deck-to-ceiling island structure comes out of the portside wall to form the galley bench with servery on top. Overhead cupboards feature here and along the port side a flush-mounted two-element electric hob sits in the Staron bench top. We would have like to have seen a removable fence around this top to prevent hot pots sliding about should you strike some awkward weather.

The galley’s twin sink is situated across the fore end of the galley and a convection microwave oven is installed here.

There is plenty of panoramic views for the skipper at the lower helm, through the galley to the portside and pretty well 360 degrees save for some of the corner structures.

In true trawler tradition the helm station is situated on the starboard side with a sliding door leading out onto the deck. This provides for great natural ventilation through the saloon but also easy one-crew operation of the boat should you have all the tasks to yourself.

The forward edge of the skipper’s bench seat folds up for easy access in and out of the wheel house and the back of that module hosts the flat screen television. This seating arrangement is an option to having a swivel bucket helm seat.

The helm station features a beautifully-crafted wooden wheel identical to that fitted in the fly bridge. It fronts the console which has plenty of flat fascia for instrumentation and a high instrument brow at the back which is ample for large-screen electronics. Raymarine’s E-120 series unit was fitted here and another upstairs.

Across the hardened glass front panes the usual flat top of the dashboard will hold all the stuff we generally hoard when on board such as books, charts and the like.

A central companionway leads down into the sleeping quarters. This staircase lifts on a gas strut to give forward access to the engine room whilst aft access is through the deck at the rear saloon door.

A door on the starboard side takes one into the bathroom that has a second door servicing the main state room. A twin bunk room is found behind the door on the portside. There is bulk cupboard space in both quarters for an extended cruise wardrobe.

The general finish of the Cordova is excellent with teak interior joinery and panelling throughout. The flooring is teak and holly throughout while the head linings are soft finished vinyl.

The four opening windows in the saloon and galley and the four port holes in the sleeping quarters feature insect screens so that natural ventilation may be attained.

An ADC davit is fitted to the extended rear deck of the fly bridge and the inflatable tender is strapped down aft of that, behind a stainless steel fence on a cradle made of the same material.

A front bow thruster is standard fit and the test boat featured electronic/hydraulic trim tabs.

All fuel and water tanks are constructed of FRP with internal baffles and importantly they feature cleaning manholes for easy access.
The holding tank is constructed of FRP and fitted with a macerator pump for dockside or overboard discharge, while the Tecma electric toilet has its own macerating pump and can jettison overboard or into the holding tank via the fitted Y valve.

The hull, deck and fly bridge are hand-laid moulded fibreglass while that in the flybridge is cored whilst the keel, chines and bottom are solid GRP.

The standard fit on this model is a single 330hp QSB Cummins but on the test boat a pair of Yanmar Y3 engines were mounted below deck.

There is no full head height in this engine room but it has climb-down access front and back of the engines. Access down the side of the engines will be on the hands and knees so routine maintenance will be best carried out while the engines are cold.

The electronic trim tabs provided effective correction to list and though a set of stabilisers were fitted, disappointingly they had not yet been commissioned. Pity, it would have been good to put them through their paces.

Generating enough bumps with our own wake it was evident that the 45 can handle swell and waves from all directions and does not display excessive roll when on the flybridge. It does display a very flat attitude when turning hard underway at all stages of the throttle.

Manoeuvring is also a pleasure with the twin screws doing their stuff and the gear boxes shifting them are as smooth as can be.

We delved into sea trial records which revealed the Cordova had a range of 684nm at 1500rpm loafing along at just over eight knots. That is a total fuel burn for both engines of 27lph. At WOT that range drops back to 287nm with the engines running at 3280rpm. At that point the top speed is around 21.5 knots with the engines burning 170lph total.

Everything about the Cordova 45 other than engine room head height is comfortable. It is one of those boats that fits you like a glove. Quiet and smooth running, it was a pleasure to be a board and it would be even more so for extended trip.