Malö 46, WIMSEY

Broker’s Comments

The Malö 46 is a premium bluewater cruising yacht built by the Swedish shipyard Malö Yachts, a company renowned for producing high-quality offshore sailing vessels. Introduced in the early 2000s, the Malö 46 was designed by Leif Ängermark and quickly established a reputation as a capable, comfortable, and exceptionally well-built cruising yacht. Combining traditional Scandinavian craftsmanship with modern sailing performance, the vessel remains highly respected among long-distance sailors and cruising enthusiasts.

Measuring approximately 14.2 metres (46.6 feet) in length, the Malö 46 features a strong fibreglass hull, a displacement of around 14 tonnes, and a centre cockpit layout that provides excellent protection and visibility while at sea. The yacht was specifically designed for offshore passagemaking, with a robust construction that allows it to handle demanding weather conditions and extended ocean voyages safely and comfortably.

One of the defining characteristics of the Malö 46 is its high standard of interior craftsmanship. The yacht’s interior is finished with beautifully crafted mahogany joinery, creating a warm and luxurious atmosphere below deck. WIMSEY has an owners double forward, with a centreline double, spacious aft cabins and spacious living areas, a fully equipped and safe galley, and generous storage capacity, making it ideal for extended cruising or living aboard.

Under sail, she offers reliable and predictable performance rather than outright speed. Its masthead sloop rig provides balanced handling in a variety of conditions, while the powerful auxiliary diesel engine ensures dependable performance under power. Large fuel and freshwater tank capacities further enhance its suitability for long-range cruising.

WIMSEY was purchased by the current owners for extended cruising, which they have done. She has returned to her berth on the Dart River and has been well loved and maintained by her fastidious owners. She is for sale now as the farming life is not kind to spare time, and she deserves to set for the horizon once again and for many years to come.

Owner’s Comments

Why did we buy, what were we looking for?

A yacht designed to cross oceans in comfort and safety. A heavy displacement boat that would cut through the water and give a comfortable ride. No one was ever seasick whilst we were on our training or circumnavigation, which I think is a recommendation.

With a safe, protected, comfortable cockpit, and a large wheel for comfort when steering, it would be easy on your back and shoulders – a good place to balance in all weather. A reliable autopilot, something we had never had the luxury of before, is important when you are sailing double handed. Sailing double-handed with an autopilot is luxury!

We wanted a mainsail that had the ability to give four reefs; in-mast furling gave this possibility. Reefing is done from the cockpit for both the mainsail and Genoa.

We put on a staysail you can reef, so that if the weather is too heavy for the Genoa to give you a good shape when reefed, you can use the inner forestay and the staysail with a reefed mainsail, keeping the boat balanced in heavy weather.

We were looking for a boat where you could move around the deck safely easy to clip on and plenty of handholds. Below decks, we wanted a design that was not too open, with plenty of handholds so that you could move about safely whenever the sea state was less than calm.

We wanted a boat with good tankage for water and fuel. This was certainly achieved.

Once you enter the Pacific Ocean, there are few marinas, and an efficient method of anchoring is very important. This was not something I knew a lot about before we purchased the boat, but the anchor proved very reliable in not always the most suitable conditions. Unlike many of the boats around us, we never failed to lift the anchor when required. It really gave us no problems in a huge variety of situations.

A particular thing on my wish list was a separate shower, which makes ocean sailing so much easier (no wet floor in the heads)!

We were looking for a boat that would comfortably take a crew of six but also be sailed double handed. WIMSEY truly gave us this flexibility.

WIMSEY has comfortable soft furnishings where there is no need for adding extra mattresses for a comfortable sleep.

Not very many Malö yachts have been made, but they are out there crossing oceans; we met five Malö yachts in the islands of Fiji alone.

WIMSEY fitted the bill!

WIMSEY did not let us down in any way. We spent two years preparing for our circumnavigation, and WIMSEY took us all the way around the world in confident comfort.

Why are we parting with WIMSEY?

We completed our circumnavigation, which was the dream of a lifetime, and unfortunately must go back to farming full-time. This means at least one of us must always be on the farm, and we prefer to sail together. So, with a heavy heart, we must admit it is time for WIMSEY to show the way to some new people.

Our boat motto was: “Wherever Our WIMSEY Takes Us”

WIMSEY is an excellent coastal cruising or ocean-crossing boat, consistently eating the miles or tucking into isolated anchorages, allowing you to explore areas that may not be reached by other routes. She would be just as agile around the British Isles, in the Med, or anywhere on the world cruising routes.

We sailed the west and south coasts of the UK, across to southern Ireland and the Channel Islands, before setting off to Las Palmas and then across the Atlantic to St Lucia. From there to Colombia, where WIMSEY kept us safe and comfortable whilst speeding along in winds of 50 knots and gusting more.

On to Panama and through to the Pacific, the Galapagos, the Marquesas, and next the Archipel des Tuamotu. This is an area beyond description, where you must learn new skills of how to get in and out of circular reefs when the tide is not rushing so much it would dash you against the coral. Where snorkelling, you can swim with hundreds of harmless sharks and the healthiest, most colourful fish you will ever be likely to see. It really is worth a visit.

And on, following the trade winds: Fiji, Australia, Indonesia, Mauritius, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, Brazil, and back to the Caribbean. And there were many more.

We have seen so much, learned so much, experienced so much. Andrew, quite an experienced seaman, skippered the boat across the Atlantic. I, Sophia, skippered the boat on the circumnavigation, only having started sailing in 2015.

WIMSEY gave us the world.

Designer’s Comments

The Malö 46 is a premium Swedish bluewater cruising yacht designed for long-distance offshore passagemaking. Features include a moderate displacement hull, substantial ballast ratio, skeg-supported rudder, protected centre cockpit, high-quality Scandinavian joinery, and large tank capacities, making the vessel particularly suited to extended ocean cruising and liveaboard use.