Hull Design and Structural Philosophy
Designer Ted Clements began with the problems rather than the fashions. Hull shapes narrow fore and aft concentrate weight near each hull's center of gravity, which suppresses the pitching motion that makes many performance cats uncomfortable in a seaway. Bridgedeck clearance of 30 inches was specified explicitly to reduce slap, and the elevated saloon this produces gives the boat its distinctive high-topsides, reverse-sheerline appearance. Skegged rudders at full depth protect the blades from flotsam and lobster gear and allow the boat to dry out upright on its own bottoms — a practical offshore insurance policy most cats cannot match. The hulls are infused composite structures with Corecell core above the turn of the bilge, and interior panels are honeycomb-cored veneers that are remarkably light to handle despite their finished appearance. At roughly 10,000 pounds lighter than other cats in the mid-40-foot class, weight savings were pursued without sacrificing strength and stiffness.
Rig, Sail Plan, and Passage Performance
The standard rig carries a large, high-roach fully battened mainsail, a full genoa, and a roller-furling reacher on a short bowsprit — a combination chosen to generate consistent drive across a broad range of angles rather than peak speed in one condition. Critically, the rig is short enough to pass under all but one bridge on the Intracoastal Waterway, a real-world consideration that the designer built in deliberately. Owners who prefer a more manageable sail can fit in-mast furling at the cost of some sail area, a trade the Crandalls made after many thousands of blue-water miles. Under sail in 15 knots, a test boat reached nearly 9 knots at 60 degrees to apparent wind while loaded for passage, and the direct-link Lewmar Mamba steering system transmits rudder feedback positively enough that the boat runs on rails through course changes. World ARC owner boats have placed first among catamarans on legs to the Galapagos and French Polynesia, a meaningful data point given how loaded passage cats typically sail relative to their theoretical performance.
Cockpit, Helm, and Deck Ergonomics
The helm station sits close to the cockpit rather than elevated on a pedestal, solving the visibility problem without isolating the helmsman from the crew. Excellent visibility over the coachroof is maintained without perching the helmsman high above the cockpit, and the central winch and stopper station puts main and jib trim within reach without standing. A second stopper-and-winch station at the stern handles all halyards and reef lines, with control lines running aft through a conduit built under the bridgedeck — a clean solution that showed no increased friction despite the long run. The cockpit layout includes two U-shaped bench seats, a table with a folding leaf, and a large locker in the cockpit sole. A stainless-steel dinghy arch — integrated structurally rather than bolted on as an afterthought — supports a dinghy up to 11½ feet long. The entire cockpit can be enclosed with isinglass panels so the crew remains dry and warm in a driving rainstorm, a feature owners who cruise high latitudes value highly.
Accommodations and Liveaboard Functionality
PDQ's original decision to put the galley in the port hull rather than "up" in the saloon has a practical consequence: a 15-foot-long galley space with 15 cupboards, five drawers, 18 square feet of counter space, a propane stove and oven, a large fridge, and a separate freezer. The standard interior finishes in varnished cherry veneer over honeycomb core bulkheads and furniture, with a genuine teak-and-holly sole — materials that read as yacht-quality rather than production-boat. The master suite occupies the entire starboard hull with sleeping cabin aft, a large head and shower forward, and a dressing room between them. The forward nav station is forward-facing with a large chart table, good mounting points for electronics, and excellent visibility outside. A standard washer-dryer, watermaker, 750-amp-hour battery bank, and solar panels built into the hardtop are included as base equipment rather than options, reflecting the design's orientation toward genuine self-sufficiency. Two forward watertight compartments are large enough for bicycles, inflatable boats, and spare sails.
Construction Provenance and Build Quality
The move from Canada to Buenos Aires could have raised quality concerns; it had the opposite effect. The team of builders assembled there has a huge amount of experience building light, advanced cored hulls with fine interiors, with many craftsmen who have worked together for years and several with their sons now working alongside them. The plant produces only the 44i, treating each boat as a semi-custom commission rather than a production run. Each boat is created for its owners, which means structural and systems decisions are resolved before the boat is built rather than retrofitted. European and Italian builders had been working in Buenos Aires for years before Antares arrived, and the local tradition of high-quality custom yacht building was established well before the molds crossed the equator.
Known Buyer Considerations and Configuration Choices
The Tall Rig option is the principal performance variable: buyers who expect to sail in light air or want more drive before starting engines should review it against their actual cruising grounds, reefing habits, and crew capacity. The published light displacement of 19,500 pounds is evaluated against a cruising displacement assumption of 23,700 pounds — a loaded figure that includes ground tackle, dinghy, engine, and four months of provisions. The gap between those two numbers is where passage performance actually lives, and the rounded hull shapes are designed to carry extra weight without sharp performance degradation, which test experience confirmed under a full cruising load. The newer GT and Hybrid variants share the same platform; the difference is propulsion and energy architecture, not hull or rig, so the fundamental character of the boat carries across both.
The Verdict
The Antares 44 is a genuinely rare thing: a purpose-built, offshore-couple's catamaran that sacrificed charter-fleet compromises at every turn. The hull is light, stiff, and shaped for sea-keeping; the rig is practical and ICW-passable; the interior is a real liveaboard space rather than a floating hotel suite optimized for two-week charters; and the build quality reflects a team that builds one model and builds it carefully. For a couple planning passages rather than day sails, it competes more honestly with serious offshore monohulls than with the resort cats that dominate its size bracket.
Pros
- Narrow, well-balanced hull form suppresses pitching in a seaway
- 30-inch bridgedeck clearance reduces slap on passage
- Skegged rudders protect steering gear and allow the boat to dry out safely
- ICW-compatible rig height with strong offwind sail inventory
- Galley-down layout gives genuine cooking space rather than a galley-up compromise
- Semi-custom production process; each boat built to owner specification
- Extensive standard equipment including watermaker, solar, and large battery bank
- Proven blue-water record on World ARC and long offshore passages
Cons
- High topsides and reverse sheer produce a distinctive look that is not universally admired
- In-mast furling (owner preference) reduces sail area versus the fully battened standard
- Low annual production volume means longer lead times and limited used-boat supply
- Galley-down cook is separated from saloon conversation
- Light-air performance depends on Tall Rig selection and careful loading discipline
