Cheoy Lee 44 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Perry's hull is a balsa-cored sandwich with solid glass below the waterline, heavily laid up without a liner, and the stringers and bulkheads are tabbed to the hull and deck heavy lay-up without a molded liner. The underbody carries a moderate fin keel with internal ballast and a skeg-hung rudder, a configuration that keeps the 44 stiff and well mannered. Above the waterline, the 44s had teak decks with planking screwed into the deck, while the cabin top is mostly gelcoat surfaces with hatches, portlights, and dorade boxes trimmed extensively with teak. Cheoy Lee did not chase high-volume production methods, and the interiors were well finished as a result.

Rig and Handling

The boats came with a deck-stepped, double-spreader mast, and most left the yard with wooden spars. As a cutter the 44 carries around 880 square feet of sail, though sources differ on the exact area. She does best on a beam reach, sailing at 6 knots in 15 knots of true wind, but off the wind she tends to waddle and speed drops to 5 knots in the same breeze best on a beam reach. Although she does not pound to weather, the 44 is not the best at pointing, making 40 to 50 degrees, and will need to be reefed early, in around 16 to 17 knots, to stay on her feet. The standard winches seem a bit undersized for the rig.

Accommodations

Both aft and center-cockpit versions were offered. The center-cockpit model is roomy and deep, with great angled seatbacks and easy seating for six; the companion entryway sits slightly to starboard and gives excellent visibility out and forward. Below, it uses a modern two-cabin, two-head layout: the aft master stateroom holds a giant fore-and-aft bunk that can also be slept in athwartships, with endless hanging locker space, an enviable number of drawers, a vanity facing the bed, and a full head with separate stall shower to port. A very large nav station combined with desk space occupies the starboard walk-through. The aft-cockpit version is very open down below, with an aft cabin, wet locker, and head/shower to port, an open quarter berth to starboard, and a large outboard-facing nav station. On both, the galley is to port with a three-burner stove and oven, a top-loading reefer, and plenty of counter and storage. The saloon has an L-shaped settee to port, a straight settee opposite, and a double drop-leaf table seating up to eight.

Known Issues

The only real complaint about the galley is the single sink on some models. In the center-cockpit boat, the Isuzu engine mounted under the companionway steps was known for producing significant vibration Isuzu produced notable vibration. Some owners feel that these engines were a bit undersized to really push the boat to weather. In the aft-cockpit model the original Perkins 4-108 or Isuzu 40, along with the hot water heater, is reached through the floorboards between galley and saloon. With their age, many of these boats have needed deck replacement.

Refits and Ownership

The teak-planked decks and screwed planking mean any buyer should budget for deck renewal as a likely milestone. The two-cabin layouts and excellent interior stowage make the 44 a practical liveaboard or voyager, and the boat is easily managed short- or single-handed whether rigged as a ketch or sloop. Original wooden spars and undersized winches are natural upgrade points for cruisers modernizing the rig.

The Verdict

The Cheoy Lee 44 is a thoughtfully designed Perry cruiser with honest construction and a seakindly moderate-displacement hull. The center-cockpit layout in particular remains a benchmark for livability, and the boat's stiffness and clean lines reward the careful owner. Age-related deck work and the center-cockpit engine vibration are the main caveats.

Pros