The Orana measures 43 feet overall, with a 24-foot-1-inch beam and a light 3-foot-9-inch draft. It carries 1,179 square feet of sail and displaces 17,637 lbs. A sail-area-displacement ratio of 18.4 and displacement-length ratio of 134 mark it as a moderate, easily driven cruiser.
Construction and Structure
Below the waterline, the hull is solid-glass laminate. Foam core is used from the waterline to the sheer, and the entire hull is vacuum-bagged. Major partitions are likewise resin-infused, creating a vacuum-bagged and resin-infused structure.
The deck is a balsa-cored glass laminate, laid up dry between two molds and then injected with resin. The roof uses the yard’s proprietary molding technology. Hull and deck are bolted and adhered together.
The result is a stiff, light structure with a clean internal finish. The specifications and ratios point to a boat designed for volume and passage comfort rather than stripped-down racing weight.
Rig, Helm, and Handling
The cabintop extends straight aft into a hardtop over the cockpit. The elevated helm sits to starboard at the bulkhead, with a bench wide enough for two. A cutout with its own sliding hatch provides easy access.
All sail-control lines except the halyards lead to a cluster at the helm, while the traveler is mounted on the hardtop. A singlehander can reach everything while steering. This arrangement allows one person to manage the boat, although the long reach from the helm to the traveler line stopper limits direct control from the wheel. A crew member can crank the winch from the nearby starboard side deck.
Visibility from the helm is excellent, with a 360-degree view. The broad, high cabintop also provides a useful lookout position when threading through coral or shoals. One awkward feature is the vertical climb from the foredeck to the cabintop, which has no steps.
Under sail, the Orana is forgiving and quick. In a 10-to-12-knot Annapolis breeze, it made 7 to 7.5 knots, tacked easily through about 90 degrees, and accelerated quickly out of the turns. Tacking and gybing were straightforward with one or two crew.
Under power, both 30-hp Volvo saildrives turned the boat smoothly in about 1.5 boatlengths at 1,500 RPM. Using opposite thrust, it spun within its own length. At 2,800 RPM, the boat logged 8 knots and 74 dBA in the saloon. Top speed at the 3,000 RPM redline was 8.5 knots. Testers noted slight springiness in the wheel from the steering cables and some rudder kick when backing down.
Accommodations
The cockpit and cabin share the same level, connected by double sliding doors. This single-level arrangement makes movement between the two spaces easy.
Forward to starboard is the nav station, with a clear view toward the bows through the large saloon windows. Abaft it, the galley faces aft. The interior furniture is plywood with sycamore veneer, finished to good production-boat standards. Light-colored wood gives the interior a modern, bright, open appearance—almost stark. The hull liner is a foam-backed plastic fabric.
The dual-purpose saloon table can be mounted inside or in the cockpit. It flips to offer either a wood or laminate surface.
Two accommodation plans were offered. The four-cabin version is best suited to charter service, while the optional three-cabin layout gives the entire starboard hull to an owner’s suite. All cabins have ample headroom and low bunks that are easy to get into and out of.
Systems, Maintenance, and Ownership
All the floorboards lift, providing bilge access to through-hulls and other systems. This arrangement should simplify servicing, although the boards creak when walked on.
Tankage comprises 105 gallons of fuel, 140 gallons of water, and 60 gallons of waste. Electrical capacity includes a 395-Ah house bank plus 100-Ah per engine. Together, these provide a useful systems baseline for extended cruising.
The boat carries CE Category A certification, confirming its offshore rating. Its evolutionary hull and deck construction methods should reward a careful survey of the infused structures and through-hull penetrations.
Known Issues
The lift-out floorboards creak underfoot. Testers also felt that the helm needed better stowage for line tails. The slight springiness in the wheel comes from the steering cables, and testers reported some rudder kick when backing down.
The long reach from the helm to the traveler line stopper is a control limitation rather than a defect. The lack of steps between the foredeck and cabintop also makes that vertical climb awkward.
The Verdict
The Orana 44 combines a new hardtop design, an improved helm station, a pleasant interior, and good sailing qualities in a comfortable, swift cruiser. It improves on the Belize 43 lineage without abandoning it. The result is a practical, well-mannered catamaran suited to couples or charter use.
Pros
- Vacuum-bagged solid-glass hull below the waterline, with foam core above and infused partitions
- Single-level cockpit-to-cabin flow and excellent 360-degree visibility from the helm
- Singlehander-friendly sail-control cluster
- Quick, predictable tacking and docking
- Choice of a three-cabin owner’s layout or four-cabin charter arrangement
- Bright, open interior
- CE Category A certification
- Strong tankage and electrical baseline for cruising
Cons
- Creaking lift-out floorboards
- Long reach from the helm to the traveler limits trim control from the wheel
- Springy steering feel
- No steps from the foredeck to the cabintop
- Inadequate helm stowage for line tails, according to testers
