Design and Construction
The 44's hull is a solid hand-laid fibreglass unit using triaxial roving and glass mat of the highest calibre, with interior structure fastened to a gridwork of floor timbers and bulkheads. Island Packet's full-keel solid hand-laid construction carries complete encapsulated keel ballast and a shielded prop and rudder, doing away with external keel bolts. The deck employs the builder's PolyCore technology, a modern core material that does not decay, while high bulwarks and a teak cap rail finish the sheer. A keel-stepped aluminium mast completes a structure one reviewer described as unmatched in gelcoat and stainless steel craftsmanship.
Rig and Handling
Her true cutter rig gives a manageable sailplan built around a 110 percent high-cut furling yankee and a self-tending 90 percent furling staysail with a very high aspect ratio, complemented by a conventional mainsail with two reef points led aft, five full battens, and a Doyle stackpack. A short bowsprit pushes the rig's centre of pressure forward for balance and opens the foretriangle for efficient cutter use; it may be removed without great difficulty. Almost everything can be done from the cockpit, since all lines for handling, furling, lifting, and trimming sails originate from the rear, and an electric halyard winch handles main, dinghy, or headsail duties. The long waterline makes her a freight train when sheets are eased, though she is not as close-winded as modern fin-keelers.
Accommodations
Below, the 44 is a traditional-looking boat with a large cabintrunk and all opening ports. The main salon pairs twin lounge seats to port with L-shaped seating to starboard, and a foldable dining table seats six yet folds to the bulkhead for a spacious lounge; the port settee berth converts to a double for guests at sea. Her galley is the best in her size range and an enormous nav station—now nearly extinct in new designs—holds a home office and extensive electronics. Two spacious staterooms each have a head; the owners' aft cabin accesses a huge aft head with a bathtub that doubles as a stall shower with a fold-down teak seat, while the rear head also serves as the day head.
Cockpit and Deck
Her enormous cockpit runs nearly eight feet long for crew or relaxation, and broad side decks let you advance safely to mast and foredeck. Additional winches at the mast ease jib and staysail hoisting onto furlers. A safe anchoring platform and spacious, simple-to-navigate decks round out a layout oriented to shorthanded confidence in rough coastal seas.
The Verdict
The Island Packet 44 is a limited-production bluewater cruiser that trades close-winded speed for secure, cockpit-centred handling and a liveaboard interior few 44-footers of her era match. Her encapsulated ballast and decay-proof deck core speak to a design meant for distance, while the aft head bathtub and extinct nav station mark her as a couple's offshore home.
Pros
- Full-keel solid hand-laid hull with encapsulated ballast and shielded running gear
- True cutter rig with all sail control from the cockpit and electric halyard winch
- Two staterooms with private heads; aft head features a bathtub and stall shower
- PolyCore non-decaying deck core and unmatched gelcoat/stainless finish
Cons
- Only 35 built and production ended in 1996, limiting availability
- Not as close-winded as modern fin-keel designs despite a 19 SA/D ratio
- Bowsprit adds length and may need removal for some constraints
