Design and Construction
The 44 was produced from 1983 to 1987, with the hulls themselves built by Alexander Marine in Taiwan. The construction approach used a molded one-piece fiberglass hull and deck with a gelcoat finish, and the hull carried an Airex foam core while the decks used a Divinycell foam core. That cored construction was chosen for improved sound and thermal insulation rather than for weight reduction, a deliberate departure from the usual justification for cored hulls. Internal lead ballast was cast in place and covered in fiberglass, and the fuel and water tanks were molded as fiberglass integrally into the hull. The deck-to-hull joint was an overlapping arrangement bolted together and sealed with epoxy, while stainless steel chain plates were bolted to built-in fiberglass knees. For structural and divisional bulkheads, marine grade waterproof plywood was used. The centerboard trunk was molded into the hull below the cabin sole, and the centerboard itself was two-part with a bronze shoe on the leading edge.
Rig and Handling
The Little Harbor 44 carries a masthead sloop rig with aluminum spars, specifically a double spreader sloop rig with an extruded aluminum mast and boom painted with Imron. The standing rigging is wire, and the running rigging includes internal main and genoa halyards, two genoa sheets, a mainsheet, boom outhaul and topping lift, a four-part boom vang and preventer, and flag halyards, with a halyard sheave box provided for a staysail. Barient winches were fitted, including Barient 32 self-tailing primaries and a Barient 23 self-tailing mainsheet winch, and the mast step is stainless steel and adjustable. The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 110, and the rudder is a two-part unit molded with stainless steel rudder stock and internal framework, controlled by an Edson steering system with a custom stainless steel radial drive quadrant. The fixed fin keel carries a retractable centerboard, giving a versatile draft range for coastal and offshore use.
Accommodations
Four choices of layout were available, and of the first ten hulls no two shared a layout, underscoring the semi-custom nature of the early boats. Aft cockpit models came as Plan A with two heads or Plan B with one head, while center cockpit models offered Plan A with a split aft berth (double and single) or Plan B with a centerline queen. Solid teak joinery runs throughout, with teak and holly cabin sole, laminated teak overhead deck beams offset by off-white Formica, and all exposed surfaces finished with a teak hull liner. Hanging lockers are lined with camphor wood, head compartments are lined with off-white Formica and solid teak trim, and fine quality leatherette upholstery is used throughout. Storage includes three drawers and eleven separate lockers. The galley features Formica cabinetry and countertops, a deluxe stainless steel three-burner stove with oven and broiler, an insulated divided ice box, and a double stainless steel sink. Hull number 1 of six center cockpit versions was named Robin Too and served as Ted Hood's personal boat, built to the center cockpit Plan A layout.
Equipment and Onboard Systems
The boat was delivered with an unusually complete equipment list for a cruiser of its era. A solid bronze propeller, wet exhaust with lift to transom discharge, and engine controls mounted on a molded steering pedestal were standard. Two engine alternators provided over 100 amps of charging, backed by four heavy-duty marine batteries and a 12-volt 40-amp charger, with a custom electrical panel of 12- and 120-volt circuit breakers and a 50-amp shore power cable. All through-hull fittings used bronze seacocks, and the centerboard hoist system was watertight with a winch on deck. Bilge management included two manual and one automatic electric bilge pump, while the sanitation system used manual/electric heads with a Lectra San Type III MSD. A stainless steel 17-gallon water heater, pressurized water, and automatic shower pumps in each head completed the domestic systems.
The Verdict
The Little Harbor 44 is a low-production, Ted Hood–owned design that distills his centerboard-cruiser ethos into a 44-foot package of serious built-in equipment and semi-custom interior variety. Its foam-cored hull was insulated by intent rather than lightened, and its standard inventory—from Barient winches to integral tanks and bronze seacocks—reflects a builder fitting boats to cruise without immediate owner upgrade. The rarity of fifteen hulls means any example carries a distinct layout history.
Pros
- Retractable centerboard fin keel for versatile draft
- Insulated foam-core hull and deck by design, not weight-saving
- Extensive standard cruising equipment including bronze seacocks and integral tanks
- Semi-custom layouts with Ted Hood's own Robin Too as lead center-cockpit boat
Cons
- Only fifteen built, limiting spares and comparable-market familiarity
- PHRF average of 110 indicates modest racing performance for the displacement
- Early hulls varied so widely that no two of the first ten shared a layout
