Peterson 44 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Peterson 44 means looking at a Doug Peterson-designed center-cockpit cruiser that debuted in 1976, with over 200 hulls built as dedicated bluewater boats. The example you find on the brokerage market will be a 43'10" cutter with a long-fin keel, encapsulated lead ballast, and a skeg-hung rudder — a serious offshore platform rather than a coastal weekender.
Layouts on the Used Market
The boat's tri-cabin arrangement is the standard you will encounter: a forward V-berth with a second head and shower, a main cabin with port dinette and starboard settee, and an aft double-berth cabin with its own head and shower. The low-profile center cockpit feeds two bridge-deck-protected companionways, and the full-size U-shaped galley to port near amidships faces a large nav station to starboard. Ventilation runs to three hatches and six opening ports in the main cabin, four ports and two hatches aft. This is a genuine seven-berth layout, not a stretched couple's boat.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the Australian market where these boats typically turn up, lithium batteries and electric winches are commonly fitted anchor, reflecting owners' push toward effortless power handling and house loads. AIS, autopilot, and Starlink are also commonly fitted, giving modern navigation and communications without relying on legacy instrumentation. Factory-delivered bow rollers and a manual windlass remain baseline, but the commonly fitted electric winches signal a meaningful upgrade path for short-handed cruising.
What to Inspect
The one documented weakness is the painted steel fuel tanks, which have developed cracks and leaks over the years anchor. Any survey should pressure-test or internally inspect those two 117-gallon tanks and the surrounding bilge for staining. Otherwise the hull's encapsulated ballast and plywood-cored deck are fixed elements; the nine-foot prop shaft with two cutless bearings deserves a routine bearing check.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in Australia. For a shopper, the priorities are straightforward:
- Confirm fuel-tank integrity; budget for replacement if cracked
- Verify which auxiliary is fitted — Perkins 4-152 or Ford Lehman 80-hp
- Check cutless bearings on the long prop shaft
- Confirm lithium and electric winch upgrades match your cruising plan
- Inspect bridge-deck companionway seals for past water ingress
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Peterson 44. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 1 | $68,232 | — |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $96,961 | +42.1% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $78,000 | -19.6% |
Where they're listed
Peterson 44 listings appear across 2 countries. Australia has the most listings with 2 (66.7%), followed by United States.
Country view
3 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | $82,597 | 2 | 1 | 66.7% |
| United States | $78,000 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nordic 44 | 43.83' | $ 81,500 | 26 | 11 |
| Morgan Yachts Morgan 44 | 44' | $ 95,000 | 23 | 1 |
| Hylas 44 | 44.17' | $ 109,990 | 15 | 2 |
| Peter Ibold 44 | 44' | $ 98,447 | 10 | 2 |
| Peterson 44You are here | — | $ 78,000 | 3 | 2 |