St. Francis 44 Sailboats for Sale

Hull Type

Catamaran · twin

Rig

Fractional Sloop

LOA

44.13' · 13.45 m

Disp.

15,432 lbs · 7,000 kg

First year

1999

The St. Francis 44 holds a distinguished place in the history of multihull yachting as the vessel that established South Africa as a premier hub for worldclass cruising catamarans. Launched in 1988 and designed by the renowned naval architect Angelo Lavranos, the St. Francis 44 was the debut model for St. Francis Marine, a boutique builder based in St. Francis Bay. Unlike many contemporary catamarans of its era that prioritized interior volume at the expense of seaworthiness, the 44 was engineered specifically for the demanding conditions of the Agulhas Current and the Southern Ocean. Its success paved the way for the later St. Francis 48 and 50 models, which utilized the same design philosophy of slim hull forms and robust construction. The boat is characterized by its high bridge deck clearance—a critical feature for reducing "slamming" in heavy seas—and a build quality that often exceeds modern massproduction standards.