Design and Construction
Stamas Yachts Inc. was famous for rugged fiberglass powerboats since 1952, and that ethos carried into the 44 emphasizing solid construction alongside liveaboard comfort and offshore capability. The hull is a 35,000-pound displacement monohull carrying 12,000 pounds of ballast, with a 14-foot beam and a 34-foot waterline inside the 44-foot overall length. A 5.08-foot maximum draft fin keel and skeg-hung rudder suit her to bluewater passages rather than shoal gunkholing. Johnson, who later contributed to Island Packet designs, shaped a center-cockpit cruiser meant to be lived aboard and sailed hard, not chased around a buoy course.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Stamas 44 carries a ketch rig with a mainsail of 360 square feet on a 46.5-foot luff and a mizzen of 127 square feet on a 30-foot luff. Forward of the mast, the standard jib measures just under 398 square feet at 115 percent LP, while a 150 percent genoa spreads 616 square feet. The rig dimensions — a 53.25-foot I and 15.58-foot J at the foretriangle, with a 30-foot P2 mizzen — describe a boat built to split her sail area into manageable pieces for shorthanded offshore work. Total sail area reaches 903 square feet, a modest figure against the 35,000-pound displacement that confirms the design's bias toward stability and control rather than acceleration.
Accommodations and Liveaboard Character
As a center-cockpit layout, the Stamas 44 places the helm amid-ships and dedicates volume to living space, consistent with her documented emphasis on spacious liveaboard comfort. The 14-foot beam and 35,000-pound displacement create a hull with the volume and mass to support extended cruising. The design's priority is clear: bluewater capability and onboard living were engineered ahead of light-air speed, making her a candidate for serious passage-making rather than weekend coastal racing.
The Verdict
The Stamas 44 is a scarce, purpose-built offshore ketch from a powerboat builder's brief foray into sail. With only 22 hulls, she is an uncommon find, but her numbers and stated design priorities describe a sober, capable cruiser for liveaboard voyaging.
Pros
- Heavy 35,000 lb displacement with 12,000 lb ballast for offshore stability
- Center-cockpit layout oriented to liveaboard comfort
- Ketch rig splits sail area for manageable shorthanded handling
- Built by a yard with a long record of rugged fiberglass construction
Cons
- Only about 22 built, limiting spares and fleet knowledge
- Design prioritizes bluewater capability over light-air speed
- 5.08 ft draft restricts shallow-water access
