Design and Construction
The 440's structure reflects a deliberate offshore philosophy. Voyage Yachts employed a double-redundant hull-to-deck joint and bagged-core construction, with panels reinforced by gussets or bulkheads before any span grew too extensive anchor. Testers noted strong execution of the glass work throughout. A Cruising World judge described the boat's structure as tight as a good guitar body, conveying the torsional stiffness needed when a multihull works through a tack. At 25.1 feet of beam and a 3.5-foot draft, the 440 carries 20,249 pounds of displacement on a 40.5-foot waterline, and her 3.68 capsize ratio and 10.34 comfort ratio place her firmly in the passagemaking camp rather than the charter-light class.
Rig and Handling
The deck layout is built around shorthanded sailing, with all controls led aft to the coach-roof winches and a traveler arch offering step-through access to the dive platform. The fractional rig is driven by a fathead main, a configuration testers said demanded a quiver of headsails — a working jib that furls down to a storm jib, a genoa, and an asymmetric spinnaker. Cruising World's judges praised the sailplan for covering a variety of wind ranges in a very safe way anchor. Under sail, the boat showed 9-plus knots upwind in 12 knots of breeze and 9.6 knots on a spinnaker run, with testers calling hers the nicest motion of anything they sailed that period.
Accommodations
Three distinct interior configurations were offered. The Owners layout delivers three queen berths plus either two or three head-and-shower compartments; the Charter version stretches to four queen-size cabins and four heads. A separate Daycruiser variant, built without a coachroof for the day-charter trade and seating 32, was also available. The standard cruising layout features an up galley and four double cabins in the hulls, with handholds below — details a tester specifically flagged as thoughtful. The cockpit is shaded by a bimini with a hard-top walkway aft, and a judge noted that the deck routing gave a feeling of being the most appropriate pathway wherever one walked.
Equipment and Systems
The fuel system drew particular praise: a judge called the forward tank installation a fine execution, and testers found valving and filters clearly labeled on the bulkhead. The electrical panel was rated by one judge as absolutely 4.0. With 106 gallons of fuel and 169 gallons of water, the 440 was specified for extended independent cruising rather than marina hopping.
The Verdict
Cruising World's judges regarded the 440 as the first multihull they considered a true prime yacht and functional cruiser, and one stated she was seriously made for going to sea — a passagemaker without hesitation. The blend of structural redundancy, shorthanded deck geometry, and a genuinely offshore interior makes her a benchmark used catamaran for the buyer who actually leaves the coast.
Pros
- First multihull to win Cruising World Overall Boat of the Year
- Double-redundant hull-to-deck joint with reinforced panel spans
- Shorthanded deck layout with all controls led aft
- Three cabin configurations including a four-queen charter layout
- Strong upwind and downwind performance under fractional fathead rig
Cons
- Fractional rig with fathead main requires multiple headsails
- Daycruiser version lacks coachroof (limited cruising use)
