Back to Search
St Francis 44
Designer: Angelo Lavranos  ·  Builder: St Francis Marine (Rsf)  ·  First built: 1999
+ Add to Compare
About the St Francis 44

Designed by renowned South African naval architect Angelo Lavranos, this performance catamaran emerged from St Francis Marine's yard between 1999 and 2005 as a compelling blend of cruising comfort and sailing capability. With its distinctive twin-keel configuration and fractional sloop rig, the St Francis 44 delivers the stability and spaciousness that catamaran enthusiasts seek while maintaining respectable performance credentials. The boat's GRP construction with foam core sandwich provides an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, contributing to its relatively light displacement for a 44-footer. This construction method, combined with Lavranos's proven design philosophy, results in a vessel well-suited for both coastal exploration and offshore passage-making. The generous beam creates substantial interior volume and deck space, while the shallow draft opens up cruising grounds typically inaccessible to monohulls. Twin 27-horsepower engines provide reliable auxiliary power and excellent maneuverability in tight quarters. The sail area to displacement ratio suggests good light-air performance, making this catamaran particularly appealing for cruising sailors who don't want to sacrifice sailing ability for comfort. While production numbers were limited during its six-year run, the St Francis 44 represents solid South African craftsmanship in the growing performance cruising catamaran market of the early 2000s.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 44.13 ft / 13.45 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 39.70 ft / 12.10 m
Beam 23.62 ft / 7.20 m
Max Draft 3.12 ft / 0.95 m
Displacement 15,432.36 lb / 7,000 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 1,069.93 ft² / 99.40 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Catamaran Twin Keel
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction GRP w/ foam core
Designer Angelo Lavranos
Builder St Francis Marine (RSF)
First Built 1999
Last Built 2005
Owner Reviews

No owner reviews yet — be the first to share your experience with this boat.

Performance Ratios
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
8.55
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
3.8
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 8.44 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 20.09 pounds/inch
Rig Dimensions
Mast Height (DWL) 61.38 ft / 18.71 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Yanmar
Engine Type Diesel, Saildrive
Horsepower 2x27
Fuel Capacity 50 gals / 190 L
Water Capacity 159 gals / 600 L
KSP 0.83
Find a St Francis 44 For Sale