I made took some  notes on KP44s today.  These notes are abridged mainly from bluewaterboats.org and kp44.org.  


A long distance center-cockpit cruiser by design, she has earned a reputation for speedy passages. 180 miles days are not uncommon, with useful performance coming in all wind conditions and points of sail. Many have circumnavigated.

Fin keel cutaway at the forefoot and aft which reduces her wetted surface, good for both light-air performance and a nimble turning radius. The keel has a relatively long run which helps the boat to track well.

One third of her light to moderate displacement of 30,000 pounds is encapsulated in her ballast slung low on her 6′ 4″ keel. This combined with her clean bow entry helps her produce a nice soft motion.

Low-profile cabin trunk which is both sleek and practical in that it aids a lower center of gravity. Cockpit seating for 8 at a squeeze under anchor.

Beefy twin spreader cutter rig carrying more than 1000 square feet of canvas. Very manageable for a short-handed crew.

The interior is bright and well ventilated from the three large hatches and twelve portlights.

Well-equipped U-shaped galley sited to port and has large capacity refrigeration and a gimbaled stove. The double stainless steel sink is close to the centerline and works well on any tack.

Access to the bilge and engine is excellent.

Heavily constructed in hand-laid fiberglass matt and roving with polyester resin. Thicknesses range from nearly one inch at the bilges, tapering to 3/4 inches at the waterline and a half inch at the deck. The integral keel encapsulates 10,000 pounds of iron ballast packed with concrete. The rudder consists of a stainless-steel frame, packed with plywood and sheathed in fiberglass. Some of these have been replaced over time after leaks developed and corroded the stainless steel.

The deck-to-hull joint is a lip-tongue arrangement with a wood brace inserted between the joint in some areas, then fiberglassed over. A teak cap rail was screwed into the wood brace. This area can be prone to leaks, especially where long bolts holding the genoa track to the top of the bulwark protrude through into the cabin. The plywood-cored decks were finished in non-skid gelcoat as standard but some were optionally fitted with teak decking.

The Formosa boats and those from other yards can have quite different construction details from the Kelly yachts.

Well known to make fast passages. The theoretical hull speed is 8.3 knots and owners report this is possible on all points of sail given the right conditions. 180 mile days are very attainable.

She is well balanced and despite long rudder control lines reaching from her centre cockpit, the feedback at the helm is surprisingly good. The boat is relatively easy to single hand, even in a blow. And importantly, her motion at sea is comfortable.

Specifications
  • LOA: 43′ 10″
  • LWL: 38′ 8″
  • Beam: 12’11″
  • Draft 6′ 4″
  • Bridge Clearance: 60′
  • Displacement: 30,000 lbs.
  • Ballast: 10,000 lbs. (iron encapsulated)
  • Sail Area: 1,011 sq.ft.
  • Fuel: 117 US Gal.
  • Water: 132 US Gal.
  • Engine: 62-hp Perkins 4-152 Diesel
  • Designer: Doug Peterson
  • Builder: Yu Ching Marine, Taiwan
  • Year Introduced: 1976
  • Year Ended: 1983
  • Numbers Built: 200+

Also Known As: Peterson 44

Similar Boats
  • Kelly Peterson 46
  • Formosa 46
  • Spindrift 46
  • Hylas 44
  • Cape North 43
  • Lafitte 44
  • Mason 44
Owners: 

Video tour of a KP 44



Listings


-20 @ 251.2