lafitte 44 sailboat

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• Sailboat Guide

Lafitte 44 is a 44 ′ 3 ″ / 13.5 m monohull sailboat designed by Robert Perry and built by Chung Hwa Boat between 1978 and 1989.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

Penned by Bob Perry , best known for associating the term “performance” with cruisers, the Lafitte 44 deviates from Perry’s performance formula to focus on comfort and style. She’s a heavy displacement double-ended cruising yacht specifically “overbuilt” to travel the world in comfort and safety.

During the mid 1970s, the boom years for cruising boats, many American designs were being outsourced to boatyards in Taiwan. It made sense to utilize the good exchange rate and the Taiwanese craftsmanship was both inexpensive and competent. Designer Bob Perry, arguably the most important designer of the modern cruising boat era was on the forefront of this trend; some say nearly every boat to come out of Taiwan had Perry’s name attached in some way. The Lafitte 44 was one of the larger boats to result from this era.

The initial concept came from Mike Lewis of the California-based Pacific Far East Industries. He commissioned Perry to design the boat and chose Taiwanese boatbuilder Chung Hwa Boatworks to build it. To oversee production, George Olivet was appointed and much of the boat’s consistency of quality can be attributed to him. Olivet went off to oversee the entire production run, enduring two ownership changes of the parent company as well as a mysterious 6 months in Taiwanese prison where he managed to continue work on the project. With Olivet, the Lafitte became one of the first Taiwanese-built yachts to enjoy continuous US onsite supervision to ensure quality. It is said that Olivet’s supervisory skills and management talent was used as an example to help move Taiwan boatbuilding from the “Dragonboat” era.

Perry penned the boat in late-1976, during this time he was in the middle of a string of of 44 footers including the Norseman 447, the Nordic 44, and the Cheoy Lee 44. He comments, “I got to know what you could do in 44 feet quite well”. Interestingly, the Lafitte just happened to be Perry’s design number 100 and urban myth has it that the night after Perry finished the design, the owners of PFEI went out to celebrate and named the boat after the Chateau Lafite wine they were drinking, but they drank too much and misspelt the the name. Lewis informs us that Lafitte is the name of the godson of one of the PFEI investors.

The first boat was introduced in 1978. Initially the boats were built without fittings installed, to be completed in California because Taiwan did not yet have enterprise zones to allow duty-free foreign hardware. Later boats were completed in Taiwan when this situation was remedied. In 1981 ownership of the concern passed from Lewis to Tom Flemming who changed the name to “Lafitte Yachts” (owners can check their hull serial numbers; starting at hull #30 the serial prefixes switched from PFE to LFT).

Ownership changed again in 1983 to Bernie Wahl who owned a dry cleaning business in upstate New York. Wahl’s vision was to turn the boat into a “Taiwanese Swan”. With close attention to detail he made many small changes that improved the boat, such as a propane system to accept 20 pound gas bottles, drawers that extended full length, and better thought out lockers. Additionally hardware suppliers were changed from West Coast to East Coast companies.

The boats continued to increase in price from 1983 due to these improvements and rising costs in Taiwan, culminating with the last hull which Wahl built for himself. (His boat had fully integrated sliding screens for each hatch and a larger more robust LeFeil mast among several changes).

Production ceased in April 1987 with a total of 56 boats, of these 53 boats remain in existence; three have been lost*.

* A record of known boats in existence is maintained on this site by LaFitte 44 owners (via wiki), feel free to contribute. Credit goes to Roy Wessbecher and Roger Young, for putting together most of the records.

Boat Configuration & Layout

The Lafitte 44 follows the double-ended theme that Perry popularized with his first design, the Valiant 40 . However the lines of the Lafitte look distinctly more modern, with its high freeboard. The bow has a moderately fine entry and sits fairly high above the water. Going below the waterline, you’ll find a deep and long fin keel drawing 6’4″ and a skeg-hung rudder.

Up above, the boat is close to being a flush-deck with its short and low cabin, faired gracefully into the deck and 22ft of foredeck that is clear and unobstructed. The side decks are 2 feet wide with well placed handholds.

Entry below is served via two companionways, one amidships and one aft. The interior is extensively fitted out with teak trim, flat surfaces and walls are in teak laminated ply. The quality of workmanship is very high. Ventilated lockers and drawers abound, providing more than ample stowage space for extended voyaging. The wet locker is warmed by the engine. The galley is very large and functional, fit for the gourmet many would say. It’s one of the most prominent features inside the boat and is set up very extremely well.

The Lafitte 44 is loaded with systems and modern conveniences from its air conditioning / heat exchangers, generator, watermaker, and many other cruising goodies. There are no less than 16 seacocks and through hull fittings.

It’s noted by some that the LaFitte 44 has a pleasant ambiance that is rare to find in a boat this size. The thick hull with its foam core and ample use of heavy wood has lead to a good amount of acoustic dampening, there’s a quiet hush as you go inside and the atmosphere is pleasantly quiet.

Construction

Standard hulls were built from hand-laid fiberglass cored with Airex foam, while it was an option to have the hull constructed of solid fiberglass laminate. The hulls were built very strong and reinforced with foam-filled frames, longitudinals and also with glassed-in bulkheads. The frame under the deck-stepped mast was reinforced with a stainless-steel plate. The decks were cored with Baltek balsa.

The ballast was cast in lead and externally mounted with stainless-steel bolts. Some owners have reported nonstructural hairline cracking at this join.

The boat is setup to make passages without fuss, it’s a stiff and dry boat with a comfortable motion. Honest 160 mile days are reported.

Buyer Notes

The LaFitte 44 is a high quality cruising yacht with many luxurious comforts and associated systems. In this regard, expect higher than norm maintenance costs. Most examples on the market tend to be in very good condition.

Links, References and Further Reading

» The Lafitte Story , Bob Perry’s recollections of the story and people behind the Lafitte 44 » Cruising World Magazine, Feb 2009, Boat Review » Yachtsurvey.com Lafitte44 review by David Pascoe » David Dodds’ SV Tenacious website, Lafitte 44 documents, magazine reviews, and links.

Thanks goes to Lafitte 44 owners Roger Young (SV Ballerina) and Roy Wessbecher (SV Breta) for their help in researching the history of this boat

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• By Tim Bittel
• Updated: February 18, 2009

Honest 160-mile days, a comfort-able motion offshore, and liveaboard load-carrying capacity are hallmarks of the LaFitte 44, a Robert H. Perry design with a long fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder. Between 1980 and 1989, Chung Hwa Boatworks in Taiwan built 56 of these. Many have circumnavigated, and at least one has been sailed around twice.

The hull and deck are hand-laid fiberglass with a foam core. The hull is massively reinforced with foam-filled frames and longitudinals and with glassed-in bulkheads. A stainless-steel plate mounted on the hull frames carries the step for the Sparcraft mast. The external lead-ballast keel is solidly secured with stainless-steel bolts.

Our LaFitte 44, Tevai, was one of the few built without teak decks. On most of the boats that have them, the teak was fastened from below with screws. After 20 years of wear, the screw tips will become exposed, leading to cut feet and leaks. On some later boats, the teak was screwed down from above and the holes bunged, but this system, too, has proven prone to leaks.

Well-placed handholds serve the 2-foot-wide side decks, and the flush deck, which extends more than 22 feet forward of the deckhouse, provides a platform for offshore dinghy storage, sail changing, and anchor handling. On Tevai, the addition of a mast pulpit has greatly enhanced our security when working at the mast.

Twin bronze anchor rollers are mounted at the stem, and a locker in the foredeck contains the windlass, a wash-down spigot, and storage for deck gear. There are two chain lockers, one directly under the windlass and another farther aft, under the V-berth. Many boats have been refit with a hawsepipe to allow chain to run more freely to the after locker.

Two companionways, one amidships and one aft, give access to the interior, which is both elegantly fitted out in solid teak and functional at sea. Four hatches and eight opening ports admit light and air. Ventilated lockers and drawers abound, and deep storage is provided in lockers outboard of the settees and in two levels under the V-berth. The engine warms the wet locker.

The U-shaped galley to port features deep double sinks inboard, large work surfaces, and, between the top-loading freezer and separate fridge, 15 cubic feet of cold storage. A bin and numerous drawers and lockers provide volumes of dry storage.

Opposite is a spacious nav station. In the saloon, both the U-shaped settee to port and a straight settee to starboard convert to sea berths.

The forward stateroom has an en suite head and shower. In the aft stateroom, a queen Pullman berth to port and a settee to starboard convert to sea berths. The head/shower compartment serves as a walk-through to the saloon. Early LaFitte 44s were delivered with a 60-horsepower Lehman diesel, later ones with a Perkins. Tevai has been repowered with a 75-horsepower Yanmar. Depending on conditions, motoring range can exceed 800 miles. LaFitte 44s rarely come on the market. Recent listings have had prices ranging from $90,000 for a “needs work” boat to more than $250,000.

Tim Bittel and his wife, Pattie, have sailed Tevai, their LaFitte 44, from the Great Lakes to the southern Windward Islands.

LOA 44′ 4″ (13.51 m.) LWL 35′ 6″ (10.82 m.) Beam 12′ 8″ (3.86 m.) Draft 6′ 4″ (1.93 m.) Sail Area (100%) 927 sq. ft. (86.1 sq. m.) Ballast 11,310 lb. (5,129 kg.) Displacement 28,000 lb. (12,698 kg.) Ballast/D .40 D/L 279 SA/D 16.1 Water 110 gal. (417 l.) Fuel 115 gal. (436 l.) Engine 60-hp. Lehman or Perkins Designer Robert H. Perry

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Read Online

Full Chapter One

by David Pascoe

It was with little surprise that I ran across two articles in the Wall Street Journal, and several others in non-marine publications lamenting the state of the sailboat industry. If I remember correctly, it said sailboat production for all of 1997 was barely 2000 boats. Factoring in used boat sales, sailing yachts have now declined to a scant 10% of the boating industry. While there is more than one reason for this, one of the most often cited are the ult light, highly unstable and poor handing craft that are now being produced to imitate racing craft. From boats that have such violent motions that make everybody sick, to tooth pick rigs held in place with wire threads that don't stand up long, are some of the common refrains. The latest WSJ article quoted a middle-aged lady with a lot of sailing under her belt as saying that their last boat (new) just plain made her sick. Literally, that is.

So what does this have to do with the Lafitte 44?  Nothing, I just thought it might be interesting to write this review with the state of the sailboat business in mind. If the sail boat business shrinks any further, its going to disappear altogether. Those of you who ask why I don't do more sail reviews, now you know the answer.

Who is Lafitte and where are they built? I never found out, but some literature indicates that it was formerly Pacific Far East Industries, so I'd guess Taiwan. Production, or should I say import, years are listed as 1981-86, although possibly going back further. Frankly I try to avoid reviewing Taiwan boats because they raise too much dust, but this one is a worthy exception. Like most Taiwan boats, who actually built it is something of a mystery.

This is a static review, since I only got to go over her at dockside, so I have no idea how well she sails, but she reminds me a lot of a Swan 40 I used to sail back in the early 1970's. Not only the way she looks but the way she's built.  Sturdy and well. Starting with a canoe stern, a moderately fine entry and a fairly high bow, she has a deep keel drawing 6'4" and a modest 12'8" beam, its no bathtub with a flagpole. I love the canoe stern where, instead of a reverse transom, that lops two feet off of deck space, you get an extra two feet of deck space. That's one of the stupidities of allowing racing rules to design cruising boats. The reverse transom is about one the dumbest design features around.

One look and you know she's designed to go to sea without scaring the bejesus out of everyone. The bilges are quite deep, so you know its not going to surf downwind. Nor is it going to have a curve of righting moments that will look anything like more modern boats. Its going to be stiff.

I confess to being a traditionalist, so right off you know I like the way she looks. Short, low trunk cabin faired in gracefully with a half-acre of unobstructed foredeck reminding me of a few maxi racers I've crewed on. Lord knows, I hate falling over stuff, in the dark or other wise. I like unobstructed space, even if I have to sacrifice other goodies to get it. Designed for passage making, not live aboard or gunkholing, there's no place to put your bicycles here, folks. Anybody who straps a bicycle on deck of this one ought to be executed without trial anyway. If you look closely at the above photo, you'll notice there are two 44's rafted together and that the other one has a Boston Whaler mounted on deck. Must be fun tacking, or he has a very high cut genoa.

Open the hatch and drop down below and the first thing that puzzles me is that I have entered the one and only stateroom. Hmmm. Not the first time I've seen this layout. To go to sleep at night or just to take a bit of a snooze, where'd be the noisy in place in the whole boat to do that? Right, the most frequented path is between the cockpit and refrigerator, right through that stateroom. Add to that the fact that its partially under the cockpit. Stomp, thump, thump, crash. Not the way I'd do it, but maybe some folks don't need sleep. Equally curious is that you then have to proceed through a head compartment to get to the main cabin.

Salon is plenty spacious with more than adequate seating. However, the drop leaf table is very hard to get around. Like a movie theater, nobody wants to sit in the center.

Now, there is a second companionway hatch forward of the cockpit that heads down a very steep ladder into the galley/salon. But its in a most convenient location, right under the boom. I didn't understand this arrangement either. No one is going to use this owing to the inconvenience. So what you end up with is a long-timer in the head, blocking traffic to the main cabin. Hey! Come on and get the hell out of there so I can get a beer! While there is a forward head too, have no doubt about which one gets used the most.

Speaking of galley, take a look at it. Galley seems to be what this boat is all about. I mean is this a boat layed out for a gourmet or what? Aside from the extensive woodwork, the galley is THE most prominent feature. Its designed to be used. There are a lot of things I'd do differently here, but I'm going to leave this one alone because seeing such a nice galley simply made me hungry. If you are sick to death of sandwiches and mama (or you) can cook, you'll need to think about this one. Rare to find such a nice set up.

If this doesn't have you scratching your head, surely the forward cabin will wrinkle your brow. The two berths are situated at nearly shoulder height. I don't know about you, but if I had this kind of bucks, and at my age I rather quickly got tired of four people sleeping on converted seats, with a boat this size I want a nice sleeping cabin. Not one like a tree hut where you have to climb steps to get into a bed with 3' of head room, or one with the main traffic pattern going through it, but one that seals me off from the rest of the crowd. Its not until you stop and really look at it that you realize that the sleeping accommodations aren't much different than your old 30 footer.

Woodwork, yeah. Loads of it, and good stuff too. Not fine woodwork, but well beyond the run of the mill. If you are hard on a boat and not keen on keeping it up, better go look at one of those chlorox bottles with an all glass liner. Seventeen years old and there was hardly a scratch on it. But I got to tell you, the owner has to be one son-of-a-bitch to keep it up that way. Meaning he's going to keel haul any jerk going around with a screwdriver sticking out of his back pocket. Or some such. It also means that when you see a leak, you don't look the other way but repair it immediately. Nor do you sail with the hatches open. Keeping up an interior like this is not easy and has to be treated line fine furniture, which this one was. This is a boat for wood lovers, for sure.

About the hull, here we had a problem. Not a boat for purists, it is loaded with systems, A/C, generator, water maker, lots of tankage and other gizmos. So there wasn't much of the internal hull that was visible. However, one thing is clear. Each and every partition and cabinet divider is tabbed into the hull as a frame. There must be two dozen of them, making for a hull that is very well framed. Not slopped in there with chopped strand mat either, all the tabbing is multiple layers of 2 oz cloth, all nice and neat. Chain plates? Well, there's a shot of those that tell the story. Despite not being able to see much, it took me about ten minutes to figure that this is no squeeze bottle boat. There's not going to be a problem with the rigging always going loose because of a flimsy, bendy, twisty distorting hull.

Fit and finish is pretty much first class. I'll admit I tend to lose perspective a bit when I'm on one of those superyachts and am looking at some of the finest woodwork in the world. But this is pretty good for a production boat. Notice the arched salon cabinets with the latticed panels on the doors. And everything is pretty well rounded where it should be to minimize the real bad bruises. The available literature says this boat weights 28,000 lbs. but in looking at all that woodwork, I have a hard time believing that. Wood is heavy, and there's a lot of it.

Ambiance. You hang around boats long enough and you begin to detect that boats, like rooms in a house or office, have acoustic qualities. I notice it immediately on going aboard any boat. It can have a harsh, thin, tinny sound, like a boat with fiberglass liners, or it can have a hushed, very quite atmosphere inside. When you go down below in this one, the outer world disappears. It has that nice hushed quality that only a lot of wood and mass can give it. This yacht has that ambiance that is very rare to find in a sailing yacht this size. Unfortunately, the cabin sole foundation was not laid right and it squeaks everywhere you walk. See additional comments under Mistakes below.

Rigging. The mast is a rather smallish section, which caught my attention, but so did the heavy rigging with conventional double uppers and lowers with StaLoc fittings. No nonsense here at all. All first rate stuff with a good layout for your winching and sheet leads. I don't see anything to complain about here. Except in really heavy weather I'd be looking at the spar a lot.

Teak Decks.  Nice, but . . . .  However thick they were originally, they are now worn down to the screw heads. That's a problem that rarely, if ever, gets remedied because of the tremendous cost. It is at this point that nice yachts begin to go downhill in a hurry because now the appearance of the yacht is sullied more or less for the duration. The value drops and then people who can't really afford these yachts buy them. At which point the deck surely will not be replaced.

The lack of engine access can make one rather unhappy. Bilge spaces are fairly crammed with systems.

Systems. Ugh, this is not the way I'd do things. The engine is buried in a hole with very poor access. Awful, really. The generator in the lazarette is an add-on, or so I believe. The lazarette is accessed through a hatch behind the cockpit coaming. Since there are no seat lockers, stuff tends to get thrown down there. Problem is the steering gear is right there, and it piles up in opening, making it harder to reach the generator. Typical of most sail yachts, maintaining systems is about that last thing on the minds of designers. And it shows.

It was a major chore just to find where things were located. Beneath the cabin soles (see above photo) stuff is crammed into the bilge spaces with a shoe horn. Sure hope the owner can afford to pay someone else to do the maintenance because I wouldn't wish this on anybody. Cuss and bitch territory here. Bloody knuckles, too. On the other hand, the installations are as neat as they can be under the circumstances. At least there were no lame brains at work here.

Mistakes.  The major one is that the stainless steel water tanks under the salon settee are sitting on the cabin sole. The framework of the settee is what holds them in place. Can you guess what has happened? Umm hmmm. The tanks are breaking the settee apart.

I don't know if the air conditioning is after market or not, but the way it is installed looks like it was built in. If added later, it must have been at enormous cost for there are none of those shoddy hack installations like I see with so many add-ons. Problem is, too many people don't know how to install A/C, and dealing with the huge amounts of condensation the CONDENSERS produce is it. As usual, in this case the forward cabin unit is leaking condensate and, because its one of those self contained units stowed away on a shelf behind some paneling, the paneling is rotting and ruined. Installing A/C requires knowledge and care, skills that were lacking in this case.

The cockpit.  Quite small,  I wonder why one designs a boat that sleeps 8 but the cockpit will not hold 6 and will be cramped for 4. Its laid out okay, but where you going to put the rest of the people? The 40" destroyer wheel is nice, except that it doesn't fit.  Okay, so you don't mind climbing over the seats to get to the helm, but I do.  In fact, just me alone in the cockpit was tight. Most people accept the universal design principle that sailboats should be as inconvenient as possible; that navigating the decks should be an obstacle course; that one should spend the better part of his days and nights climbing over and under things. Maybe this is the real reason people have abandoned sailing in droves. Maybe they're tired of designs that seem to go out their way to make you miserable, that work you hard and wear you down. Here we've got a beautifully unobstructed foredeck, and a cockpit so cramped and tight that . . . well, no fat people or linebackers allowed. Scaled to 5'6" and under, and I'm not sure about that.

Some people write me to say, "Well, Mr. Pascoe, if you're so smart, how you have done it better?" The answer to that is just like other designers have done it better. The cockpit was sacrificed for the full, stand up aft stateroom, an unsatisfactory tradeoff since good cockpit design should be primary, the place where good design is most important, the place where you are most often. The aft stateroom and head were botched by placing it in the main traffic pattern. I would have sacrificed head room there by moving the cockpit forward with the companionway direct to the galley, where the secondary one now exists,  making the aft a secondary stateroom, while putting the master stateroom forward, eliminating the vee berth cabin and placing the forward head where the vee berth is now located. That cabin is worse than ridiculous. Then I would have created a large foc'sle for stowage rather than trying to store stuff on top of the steering gear. You'd lose a bit of salon space, but not much. And its already very large. Large settees look nice, but they mostly go unused because no one wants to sit in the middle. Center tables are a pain because they are always in the way. Get rid of it and have an L-shaped settee instead. How often are you going to want to seat 8-9 people in the salon? Six is enough, and you'll have more floor space to boot. At least the six will be able to move.

Over the decades, I've watched a lot of high quality older yachts go into decline. And I've observed how and why it happens that such fine vessels meet their end. As yachts get older, the price drops while maintenance increases dramatically. Buyers come along who can afford the price, but not the cost of keeping it up. Insufficiently knowledgeable about what it takes to keep it maintained, they learn the hard way that it costs five times or more what they expected. They own the boat for a few years, can't afford to fix what needs fixing, and so it spirals downward until it becomes one of those back lot specials.

Aside from the decks, this boat is maintained in superb condition, but the decks are the beginning of the end. Few people really understand what maintenance hogs fine yachts can be. This yacht is no exception. With all that woodwork and complex systems crammed into tight spots with poor accessibility, you can expect the annual cost of ownership to run to 15% of value easily.

My review of this yacht leaves little doubt that the designer and builder were people who knew their stuff, at least as far as construction is concerned. Anyone who writes a check this large should know what they're doing, too. If you can handle the weird layout, you'd best be prepared for some serious management tasks.

I'm ignoring the strangeness of the layout in giving this rating since inconvenience is more or less a standard feature on most sail boats.

Posted August 1, 1998

David Pascoe - Biography

David Pascoe is a second generation marine surveyor in his family who began his surveying career at age 16 as an apprentice in 1965 as the era of wooden boats was drawing to a close.

Certified by the National Association of Marine Surveyors in 1972, he has conducted over 5,000 pre purchase surveys in addition to having conducted hundreds of boating accident investigations, including fires, sinkings, hull failures and machinery failure analysis.

Over forty years of knowledge and experience are brought to bear in following books. David Pascoe is the author of:

• " Mid Size Power Boats " (2003)
• " Buyers’ Guide to Outboard Boats " (2002)
• " Surveying Fiberglass Power Boats " (2001, 2nd Edition - 2005)
• " Marine Investigations " (2004).

In addition to readers in the United States, boaters and boat industry professionals worldwide from nearly 80 countries have purchased David Pascoe's books, since introduction of his first book in 2001.

In 2012, David Pascoe has retired from marine surveying business at age 65.

On November 23rd, 2018, David Pascoe has passed away at age 71.

Biography - Long version

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1981 Lafitte LaFitte

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Robert Perry Lafitte 44 Blue Water Cruiser

Used yachts for sale, sail monohulls 40ft > 50ft,        robert perry boats for sale.

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Bluewater Sailboat – Lafitte 44

The Bluewater Sailboat Lafitte 44 was designed by Bob Perry, who is most known for associating the term “performance” with cruisers. It deviates from Perry’s performance formula to emphasize on comfort and aesthetics. She is a double-ended heavy displacement cruising yacht that has been “overbuilt” to sail the world in comfort and safety.

For those interested in the design of sailboats, we suggest visiting the page Sailboat Designers . This page offers valuable information and insights into the designers of sailboats and is a great resource for anyone looking to learn more about this subject.

• LOA: 44′ 4″ (13.51 m.)
• LWL: 35′ 6″ (10.82 m.)
• Beam: 12′ 8″ (3.86 m.)
• Draft, Standard**: 6′ 4″ (1.93m)
• Draft, Shoal**: 5′ 6″ (1.68m)
• Sail Area: 927 sq. ft. (86.1 sq. m.)
• Displacement: 28,000 lbs. (12,700 kg.)
• Ballast: 11,200 lbs.
• Sail Area: 619 sq. ft.
• Water: 110 US gal. (417 l.)
• Fuel: 115 US gal. (436 l.)
• Engine: 60hp Lehman or Perkins
• Designer: Robert H. Perry
• Year Introduced: 1978
• Builder: Chung Hwa Boatworks, Taiwan ** Owners report their boats draw 6″ more than specs in cruising trim

During the mid-1970s, when cruising boats were in high demand, several American designs were outsourced to Taiwanese boatyards. It made sense to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate, and Taiwanese craftsmanship was both affordable and professional. Designer Bob Perry, possibly the most influential designer of the modern cruising boat era, was at the forefront of this trend; some argue Perry’s name was tied to practically every boat that came out of Taiwan in some way. The Lafitte 44 was one of the largest boats produced during this time period.

Mike Lewis of Pacific Far East Industries in California came up with the basic idea. He commissioned Perry to design the boat and Chung Hwa Boatworks in Taiwan to build it. George Olivet was appointed to oversee production, and he is responsible for most of the boat’s constancy of quality. Olivet went out to oversee the entire production run, weathering two parent business ownership changes as well as a strange 6 months in Taiwanese prison where he managed to continue working on the project. With Olivet, the Lafitte became one of the first Taiwanese-built boats to have ongoing US onsite quality control. It is stated that Olivet’s supervisory and management abilities were used as a model to help Taiwan boatbuilding move past the “Dragonboat” era.

Perry designed the boat in late 1976, in the midst of a spate of 44-footers that included the Norseman 447, the Nordic 44, and the Cheoy Lee 44. “I got to know what you could do in 44 feet fairly well,” he says. The Lafitte was Perry’s 100th design, and legend has it that the night after Perry finalized the design, the proprietors of PFEI went out to celebrate and named the boat after the Chateau Lafite wine they were drinking, but they drank too much and misspelt the name. Lewis tells us that Lafitte is the godson of one of the PFEI investors.

The first boat was released in 1978. Because Taiwan did not yet have enterprise zones that allowed duty-free foreign hardware, the boats were initially manufactured without fittings and shipped to California for completion. When the crisis was resolved, later boats were finished in Taiwan. Lewis sold the company to Tom Flemming in 1981, who changed the name of “Lafitte Yachts” (owners can check their hull serial numbers; starting with hull #30, the serial prefixes shifted from PFE to LFT).

In 1983, ownership was transferred to Bernie Wahl, who ran a dry cleaning business in upstate New York. Wahl’s plan was to transform the boat into a “Taiwanese Swan.” He made several subtle adjustments that improved the boat, such as a propane system that could accommodate 20-pound gas bottles, drawers that extended the full length, and better-thought-out lockers. Additionally, hardware suppliers were switched from the West Coast to the East Coast.

Due to these upgrades and increased costs in Taiwan, the boats’ prices continued to rise beginning in 1983, culminating with the last hull Wahl built for himself. (Among other upgrades, his yacht had completely integrated sliding screens for each hatch and a larger, more sturdy LeFeil mast.)

Production concluded in April 1987, with a total of 56 boats produced; 53 of these boats are still in existence, while three have been lost.

LaFitte 44 owners keep a registry of known boats in existence on this site (through wiki); feel free to participate. The majority of the records were put together by Roy Wessbecher and Roger Young.

Standard hulls were hand-laid fiberglass cored with Airex foam, with the option of having the hull built of solid fiberglass laminate. The hulls were built to be extremely sturdy, with foam-filled frames, longitudinals, and glassed-in bulkheads. A stainless-steel plate was used to reinforce the frame behind the deck-stepped mast. Baltek balsa was used to core the decks.

The ballast was made of lead and was fixed on the outside with stainless-steel fasteners. Nonstructural hairline cracking has been noticed by several owners at this junction.

Performance

The boat is designed to make smooth travel; it is sturdy and dry, with a nice motion. There are genuine 160-mile days reported.

Quick Notes

The LaFitte 44 is a high-quality cruising boat with numerous opulent amenities and systems. Expect higher-than-average maintenance costs in this aspect. The majority of instances on the market are in excellent condition.

Now you can also precisely calculate the expenses related to boat ownership to make smart choices based on your budget and sailing needs. Use this bluewater Sailboat Calculator to explore different options and make the best decision.

If you are interested in learning more about the specifications and details of a sailboat, we recommend visiting the page Bluewater Sailboat data . This page provides comprehensive information and is an excellent resource for anyone seeking detailed information about 1000+ sailboats.

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The Lafitte 44 is a 44.33ft cutter designed by Robert Perry and built in fiberglass by Chung Hwa Boat (TAIWAN) between 1978 and 1989.

56 units have been built..

The Lafitte 44 is a moderate weight sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is good. There is a good water supply range.

Lafitte 44 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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LAFITTE 44 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of LAFITTE 44. Built by Chung Hwa Boat (TAIWAN) and designed by Robert Perry, the boat was first built in 1978. It has a hull type of Fin with rudder on skeg and LOA is 13.51. Its sail area/displacement ratio 16.85. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Lehman or Perkins, runs on Diesel.

LAFITTE 44 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about LAFITTE 44 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the lafitte 44.

LAFITTE 44 was designed by Robert Perry.

Who builds LAFITTE 44?

LAFITTE 44 is built by Chung Hwa Boat (TAIWAN).

When was LAFITTE 44 first built?

LAFITTE 44 was first built in 1978.

How long is LAFITTE 44?

LAFITTE 44 is 10.82 m in length.

What is mast height on LAFITTE 44?

LAFITTE 44 has a mast height of 15.64 m.

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Exploring the Legacy of the Lafitte 44 Sailboat

About the Lafitte 44

The Lafitte 44 is a sailboat design that has left a significant legacy in the world of sailing. Known for its excellent handling, seaworthiness, and classic aesthetics, this vessel continues to capture the hearts of sailing enthusiasts around the globe. Let’s dive into the rich history and enduring appeal of the Lafitte 44 sailboat.

The Legacy Lives On

The Lafitte 44 was originally built in the 1970s and 1980s by the Lafitte Yachts company, which was located in Texas. These sturdy and reliable vessels were constructed with a robust fiberglass hull, making them highly durable. Even decades after their initial production, Lafitte 44s can still be found gracefully navigating the seas.

The Appeal of the Lafitte 44

The Lafitte 44 exhibits several desirable traits that have contributed to its lasting popularity:

• Excellent handling and maneuverability
• Strong and durable build
• Spacious and comfortable interior
• Impressive seaworthiness in various weather conditions
• Classic, timeless design
• Ample storage space for extended stays on board
• May require maintenance due to the age of some models
• Not as fast as modern sailboat designs
• Initial cost may be higher compared to other used boats
• Some interior layouts might not suit everyone’s preferences
• Limited availability of spare parts
• May not have all the technological advancements found in newer sailboat models

Properties of the Lafitte 44

Frequently asked questions (faq), 1. is the lafitte 44 suitable for long-distance sailing.

Yes, the Lafitte 44 has proven to be a reliable choice for long-distance journeys. Its seaworthiness and sturdy construction make it well-suited for extended voyages.

2. Are spare parts readily available for the Lafitte 44?

While the availability of spare parts may vary, it is possible to find compatible replacements through specialized sailing equipment suppliers or by sourcing parts from other Lafitte 44 owners.

3. How does the Lafitte 44 handle in rough seas?

The Lafitte 44’s design and build quality allow it to handle rough seas with stability and confidence. However, as with any boat, proper seamanship and caution are still necessary to navigate challenging conditions.

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I am told this is a good blue water boat, but it doesnt appear on any of the lists. Is it taiwanise? Is it just a broker trying to sell a boat?  

They look like a really cool Robert Perry design. Check out this guys website .  

intrigued The more i read, the more i like it. thanks for the link  

Some info on them here .  

core deck Im reading that they have a Balsa core deck. I remember warnings regarding these. Saildog, or anyone have input on this design feature?  

bellefonte said: Im reading that they have a Balsa core deck. Click to expand...

I spoke with Bob Perry about the Lafitte 44 a couple of years back cos there was one for sale in Australia. I confess I didn't think much of the thing compared to other BP designs such as the Norseman 447, Passport 40/41/43, or even the Baba 40 or Valiant 40 but BP was quite positive about the design and the boats in general. To my mind it is not one of BP's best sterns but I have to admit they look better in the flesh than they do on paper. To me it still looks like a canoe stern Norseman 447 but there is no denying that for the era they have a good reputation as a fast cruiser and better than average build quality for a Taiwanese boat. Usual rules apply to buying a Taiwanese boat in particular look at the tanks. Original deck fittings and rigging could be dodgey but its unlikely in a thirty year old boat that any of the original fittings are still being used. Chain plates need careful inspection and if not already replaced are probably due for it. BP would have to try really hard to design a bad boat I reckon so its ultimately going to come down to the condition of the boat rather than any inherent problems with the design itself.  

Awesome input everyone. I am looking at one this weekend I believe. It had a lightning strike, so the electrical has been gutted. Of course, the upside would be that all the electrical will be brand new...  

I know of no boat that size from the last 30 years without a core of some kind, usually balsa, in the decks. There probably are a few though. But the Lafitte had teak decks as an option - hopefully this one doesn't as they can be a disaster after 20 years or so. The hull is cored with Airex. As tdw posted, sterns are in the eye of the beholder. But it is a solid fast boat as designed. I don't think Bob Perry has ever designed a bad boat and he had total input on this one. The biggest issue with the wiring, which is a big job in any case, is access and what has to be removed to do it. With good access it is labor heavy but you will have a new boat in this respect when done.  

Here's another review: Boat Review by David Pascoe - Lafitte 44  

I own La Fete, hull #5 and it is an awesome boat. Sails very well, quite fast, good in light wind and steady in high winds. I've been refurbishing her for nearly 5 years and in great condition. My teak decks are still in excellent condition.  

You can read Bob Perry's own thoughts about the LaFitte 44 in these two links: The Lafitte Story - By Bob Perry Double Enders According to Perry  

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In a Facebook post , Melissa Spicuzza of San Diego wrote that there was a report of cell phone pings on April 4 from a position off the coast of Mazatlán, believed to be calls to marinas in Cabo San Lucas. “All calls were short and it’s presumed they were trying to make slip/ball reservations. Based on the short calls they were unsuccessful.”

The post included the information that Kerry and Frank, the owners of Ocean Bound , both hold US Coast Guard captain’s licenses and have 20 years experience sailing together, and that Bill has over 50 years of sailing experience and is an extremely talented coastal cruiser.

“The sailing community has hundreds of additional vessels looking for our family members. Sadly they have not seen or made contact with them either,” Spicuzza wrote. “ Ocean Bound is a sturdy older vessel and by many accounts is one of the best sailboats ever constructed.”

On April 15 the US Coast Guard issued a release stating that the search and rescue efforts are being conducted by the Mexican navy (CMAR/SEMAR) with assistance from the USCG. According to Spicuzza’s post the USCG has determined a couple of scenarios on which to base their search efforts.

One: “The travel projection” — if Ocean Bound simply lost radio contact and continued her journey to San Diego. The search will focus just north or south of Turtle Bay (Bahia Tortuga) on the Baja Peninsula, in addition to long aircraft sweeps along the Baja Peninsula.

Two: “The drift projection” — if Ocean Bound became disabled. This search is focused by CMAR/SEMAR in a 100-mile area south to southeast of Cabo San Lucas, around the waters near Puerto Vallarta. These parameters are reassessed each night to redefine the search the next day.”

“We cannot express enough gratitude to the USCG, CMAR/SEMAR and the sailing community for their help the past four days and their continued S&R efforts going forward. They have communicated all of their efforts with kindness and compassion more than once a day. We truly appreciate everything you’ve done and continue to do. Thank you, you bring us hope and comfort in this painful time. The social media posting efforts of our families is to reach as many people as possible across the globe. If anyone has seen, heard of Ocean Bound and her crew. Knows someone in the areas around the search perimeters. Please help us bring Kerry, Frank and Bill home,” Spicuzza wrote.

Please share this story with all your friends and contacts, sailors or not, to help find the crew of Ocean Bound .

Theres a possibility they decided to go the “clipper route”—reaching out toward Hawaii and then tacking over and reaching toward the US coast…experienced offshore sailors in a capable boat could have decided not to do a traditional “bash…”

Have not way to verify…. Local Mexico workers informed me today that the boat was found somewhere around 30 miles outside of Banderas Bay and that all on board are well and healthy.

Let’s hope for verification!!!

It was a different boat. A Catalina 30 with two men and a pregnant lady headed to South America. They didn’t get far.

The Catalina 30 was coming up from Chile or Argentina and made it quite far before their sails failed, which i s about when the bolo was called for them. .. they made it to Cabo Corrientes at which point atunero clarion towed them into Chacala. Ocean Bound remains missing without a trace.

Said a prayer for Ocean Bound yesterday. HOPE for their safe return to their families.

I had a Chung Hawa built trawler fiberglass full keel single screw diesel and was in big seas at night and the whole rudder quadrant failed. Water was coming as the rudder shaft 3″dia laid over..had all bildge pumps running at capacity and two rolls of Remolds wrap alum.foil and a hammer saved our ass..I hammered balls of foil in the massive leak and tied the rudder mechanism to deck structure..and mayday’d our awesome United States Coast Guard..Towed us to Cabrillo beach San Pedro CA. I sure hope this crew shows up.

Could the boat have been intercepted by bad people now holding them captive? Prayers for all on board the vessel! This breaks my heart for all of their friends and families.

Pirates usually don’t operate in 30 knot winds and 20′ seas..I would think ? something catastrophic due the weather visibility or collision at sea.

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