Description
The Brewer 44 Pilot House (or Brewer 44 Pilothouse) is a rare variant of the classic Ted Brewer-designed center-cockpit cutter, with an added pilothouse for enhanced all-weather protection and visibility—similar in concept to the Alden 32 Pilothouse or Kristen 52, but in a more traditional bluewater cruiser package. The standard Brewer 44 (built ~1984–1990 by Ft. Myers Yacht & Shipbuilding in Florida, from the same mold lineage as the Whitby 42 and Brewer 12.8) is a center-cockpit design without a full pilothouse, but some custom or modified examples incorporate pilothouse features (e.g., enclosed helm, raised salon for 360° views, and ventilation), as seen in owner forums, listings, and specific boats like a 1987 Brewer 44 Pilothouse available for charter/rental in areas like Patagonia/Chile.
These are heavily built fiberglass bluewater cruisers evolved from the Whitby 42 (ketch, full keel) to the Brewer 12.8/44 series (cutter rig, cutaway forefoot with skeg rudder or keel/centerboard for better performance and shoal draft options). The pilothouse versions add enclosed steering and living space, making them ideal for colder climates, extended passages, or high-latitude sailing while retaining the series' reputation for comfort, motion (high comfort ratio ~37), stout construction, and good sailing characteristics (faster than the original Whitby with PHRF around 126 in some configs).
