Gulfstar 44 Mk II Ketch
Description
The Gulfstar 44 II Ketch (also referred to as Gulfstar 44 Mark II Ketch or Gulfstar 44 KTH in some databases) is a high-quality, center-cockpit bluewater cruiser designed by V.S. Lazzara (or Richard C. Lazzara) and built by Gulfstar Yachts in the United States during the early to mid-1980s (as part of the Mark II refinements from the main Gulfstar 44 production run of 1978–1984, with around 70–105 hulls total across variants; ketch rigs were less common but available as options for easier sail handling on longer passages). This model represents Gulfstar's shift toward performance-oriented cruising yachts (away from earlier motorsailers), featuring solid fiberglass construction with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder for good tracking, stability, and a smooth ride in offshore conditions, a spacious and well-appointed interior (often with aft stateroom, U-shaped galley, multiple heads, and excellent storage/headroom for liveaboard or family cruising), and balanced ketch rig for reduced heeling and manageable sail plans in varied winds—praised by owners and reviewers as one of the best designs of its era for comfort, seaworthiness, and value, with strong build quality and no major inherent issues when maintained.
Construction Details
| Designer | V.S. Lazzara |
|---|---|
| Builder | Gulfstar Yachts |
| Length | 44.670 ft |
| LOA | 44.670 ft |
| LWL | 35.500 ft |
| Beam | 13.170 ft |
| Displacement | 26000 lb |
| Ballast | 8500 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.500 ft |
| Year Built | 1978 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 45.13 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 15.83 ft |
| p | 37.33 ft |
| e | 15 ft |
| p2 | 27.58 ft |
| e2 | 9 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45.13 ft | 15.83 ft | 37.33 ft | 15 ft | 27.58 ft | 9 ft | - | - |
Sails
Gulfstar 44 Mk II Ketch - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 37.33 ft - (11378 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15 ft - (4572 mm) |
| Leech | * 39.46 ft - (12027 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 39.74 ft - (12113 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 288 ft² |
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Gulfstar 44 Mk II Ketch - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 38.26 ft - (11662 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 21.31 ft - (6495 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.71 ft - (9970 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.2 ft - (5547 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 348.2 ft² |
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Gulfstar 44 Mk II Ketch - GENOA
| Luff | * 45.43 ft - (13847 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 25.85 ft - (7879 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.46 ft - (12942 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 23.74 ft - (7236 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 539.27 ft² |
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Gulfstar 44 Mk II Ketch - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 45.43 ft - (13847 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 26.12 ft - (7961 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.8 ft - (12741 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 890 ft² |
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Gulfstar 44 Mk II Ketch - MIZZEN
| Luff | * 27.58 ft - (8406 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 9 ft - (2743 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 28.44 ft - (8669 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 28.71 ft - (8751 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4 in - (102 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 126.82 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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