Gulfstar 44 Motorsailer Ketch

Description

The Gulfstar 44 Motorsailer Ketch, an early heavy-displacement center-cockpit design by Vince and Richard Lazzara and produced by Gulfstar Yachts in St. Petersburg, Florida, from 1973 to 1977 with around 50 hulls completed, prioritizes motoring comfort and stability over sailing prowess for coastal or protected-water cruising, though its robust build suits occasional offshore passages for liveaboards or couples seeking a "powerboat with sails." Measuring 44 feet LOA with a 36-foot LWL, 13-foot-8-inch beam, 15,000-pound displacement, and 5,000 pounds of external lead ballast yielding a high .33 ballast/displacement ratio for stiffness and self-righting in moderate seas, it features a full fin keel drawing 5 feet 6 inches and skeg-hung rudder paired with a ketch rig offering around 750 square feet of sail area (I: 43.14 ft, J: 15.21 ft, P: 37.33 ft, E: 15.75 ft for standard; taller options available)—delivering a modest SA/D ratio of ~13 for plodding performance at a 7.2-knot hull speed (PHRF around 150), emphasizing diesel efficiency over speed. Constructed with hand-laid fiberglass for durability—despite early models' reputation for blistering and variable quality—the interior provides 6 feet 4 inches of headroom in a teak-rich layout with V-berth forward, U-shaped galley, enclosed head with shower, convertible dinette, nav station, and spacious aft queen cabin for six, complemented by a protected cockpit, pilothouse option, and tanks holding 150 gallons water, 150 gallons fuel, and 30 gallons holding.