“What a beautiful boat!”
These are words you will very likely hear coming out of your mouth when you see her in person. Built in 1981, she has the feel of a traditional, timeless vessel, yet she also has the comforts of a more modern home. She’s a simple, honest boat that smells good, is clean as a whistle, and (here’s something you can’t say too often) everything works. She’s been coastal cruising for years, and if you’re more offshore inclined, she’ll accept whatever new gear you want to add and take you wherever you want to go.
Manufactured in the 'Golden Years' of Gulfstar's facility, they had perfected their skills and techniques in boat building, and are arguably some of the best-made boats of their time as is evidenced by the fine woodwork, quality layup, and robustness of the build. The 44 was built for performance and not only will you get some lively sails out of her, but according to owners, she comes into her own the heavier the seas get. She was made to cross oceans and will keep you safe and comfortable no matter where you are.
The Gulfstar 44 center cockpit has a long fin keel and skeg-hung rudder. Her lines could be from 1981, 1881, or 2081 – they’re timeless. There’s enough teak on the deck to show tradition and pride, but not so much you’ll be enslaved by it. The huge, fully enclosable cockpit will become the center of your cruising life, keeping you high and dry as you ply the high seas. It's the perfect space for enjoying morning coffee and happy hour with friends.
The interior is warm wood and light. The fabrics are light and clean. The headroom is excellent, especially in the step-down U-shaped galley. The berths are large and comfortable. The heads have opening portholes and there is a separate shower stall in the owner's cabin. The nav station has a full chart table, perfect for working aboard.
Someone once called the designer of the Gulfstar 44, “…a master of beauty above, speed below, and comfort inside.” They were exactly right.
“What a beautiful boat!” are words that you’ll get used to hearing if you become her next owner.
Layout
Exterior
The classic lines of this vessel are simply beautiful. With a raked stem and counter stern, she looks poised to race at any moment. The fully enclosable centre cockpit means you’ll have an easy, dry ride. Two masts with a roller-furling foresail ensure that you’ll be able to find just the right sail combination for every wind condition. Aft, there is a large lazarette, 2 dorade boxes for ventilation, a hatch, and deck-stepped mizzen mast. Up the mizzen you have steps, a radar reflector, and the radar dome. Both mains are covered in handsome tan canvas, as is the cockpit enclosure.
Forward, the keel-stepped main mast also has steps to the top. There are 2 hatches in the deck, 2 dorade boxes, wide side decks, and a very solid windlass. The foresail is roller-furled.
The cockpit is an excellent living space. With the full enclosure, you can be sailing the Pacific all year ‘round. The wheel has an elk-hide covering, is mounted on a binnacle that also holds a compass and instruments. Engine instruments are located below and to the side. The chartplotter is overhead. A teak cockpit table folds out for leisurely lunches. Alongside are two very long bench seats, designed for a tall person to lay out on, or to seat several good friends. There are two very functional and comfortable, movable seat backs that will be coveted by anyone enjoying the views from the cockpit. The headroom here is excellent as well. There are taupe cockpit cushions on both benches and the helm bench that runs athwartship.
Interior
Six steps down, the galley is immediately to port, and a fwd-facing nav station and walkthrough is to starboard.
The galley is U-shaped, a small step down giving excellent headroom. There is a double SS sink next to the steps midships, the top-loading fridge aft, and the 3-burner stove/oven along the hull. There are cupboards above, a large window over the stove, and plenty of food preparation counter space.
The nav station boasts a full fwd-facing desk with a comfortable dedicated chair. Moving aft, there is a walk-through with amazing storage along the hull side, and access to a generous, sound-proofed engine room midships. The electrical panel is found next to the engine room door.
The aft cabin is everything you’d want. The king-sized bed takes up the space from one side to the other. There is a large hanging locker and an ensuite head. The aft head has a separate shower stall with a built-in seat and opening porthole. The sink is a funky triangular shape, there’s ample cupboard space, and there’s yet another opening porthole.
The saloon area is ahead of the galley and nav station. There are two long settees with taupe fabric that run alongside each hull with a gullwing table centreline. A beautiful diesel heater sits at the fwd end. A brass lamp hangs over the table. There are cupboards and shelves along the hull. Two overhead hatches as well as windows that run along both sides afford plenty of light and air. The sole is teak and holly, and the trim is teak. There is so much wood that the space has a beautiful warmth to it, steeped in the tradition of boats since the beginning of sea travel.
Forward of the saloon, on the port side, is another head. There are 2 doors so that it can be privately accessed from the saloon or the fwd stateroom. Across from the head is a low cupboard/shelf. The fwd stateroom has a door leading into a comfortable V-berth cabin with remarkable storage via a hanging locker and set of drawers. There is access to the chain locker forward.
Domestic Equipment
- Heat: Lofoten Heater/Stove by Dickenson diesel
- Water: Pressurized h/c
- Sink: Double stainless on centreline
- Fridge: Alder Barbour, top-loading
- Stove: Shipmate 3-burner propane with oven
- BBQ
- Toilets: Jabsco manual (both)
- Shower in fwd head
- Modern LED light fixtures throughout
Hull and Deck
- Solid, hand-laid, FRP laminate
- Raked stem and transom
- Long fin keel
- Deck and superstructure FRP laminate w balsa core
- Teak cap rail
- Hull and deck are in above average condition
- Non-skid deck surfacing
- 1” SS pushpit and pulpit
- 2 Alum hatches fwd, 1 companionway, 1 aft lazarette, 1 aft
- 8 cast-aluminum portlights
- 4 Aluminum framed glass windows in the salon
- 2 Alum framed glass windows in the aft cabin
- 4 Dorade boxes
- Outboard motor mount
- Canvas/vinyl dodger w cover and integral enclosure for centre cockpit, new in 2019
- Cockpit cushions
- Cockpit movable seat backs
Rigging & Sails
- Aluminum main mast w steps; keel stepped; double spreaders
- Aluminum mizzen mast w steps; deck stepped; single spreaders
- Aluminum booms
- Roller furler on forestay
- Stainless wire stays
Winches
- Deck: 2 x Barient 32 ST, 1 Barient 23 ST
- Main mast: 1 Barient 21, 1 Barient 22
- Mizzen mast: 2 x Barient 18
Sails
- Evolution Sails, new in 2016
- Main: Dacron, 3 reefs
- Foresail: 130% Dacron
- Mizzen: Dacron, 2 reefs
Propulsion, Tender & Ground Tackle
- Engine: 1981 Perkins
- Model: 4.154
- HP: 62
- Hours: 3998
- Hull speed: 8 Knots
- Cooling: Fresh water
- Propeller: 3-blade, bronze
- Engine alarm shutdown
- Full 400hr/12 month service performed in August of 2024
Tender
- Make/model: 9’ Davidson with sailing equipment
- Outboard: 2HP Mercury
Ground Tackle
- Windlass: Ideal with gypsy and capstan
- Anchor: CQR 45 lb
- Rode: 250’ of 3/8” chain + 175’ rope
- Secondary anchor: Fortress FX 37
- Rode: 6’ chain + 175’ rope
- 2 Anchor rollers
Tanks & Pumps
- Fresh water: 1 x 120 gal; 1 x 80 gal; both SS in keel
- Hot water tank
- Fuel: 80 gal, SS in keel
- Fuel: 5 gal SS for heater
- Holding: 35 gal, plastic
- Propane: 10 gal, alum, w regulator and 12VDC solenoid shut off
- Fresh water pump
- 1 Electric bilge pumps
- 1 Manual bilge pump
- Manual bilge pump
- Shower sump
- Macerator
Electrical
- DC: 12V
- 8 x 6VDC deep cycle
- 1 x 12VDC for windlass
- Alternator 65-amp, dual output
- 2 x 100-watt solar panels
- Solar controller
- 120VAC 20-amp charger
- AC: 120V, 30-amp
- 1800-watt inverter
- 50’ 30-amp power cord w Smart Plug
Navigation and Instruments
- Destroyer wheel, on pedestal, cable to quadrant
- Forward-facing nav table and seat
- Radar: Raymarine 24-mile Raydome
- Chartplotter/GPS: Raymarine C90
- Depth: Raytheon ST60
- Wind: Tacktick Mn 100-Z
- VHF: ICOM IC-M504
- Compass: 6” Danforth
Safety
- Engine alarm shutdown
- LPG detector w solenoid shut off
- Smoke alarm
- CO alarm - to be installed
- Fire extinguishers
- Flares
- Life ring
- Life sling
- Buoyant heaving line
- Reboarding ladder
- Thru-hull plugs
- Spreader lights
- Radar reflector
- First aid kit
