TORTUGA, an excellent 44' Performance Cruising Catamaran.

The 2000 St. Francis 44 MKII is a highly regarded performance cruising catamaran designed by renowned naval architect Angelo Lavranos and built by St. Francis Marine of South Africa, a builder long associated with capable offshore multihulls. Designed from the outset as a true sailing catamaran rather than simply a spacious platform, the St. Francis 44 combines strong construction, efficient sailing performance, comfortable accommodations, and the reassuring redundancy that experienced cruising sailors value in a passage making catamaran.

Construction is substantial, with solid fiberglass below the waterline and a vinylester-resin/Corecell foam sandwich structure above, creating a hull that is both strong and comparatively light. The design earned an early reputation for performance when a St. Francis 44 won the 1994 Cape-to-Rio Race, demonstrating the model's ability to combine offshore capability with genuine sailing speed.

For the MKII generation, St. Francis refined the original design with increased bridgedeck clearance and improved interior headroom, making the boat better suited to extended cruising while retaining the balanced sailing characteristics for which the design became known. The result is a catamaran capable of covering serious offshore miles while providing the space, stability and comfort that make multihull cruising so appealing.

For a West Coast buyer, the St. Francis 44 offers an especially attractive combination of attributes. Her easily driven hulls and sailing performance are well suited to the dependable winds of San Francisco Bay, while her protected accommodations, generous deck space and cruising systems make her equally appropriate for coastal passages to Southern California, Mexico and beyond. For sailors contemplating extended cruising or a Pacific passage, the St. Francis 44 MKII represents a proven platform with the construction, sailing pedigree and living space to make ambitious cruising plans genuinely practical.