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Bluewater Sailboat – Kelly Peterson 44

Also called: peterson 44, kp44.

The Kelly Peterson 44 Bluewater sail-boat, designed by Doug Peterson and yacht broker Jack Kelly, was well ahead of its time when it debuted in 1975.

As long-distance centre-cockpit cruiser, she has earned a reputation for speedy passages; 180-mile days are not unheard of, and the boat performs well in all wind conditions and points of sail.

Today, the Kelly Peterson 44 is considered a classic design, and Peterson sailboats can be seen in locations all over the world, especially in the South Pacific. Many have circumnavigated the globe.

• Designer: Doug Peterson
• Builder: Yu Ching Marine, Taiwan
• Numbers Built: over 200, over 600 if including unauthorised copies
• LOA: 43′ 10″
• LWL: 38′ 8″
• Beam: 12’11”
• Draft 6′ 4″
• Displacement: 30,000 lbs.
• Year First Hull Built: 1976
• Year Last Hull Built: 1983
• Ballast: 10,000 lbs. (iron encapsulated)
• Sail Area: 1,011 sq.ft.
• Fuel: 117 US Gal.
• Water: 132 US Gal.
• Engine: 62-hp Perkins 4-152 Diesel
• Bridge Clearance: 60′

The Pioneer Years

The legend goes that Jack Kelly, a yacht broker from San Diego, approached well-known racing yacht designer Doug Peterson in search of his perfect cruising boat. The vessel Peterson designed for Kelly started a story, not unlike many others in the cruising boat industry. It echoes the tales behind the Valiant 40 and Alajuela 38, for example. According to the plan, ten boats were to be built, nine sold, and the last one kept for Kelly to sail away on his journey. But a couple of hundred hulls later, Kelly was still in the boat-building business and had yet to set sail.

• 1975-1983

Kelly’s boats were built by the Taiwanese yard Yu Ching Marine located in Kaohsiung. Between 1975 and 1983, they built over 200 boats. These vessels were then outfitted in the United States or wherever they were shipped. Kelly also built an extended version of his original design, called the Kelly Peterson 46. These were manufactured between 1980 and 1990 by another yard, Queen Long Marine.

• 1979-1986

From 1979 to 1986, another Taiwanese yard called Formosa Yachts produced an extended version called Formosa 46. Eventually, this series of boats became known as the “Cheaterson” boats among the cruising community. In May 1987, Sea Magazine reported that Kelly had run into quality issues while building his original molds and had them destroyed. He then found another company to construct a second set. However, during this time, the line drawings were stolen. In the months that followed, two boats from Taiwan that bore a striking resemblance to the Kelly Peterson 44 appeared on the U.S. market.

• Building the 46s & 44s

At this point, the facts surrounding the boats become sketchy. Some say that the original builder, Yu-Ching, built an additional 400 hulls (though we are dubious about this figure). It’s likely that Queen Long and Formosa, who built the 46s, also built some 44s. And rumors abound that other Taiwanese yards got in on the act of building the 44s and 46s. This was commonplace in the Taiwanese boatbuilding industry at the time, as they had a different understanding of Western intellectual property than we did.

There are many examples of the basic Peterson hull design being used with different interior designs, such as the Spindrift 46 and the Hillyer 46. There is an estimate of over 600 of these boats in existence, including both the genuine Kelly Petersons and the copies built by competing yards.

These Bluewater sailboats were built using thick layers of hand-laid fiberglass matt and roving, with polyester resin. The thickness of the hull ranges from nearly 1 inch at the bilges, tapering to 3/4 inches at the waterline and half an inch at the deck. The integral keel encapsulates 10,000 pounds of iron ballast, which is packed with concrete. The rudder consists of a stainless-steel frame, which is packed with plywood and sheathed in fiberglass. Some of these have been replaced over time after leaks developed and corroded the stainless steel.

The deck-to-hull joint is a lip-tongue arrangement with a wood brace inserted between the joint in some areas, then fiberglassed over. The wooden brace was screwed into a teak cap rail. Particularly where long bolts holding the genoa track to the top of the bulwark protrude through into the cabin, these areas are susceptible to leaks. Non-skid gelcoat was the standard finish for the plywood-cored decks, but teak decking was an optional addition on some of them.

Although it is generally known that the construction is sound, a story claims that Kelly Peterson ran aground on a reef in the South Pacific. Before departing, the boat was towed over a hundred feet across the reef. There are variations between boats with different destinations because the original Kelly Petersons were shipped without rigs and then set up where they were delivered. The rigging and spars on Californian boats were typically LeFiell.

The construction details of the Formosa and boats from other yards may be very dissimilar from those of Kelly yachts. When Kelly’s American overseer in Taiwan found construction flaws, they were fixed when the yachts were delivered to California, and Kelly then gave the boatyard instructions on how to fix the issues in future vessels. Genuine Kelly Peterson boats command higher market prices, but current boat owners agree that use and maintenance are more responsible for their condition than the quality of the original manufacturer.

With the saloon included, the three-cabin layout down below is practical for both cruising and living aboard. Due to the three large hatches and twelve portlights, the interior is light and well-ventilated. A vee berth in the forward cabin has ample standing room, and it shares an enclosed head with a shower in the back. The saloon is a spacious, light room with a straight sofa to starboard. The main cabin dinette across from it has a two-position table that can be converted into an additional double berth. The keel-stepped mast, which is centered in the saloon, provides a secure handhold when at sea.

A well-equipped U-shaped galley with large-capacity refrigeration and a gimballed stove can be found at the port and is made possible by the offset companionway hatch. The double stainless steel sink fits well on any tack and is close to the centreline. A full-sized, sit-down chart table and electrical switch panel are located on the starboard of the galley. There is an interior passageway leading to the aft cabin on starboard that gives access to a sizable engine room that occupies the remainder of the midship beam, despite the fact that some have described it as a crawl space due to the lack of headroom. A full double berth and a separate bathroom are included in the master stateroom’s back. An additional companionway leading from the cockpit provides access to the aft stateroom. The engine and bilge are very accessible. A few boats were equipped with an 80hp Ford Lehmans, while the majority had a 62hp Perkins 4-152 Diesel.

Performance

The Bluewater Sailboat Kelly Peterson 44 is well known for its ability to make quick passages, staying true to Doug Peterson’s reputation as a racing boat designer. The maximum hull speed is 8.3 knots, and owners claim that under ideal conditions, this is achievable on all points of sail. Days with 180 miles are very feasible. The feedback at the helm is surprisingly good despite the long rudder control lines that extend from her center cockpit. She is well-balanced. Even in a blow, it is fairly simple to single-hand the boat. Additionally, she moves comfortably at sea.

Quick guide

Search for leaks in freshwater tanks. Although other yachts have replaced the tanks, these can occasionally be repaired with epoxy. Additionally, look for signs of leaks in the iron diesel tanks. Check the chain and cable for steerage for signs of corrosion.

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Kelly peterson 44

The kelly peterson 44 is a 43.83ft cutter designed by d.peterson and built in fiberglass since 1976., 200 units have been built..

The Kelly peterson 44 is a moderate weight sailboat which is under powered. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is good. There is a good water supply range.

Kelly peterson 44 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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From Cruising World, November 1997

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• Sailboat Guide

1977 Kelly Peterson Kelly Peterson 44

• Description

Seller's Description

Our KP44 is a 1977 sloop with a Hood in-mast furling system. There is a removable staysail as well. She is a well found boat for her age. The electrical has been re placed to ABYC standards including a new AC and DC panels as well as a new Charger/Inverter. The Engine has had its raw water pump replaced in 2020. The engine has been maintained and runs well. The mainsail and genoa where made by Quantum and are in great condition. The interior cushions are new as well as the cockpit cushions. The Bimini and dodger are in good condition. The standing rigging was replaced in 2015. The reason for sell at the price listed is that the boat needs new running rigging, refrigeration compressor and some TLC on the interior. This is a great opportunity for someone to get a great boat that would not take much sweat equity to get her back to cruising standards.

Equipment: Sails-Quantum 2 - Harken 2 speed electric primary winches Speed & Deep transducer Radar- Raytheon Autopilot- Simrad/Robertson Engine-Perkins 4154 (1700 hr) Charger/Inverter-Xantrex Freedom New standing rigging New Interior/Exterior Cushions

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

A collaboration between designer Doug Peterson and yacht broker Jack Kelly birthed the Kelly Peterson 44, she was quite ahead of her time at her introduction in 1975. A long distance center-cockpit cruiser by design, she has earned a reputation for speedy passages. 180 miles days are not uncommon, with useful performance coming in all wind conditions and points of sail.

Today the design is a classic, Kelly Petersons have traveled far and wide and are often seen in far flung locations the world over, especially in the South Pacific. Many have circumnavigated.

Legend has it Jack Kelly, a San Diego yacht broker in search of his ultimate cruising boat, approached yacht designer Doug Peterson who at the time was already starting to make his mark on the racing scene. The boat he drew for Kelly kicked off a narrative, not all that uncommon in the cruising boat industry. It reminds us of the tales behind the Valiant 40 and the Alajuela 38 to name a couple. In this particular case the plan was to build ten boats, sell nine, keeping one to sail away. A couple of hundred hulls later, Kelly hadn’t left for his voyage but had a thriving boat building business instead.

Kelly’s boats were built by the Taiwanese yard Yu Ching Marine located in Kaohsiung, they built over 200 boats between 1975 and 1983. The boats were then outfitted in the United States or wherever they were shipped. Kelly also built an extended version which was called the Kelly Peterson 46 using another yard, Queen Long Marine, these were manufactured between 1980 and 1990.

Between 1979 and 1986 another Taiwanese yard called Formosa Yachts built an extended version called the Formosa 46, this string of boats eventually become known by the cruising community as “Cheaterson” boats. Digging deeper behind this story, Sea Magazine reported in May 1987 that Kelly had quality problems while building his original molds and had them destroyed, finding an alternative company to build a second set. During the interim the line drawings were stolen. In the months that followed two boats from Taiwan appeared on the U.S. market with a striking resemblance to the Kelly Peterson 44.

From here the facts surrounding the boats become sketchy, some say the original builder Yu Ching built an additional 400 hulls (though we are dubious about this figure). It’s likely that Queen Long and Formosa who built the 46s also built some 44s, and rumours abound that other Taiwanese yards got in on the act of building the 44s and 46s. Such was the case around the Taiwanese boatbuilding industry who had a unique interpretation to the Western concept of intellectual property.

Other examples of the basic Peterson hull design being matched with alternate interior designs were produced under names as Spindrift 46 and the Hillyer 46.

Between the 200 plus genuine Kelly Petersons and copies built by competing yards some estimates put the total of boats in excess of 600.

Configuration

Probably the most noticeable feature of the Kelly Peterson 44 is a near vertical transom, the boat was designed as a double ender with her transom lopped off, making for an abrupt finish to an otherwise pleasing shape. The bow has a fine entry with a moderate rake and the maximum beam is carried slightly aft of midships.

Below the waterline there’s a fin keel cutaway at the forefoot and aft which reduces her wetted surface, good for both light-air performance and a nimble turning radius. The keel has a relatively long run which helps the boat to track well. A full-size molded-in skeg supports the rudder and provides good protection during the occasional grounding. Protected also is the prop, mounted in an aperture between the skeg and the rudder.

One third of her light to moderate displacement of 30,000 pounds is encapsulated in her ballast slung low on her 6′ 4″ keel. This combined with her clean bow entry helps her produce a nice soft motion.

Above deck the on this center-cockpit boat is a low-profile cabin trunk which is both sleek and practical in that it aids a lower center of gravity. The cockpit is capaciously social with seating for 8 at a squeeze under anchor. The deck layout is good, with wide side decks bordered by 4” bulwarks and comfortingly high lifelines. There’s both bow and stern pulpits. A large cockpit locker provides for deck storage.

Designed for Californian conditions, the Kelly Peterson 44 is driven by a beefy twin spreader cutter rig carrying more than 1000 square feet of canvas, ample for a boat of this displacement. It’s also very manageable for a short-handed crew.

The mast rises 60 feet above the waterline, keel-stepped, with 3/8” cap shrouds, headstay and backstay. The mainsail sheeting line is on the end of the 17-foot boom, which keeps it out of the cockpit area. The original boats had large mainsails going to the end of the boom, which produced too much weather helm, subsequent boats trimmed the length of the foot 30 inches.

Down below there’s a useful three cabin layout (including the saloon) that serves well for both cruising and living aboard. The interior is bright and well ventilated from the three large hatches and twelve portlights. The forward cabin has a vee berth with full standing room and shares an enclosed head with shower aft. The saloon is a bright and open space featuring a straight settee to starboard. Opposite, the main cabin dinette to port has a two position table which converts to another double berth. Centered in the saloon, the keel stepped mast makes for a safe handhold when at sea.

The offset companionway hatch allows for a well-equipped U-shaped galley sited to port and has large capacity refrigeration and a gimbaled stove. The double stainless steel sink is close to the centerline and works well on any tack. Starboard of the galley is a full sized, sit down chart table and electrical switch panel.

Although described by some as a crawl space for the lack of headroom, there is an inside passageway to the aft cabin on starboard which provides access to a large engine room encompassing the remainder of the mid ships beam. The master stateroom aft includes a full double berth, and a private head. Additional access to the aft stateroom is offered through a second companionway from the cockpit.

Access to the bilge and engine is excellent. Most boats had a 62hp Perkins 4-152 Diesel while a few were fitted with a 80hp Ford Lehmans.

Construction

The boats were heavily constructed in hand-laid fiberglass matt and roving with polyester resin. Thicknesses range from nearly one inch at the bilges, tapering to 3/4 inches at the waterline and a half inch at the deck. The integral keel encapsulates 10,000 pounds of iron ballast packed with concrete. The rudder consists of a stainless-steel frame, packed with plywood and sheathed in fiberglass. Some of these have been replaced over time after leaks developed and corroded the stainless steel.

The deck-to-hull joint is a lip-tongue arrangement with a wood brace inserted between the joint in some areas, then fiberglassed over. A teak cap rail was screwed into the wood brace. This area can be prone to leaks, especially where long bolts holding the genoa track to the top of the bulwark protrude through into the cabin. The plywood-cored decks were finished in non-skid gelcoat as standard but some were optionally fitted with teak decking.

Overall construction is known to be solid, one story goes that a Kelly Peterson went aground on a reef in the South Pacific. The boat was pulled across the reef over a hundred feet before sailing away.

The original Kelly Petersons were shipped without rigs and then set up where they were delivered, so there’s variations between boats of differing destinations. The Californian boats usually had LeFiell spars and Navtec rigging.

The Formosa boats and those from other yards can have quite different construction details from the Kelly yachts. Kelly had an American overseer in Taiwan who reported construction problems to Kelly and these were repaired when the yachts were delivered to California and instructions then sent back to the yard to correct the problems in subsequent boats. Market prices reflect a higher price on the genuine Kelly Peterson boats, however today the consensus between owners is that the condition of their boats is more of a function of their use and upkeep than original manufacturer quality.

True to Doug Peterson’s reputation as a racing boat designer, the Kelly Peterson 44 is well known to make fast passages. The theoretical hull speed is 8.3 knots and owners report this is possible on all points of sail given the right conditions. 180 mile days are very attainable.

She is well balanced and despite long rudder control lines reaching from her centre cockpit, the feedback at the helm is surprisingly good. The boat is relatively easy to single hand, even in a blow. And importantly, her motion at sea is comfortable.

Buyers Notes

• The original chainplates developed crevice corrosion where they pass through the deck, it’s important that these have been replaced. Even if the chainplates have been replaced it’s worth double checking
• Verify that the rudder support inside the canoe stern (with the bronze rudder gland) is solid fibreglass and does not have a wood plug covered with a thin layer of fibreglass.
• The original rudder was built with stainless-steel frame, packed with plywood and sheathed in fiberglass. The stainless welds would invariably fail leading to leaks, make sure the rudder has been rebuilt.
• Check freshwater tanks for evidence of leaks. These can sometimes be repaired with epoxy but other yachts have replaced the tanks. Also check the iron diesel tanks for evidence of leaks.
• Check the chain and cable for steerage for signs of corrosion.

Links, References and Further Reading

» The official website of the Peterson Cutter Owner’s Group » The Kelly Peterson and Formosa owners mailing list hosted on Yahoo Groups. » Peterson 44 Review by Joe Minick, Cruising World Magazine, November 1997 » The Good-Old Peterson 44 – After 45,000 Miles by Jack Kimball, Blue Water Boats Magazine, May 1998 » Brilliant II, a Peterson 44 by Sharon Smallwood, Cruising Helmsman Magazine, July 2007 » Sea Esta, A Peterson 44 Can Get You Where You’re Going by Zuzana Prochazka, Latitudes and Attitudes Magazine, May 2005 » Sea Magazine a Kelly Peterson article by Peter Bohr, May 1987

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