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Old 26-10-2007, 17:52   #1
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What's Wrong (or Right) with Dean 441 ?

I've been doing research on numerous Cat's in the 38' to 47' range.

I understand that there are many boats and everything is a compromise?

Purpose would be full time live aboard (2-3 Adults) for world cruising, but mostly in mild/moderate climate. Desire is for a lot of solar/wind production. Want a lot of amenities (fridge/freezer/water maker/wash/dryer, electronics/ etc.). Interested in being green and staying out of marina's as much as possible. Speed is a factor as well. Don't plan on sailing all the time, but I hate being slowest or last to arrive at anything. I don't want to sail a 'pig' just b/c it is comfy.


What are the negatives about the Dean 441?
My list of negatives:
Heavy?
Lack of hard cover over cockpit
Lack of large solar production from the factory.

What are your thoughts?

EDIT: Dean Catamarans
Is that interior as good as it looks in person?

Chris
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Old 26-10-2007, 18:40   #2
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I like the 441 a lot. It has many advantages for a cruising boat, not the least of which is that they are willing to do some customization of the interior for you (within limits, of course). The sail plan is pretty good for the displacement, better than most of the competition in the price range. I imagine it is seakindly boat. The raked mast should help counter some of the windage for pointing ability and it has good bridgedeck clearance.

I actually view the targo type cockpit with the soft panels on the side as a positive. They let you get sun if you want, yet enclose nicely, too. Plus, they let you take off some of the windage from the aft if you want to button up the boat for a blow. The hardtops won't let you do that. If you want more solar, you can always add it.

The downsides, for us, were two: the very small tramps and sloped foredeck limit the lounging ability when at anchor or sailing on a nice day (yes, I love to nap on the tramps while someone else is on watch). The price -- a bit outside of our range.

For me, yes, the interior does look as nice in person as in the photos.


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Old 26-10-2007, 19:09   #3
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The hard bimini does add irreversable windage. Soft tops do wear out yet are removable when you need them to be. As a Florida sailor, I've been struggling with bimini design for a year now. Adding a hard top is permanent and I love this. However, when the next hurricane comes through these parts of the world, it's exactly what you don't want to have up there.

I think the Dean design is a good compromise.
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Old 27-10-2007, 06:06   #4
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My knowledge of this boat is restricted to spending a few minutes aboard the example at the Annapolis show recently.

I first went below and remarked that it seems bigger than a 44 foot cat. Then I toured the deck and discovered why, building upon ID's observation:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Intentional Drifter View Post
the very small tramps and sloped foredeck limit the lounging ability when at anchor or sailing on a nice day
The bridgedeck extends pretty far to the ends. There isn't much left over for tramp space. Aside from tramp lounging space, this means to me that the weight of the boat is likewise distributed fore and aft a bit away from the center, where you want it in a cat. Just another one of those compromises.

I thought the interior finish was very nice. A lot of woodwork that was well done. Not on a par with Privilege, but better than Lagoon, IMHO.

Dave
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Old 27-10-2007, 08:32   #5
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Other possible negatives:
Rear facing Nav station
How is view from saloon to horizon 360 deg?
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Old 04-11-2007, 14:05   #6
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A spacious cat good for a charter but not for a world cruise unless you want to go around in 5 years time. she is poorly designed with dangerous sloped decks and far to much weight . I have seen her sail at the La Rochelle boat show with 10 knots of wind and noticed she was hardly moving.
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Old 11-12-2011, 07:33   #7
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Re: What's wrong with Dean 441? (or right)

Hi, I'm Corinne, owner of a Dean 441 built and launched in Cap Town, South Africa, on 10 February 2009. I still leave aboard actually in Nosy Be, Madagascar.
I felt in love with this boat the first time I visited it. It's a really nice and confortable boat, like a home, with everything, even washmachine & dryer ! Really like a home.
But the boat is more heavy than it was expected by the builder himself : about 16 T at all. So you can imagine how slow it is, I never sailed more than 10 knots speed ! The draft is also 1.70m as it should be 1.10m. It's really bad as you sail in tropics areas with reef around the coasts especially for a catamaran expecting to approach the coasts.
But the more important thing to know is that Dean Catamarans missed the Dean 441 boat. They tried new materials in building, and they did mistakes. Peter Dean Jr himself said 18 Dean 441 can have structural problems, from 441 44 to 441 61.
Only 6 Dean 441 for now have structural problems or are broken, some unseaworthsly !
But all the other boats from number 44 to number 61 can have also problems later.
So everybody has to be very carefull.
So if you want some more informations, let's go to my web site
Best, Corinne
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