Hello Steve,

I rarely check in here anymore so I just happened to notice your question. I am not really sure how to answer your question. I know that several 44's have done circumnavigations, and I was actually aboard one which had, and was surprised how pristine that boat looked. I have also heard of one that has done a number of trans-Atlantics and held up well. On the other hand, these are getting a little long in the tooth. I don't know what a real lifespan would be for a boat like the J-44. They were more heavily built than the purer J-Boat race boats. I would think that they would need a careful survey and perhaps some budget set aside for replacement of the normal 30 year old blues.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

You may not remember me. I'm Steve P and we used to discuss boats on-line and met at a CWBB party.

I've read with interest a number of your posts in various places.

I'm just now getting around to getting my captains license and considering getting a larger boat for the business. The J44 is on the top of my list and I noticed you expressed a liking for these boats.

Some things about J boats like the bolt and adhesive hull deck joint rather than a laminated joint worry me.

There's also the stories of rudders breaking and keels falling off.

Do you think there's any concern about the long term lifespan of a boat built like the J44? It's got a Category + A1 offshore rating.

Anyway, hope this finds you well. I've been getting out sailing but not really going anywhere.

Steve Purcell
steve.purcell.k at gmail