BoatsNicholson 44

Nicholson 44

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1976

An extended Nicholson 42 featuring a modified deck molding that creates a convenient walk-through to the aft cabin

Designed by Camper, Nicholson & Raymond Wall.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Nicholson 44, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 37 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 37
CoastalBluewater

1.73 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.73
LightHeavy

403 — very heavy for her waterline, a serious load-carrying cruiser.

Displacement / length 403
EasygoingPowered-up

18.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.1

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Draws less than ~82% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2563 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Nicholson 44, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Nicholson 44 is a masthead sloop designed by Camper, Nicholson, and Raymond Wall, built by Camper, Nicholson Ltd. and Nicholsons from 1976 to the present. It is an extended version of the Nicholson 42, measuring 13.2 meters LOA with a 3.7-meter beam, 1.7-meter draft, and 10,160 kg displacement. A modified deck molding provides a walk-through passage between the main and aft cabins. Aboard *Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery*, a Nicholson 44 completed a 182-mile delivery from Falmouth to Gosport in 32 hours, maintaining steady progress despite a persistent swell.10:32 The crew performed maintenance including keel bolt replacement and mast re-stepping before departure.1:11 The boat consumed 80 liters of fuel, averaging 2.5 liters per hour, and demonstrated reliable performance under sail and engine.12:13

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.1
Displacement / length
402.9
Comfort ratio
37.2
Capsize screening
1.73
Hull speed
7.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1268
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1976
Units built
8
Designer
Camper, Nicholson, Raymond Wall
Builder
Camper, Nicholson Ltd, Nicholsons

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Swan 43 (S&S)13.04 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthDrawn for the RORC rule, this masthead sloop features a high ballast-to-displacement ratio for a stiff, stable ride
113. Pedro Millet, the silver medal that changed everything.4:07from A Son de Mar
Hallberg-Rassy 42 (Frers)13.22 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed masthead sloop built for blue-water cruising, featuring a stable fin keel and a 181-unit production run.
TEST: Pure 424:05from SEILmagasinet
Henri Wauquiez Amphitrite 4313.03 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA masthead ketch also marketed as the Palmer Johnson 43CR, offering a stable fin keel and skeg-hung rudder configuration
Is This The End? - The Brutal Reality of Sailing Solo Around The World0:06from Jakob Lang Sailing
Jeanneau Sun Magic 4413.34 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA high-volume charter veteran also marketed as the Atlantic 44, built for stable cruising with a 2.12-metre fin keel
We found our next houseboat in Newport, USA | Episode 82 - Chez Team5:25from Chez Team
Sweden Yachts 4213.25 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13.25-metre fractional sloop featuring a 2.1-metre bulb keel and a 40% ballast ratio for balanced offshore performance
Sweden Yachts 42 - An Atlantic crossing from Sint Maarten to UK as part of the ARC Europe 2025.9:00from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery
Hallberg-Rassy 40C13.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed center cockpit cruiser featuring a modern fractional rig and dual rudders for stable performance
SAILBOAT OF THE YEAR, the Ultimate Aluminum-Hulled Beast?38:51from Alluring Arctic

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Nicholson 42A 12.75-metre masthead sloop with a moderate 1.68-metre draft, balancing offshore capability with coastal accessibilityNicholson 43A Raymond Wall-designed masthead sloop with a high ballast ratio, built for offshore stability and performanceNicholson 45A 13-metre masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a deep 2.15-metre draft for offshore stabilityNicholson 48A heavy-displacement masthead ketch designed by Raymond Wall for comfortable, stable offshore passage makingNicholson 55A Raymond Wall-designed masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, famously commissioned by the Ministry of Defence

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The fleet has more to say

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