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Taylor 44' Daysailor

Concept: ‘Spirit of Tradition’ daysailor.

High performance, handsome aesthetics, a comfortable cockpit, and ample stability are all priorities in this new design. She will be day cruised and singlehanded routinely, but not often taken offshore or on extended cruises, so her interior is functional and attractive, but not extensive. Above the waterline, the long, graceful overhangs, sweeping sheer, and small counter stern all reflect a classic style. At the same time, below the waterline and aloft, the focus is on contemporary performance, with hull, appendage, and rig detailing that is state of the art.

Construction: Cold molded wood over foam cores

The hull shell is a light weight, high tech ‘wood sandwich’. The inside and outside skins are both carefully optimized laminates of epoxy resins and Western Red Cedar veneers, bonded to a core of 3/4” CoreCell foam, and reinforced with ‘E-glass’ cloth and unidirectionals. The stem is solid cedar, the stem knuckle is heavily reinforced with additional ‘E-glass’ and wood veneers. The keel loads are supported and distributed by integrated keel floors and longitudinals, all bonded to structural bulkheads and berth faces. The composite chainplates are fabricated of unidirectional carbon fiber, bonded to a locally reinforced area of the inner skin. The deck is a similar cold molded wood laminate over varying thicknesses of CoreCell foam, overlayed with teak. The skins are reinforced and higher density core is used in way of all deck hardware. All of the laminations are vacuum-bagged and post-cured to an elevated temperature that is carefully monitored via thermo-couples and controlled by computer. Methodical weight control is a high priority throughout, with all components carefully and individually weighed before assembly.

Noteworthy Details:

Light weight construction allows a high ballast/displacement ratio, and combined with a carbon rig, it provides ample stability to support a generous sailplan. A self-tacking jib, a ‘socked’ asymmetrical spinnaker, and modern, sophisticated deck hardware (including an electric main halyard winch) allow a shorthanded crew to handle this big power with ease confidence. The jib furler and backstay adjuster are both located below to keep the deck clear and the look clean. Her long ends give her unusually large gear locker volume and deck area. She is intended primarily as a daysailor, so the focus is on an especially roomy and comfortable cockpit. Her 6ft headroom is higher than typical for boat with her intended use. Her interior is simple, practical, and attractive, and finished in a classic ‘Herreshoff’ style with cherry brightwork.

Design Comments:

Long sailing length and narrow beam will give this design a meter boat feel, with low drag and an especially comfortable motion in a seaway. Her low wetted area and large rig reflect her emphasis on rewarding performance in light air New England. Her deep, high aspect ratio appendages feature ample profile area, to provide a ‘user friendly’ groove even when downspeed or in sloppy sea conditions. Her unusual combination of classic style with contemporary performance will set her apart from (and usually far ahead of!) everything else on the water.

Photos