© Walter Cooper

BOTY-Beneteau 44.7

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Beneteau, one of the world's biggest
boatbuilders, and Farr Yacht Design, one of the world's most successful
racing design offices, make a formidable team. Their latest
collaboration, the Beneteau First 44.7, is a prime example of what two
such powerhouses can produce. Using feedback from owners of the First
40.7 and not bound in any way by the IMS rule, the 44.7 will speak to
those who appreciate how well Beneteau can build a boat and Farr can
design. Those who have sailed or owned a Beneteau will feel right at
home on the First 44.7, as will those who have experience sailing Farr
designs. The boat is comfortable to the point of opulence below, and
the sailing qualities are exemplary.   With three versions
of the First 44.7 available (Standard, with a two-spreader aluminum rig
and wire rigging; Race 1, a tapered rig with three spreaders and Dyform
rigging, and Race 2; a three-spreader carbon rig with rod rigging), it
should be no problem choosing the right setup for your needs. The 44.7
is, pound-for-pound, more powerful and stiffer than the 40.7 and
provides plenty of grunt in all three configurations, even in the light
stuff we sailed in off Annapolis. Unlike the 40.7, the 44.7
has an enclosed transom, but under the shaped helmsman's seat is the
well-thought-out stowage for liferafts. The large diameter Lewmar
Y-spoke wheel is sunk into the deck and placed so that nearly every
position the helmsman might use is accommodated. Surrounding the
cockpit are aluminum Lewmar winches; the latest in lightweight
technology. The mainsheet is led, grand-prix style, along the decks and
back to the trimmer, whose position is close to both winches and
helmsman. The traveler runs across the cockpit immediately forward of
the wheel, in as unobtrusive a place as possible, and the sheet lead
from the boom is exactly perpendicular to the traveler, something we
didn't see on all the boats we sailed. Any objections about
buying a performance sailboat and sacrificing comfort will be laid to
rest at first glance below. Thanks to the long, low deckhouse, there's
headroom aplenty, topping out at an impressive 6'9" in the aft head and
6'8" in the main cabin. Two staterooms sit port and starboard under the
cockpit, and immediately forward of the port stateroom is a head, which
is across from the L-shaped galley. The nav station is located to port
at the center of the boat, across from a C-shaped couch/settee. The nav
station couldn't be in a better place for offshore racing; away from
wind and water, close to the center of effort, and facing the only
direction a nav station should face: forward. There's plenty of room
for nav displays and even a storage area with cubbyholes for books,
signal flags, and binoculars. The use of light-colored wood
throughout makes the interior of the 44.7 seem even larger than it is,
and even if the weather is terrible outside, it'll be no hardship to
spend time down below. The majority of the keelbolts and the lowest
part of the bilge are directly underneath a settee bench that faces the
large dinette table and sits on centerline. Keelbolt and bilge
inspections are easily done by lifting the lever-action seat and moving
it to port. All fuel and water tanks are on centerline, and all
bulkheads bonded 360 degrees to hull and deck for structural strength.
An available option we thought was a great idea for some sailors was an
empty forepeak, which will reduce weight in the bow and be ideal for
sail stowage. It's easy to tell that the 44.7 was designed
with input from owners of previous Beneteaus; access to the engine was
among the best we've ever seen. Two gas pistons lift the companionway
stairs assembly and reveal an engine with a large shroud covering belts
and other moving parts. The water pump faces forward, which allows for
the impeller to be changed out without removing the entire unit. Access
to all the engine filters is also excellent. The standard engine is a
40 hp. Volvo 2040 powering a sail drive unit; the optional engine is a
55 hp. Volvo D255. Engine noise below was negligible, which means that
the off watch will be able to sleep even during battery-charging
sessions. The 44.7's hull is solid fiberglass with a
laminated structural hull liner for load bearing and distribution. The
deck is fiberglass sandwich with a balsa core and unidirectional weave.
The overall quality of the wood and glasswork below is excellent,
reflecting the experience of the boatbuilders in Beneteau's assembly
plant in France, where the 44.7 will be built exclusively. Meade
Gougeon, our epoxy expert, was impressed that the ends of all wood
floorboards and panels were sealed, which means they won't absorb
water, swell, and not fit where they belong. We sailed the
44.7 in a light but steady breeze with a total of six crew. In 8 knots
of breeze, we sailed an easy 7.4 knots upwind with two-fingers on the
wheel. The cockpit was easy to work in, with the pitman's position
especially well set up. The main has a large roach, and but a quick
shake of the backstay gets the leech free if it gets hang up on the
backstay. The solid vang is Navtec and its controls lead aft from the
rig alongside the halyards and topping lift. The unobtrusive deckhouse
provides a wide platform for crewwork, as does the wide bow. The molded
nonskid throughout provides good traction. The only quibble we had was
that the toe rail extends the length of the boat, but an available
option is a toerail that's 5/8" lower. The 44.7 has a Chesapeake Bay
PHRF rating of 44, and we have a feeling that-especially with the
two-spreader aluminum rig-the boat will rate well in IRC as well.