1981 44 Feet Frers and Cibils F&C44 for sale in StGeorge's, Grenada-

F & C 44

German Frers Ocean Cruiser

(From Robert Perry, NA - Collected Reviews Vol. II)

German Frers has built his reputation designing large IOR racing yachts. I am sure that there have been several cruising yachts from Frers, but the F & C 44 is the first to reach my attention. When it comes to clean, unaffected good looks, it’s hard to beat German Frers. I can say with confidence that some of the most beautiful yachts I have ever seen were Frers designs. I am further attracted to this design because it is precisely the type of design that professionally involves my own office. The F & C 44 is a fast cruising yacht.

Students of yacht design should take out their straight edges and lay them along the sheer of the “44". What initially appeared to be a straight sheerline now shows about 7 ½" of spring located directly under the third window aft. I think Frers is the master of the almost straight sheerline. It is a misconception that the straight sheer is easy to draw. In fact, it requires a highly tuned eye to avoid hard lines in the ends. The plan view of this design shows marked tumblehome. I assure you this has nothing to do with racing rules but simply is a way to add shape to the topsides and avoid any slab sided-ness.

The bow is quite fine for a cruising yacht, but the extended forward overhang should keep the foredeck dry. Note that the stern has been drawn in more than most other cruising yachts. Note also that it carries more overhang aft than most. If the stern were cut off 18 inches farther forward, the beam at the stern would look more in line, but at the same time I would like to see more beam aft. The narrow stern of the 44 looks very delicate and graceful, but this is an area where the prettiest solution is not always the fastest. The currently popular transoms with almost chines at the shoulders are far from delicate in appearance but they are powerful. You can assume when I use the term “power”that I am referring to the addition of sailing length and stability. Although I do have my criticisms of this design please keep in mind that ths F & C 44 was my favourite boat at the recent Annapolis boat show.

Take the time to also study the underwater profile. Note the relatively deep canoe body or fairbody. This indicates a rather V shaped section amidships. This allows the cabin sole to be placed low and lead to a low and pleasing profile. Frers has extended this profile line aft into a pronounced bustle then elevated the profile line to produce a beautifully balanced overhanging stern. There are many more simple ways to achieve similar results but the alternatives would lack the aesthetic fineness that this design shows. Note the proportion of rudder to skeg. (I am pleased to say that this resembles most of my own designs and if Frers does it I must be on the right track.) Frers is one designer who has used a skeg extensively in his racing yachts, even when other designers went to pure spades. The short and shoal keel is augmented by a centerboard for weatherliness. Obviously, it is difficult to do justice to this design without a set of lines, but I have done my best. For you numbers collectors, the displacement to length ratio of this design is approximately 278. I did not have the exact waterline length to work from so I scaled the drawing.

Many a designer has destroyed the effect of his hull lines with an ugly deck structure, but I am pleased to say the understated lines of the F & C cabin trunk do not derogate the hull at all. I find it hard to believe that there is full headroom throughout this design, but I have used my dividers in areas and it looks as though the designer has managed to retain the headroom despite the low profile forward. Note that there are twin companionways. This allows for privacy in the aft cabin while providing access to the rest of the interior.

Further study of the deck layout shows Frers’ racing background. The side decks are wide for ease of sail handling, but if you follow the faint broken line of the cabin edge on the accommodation plan, you will see the price you pay for wide side decks. Virtually two-thirds of the galley is tucked under the side deck and this solution is less than optimum in terms of access to galley components.

Notice that the manner in which a low combing has been carried forward on top of the cabin trunk will help create the feeling of a much larger cockpit than actually exists. The narrow beam in the stern does begin to crowd the cockpit area, but you could easily argue that a wider cockpit would be too spacious for bracing oneself when the yacht is heeled. Note the flush anchor well forward and the “sissy bars” adjacent to the forward companionway.

The F & C 44 is available with two interiors. One is quite novel but has the distinct disadvantage of having a spiral companionway. This would be tough to negotiate when heeled. The rest of the interior is cleverly laid out with a large U-shaped dinette tucked under the bridgedeck with convenient quarter berths outboard. The other interior is much more conventional and included two heads and an owner’s stateroom aft. Considering the modest displacement of 21,400 pounds, the F & C offers two very comfortable interior options. The majority of interior trim is Viraro laced marine plywood and solid Viraro trim.

The auxiliary is a Perkins 4-108 driving a Volvo Flygmotor hydraulic transmission. Hydraulic transmissions are the designer’s dream. However, there are some catches. I know of few owners of hydraulic drives that have not had some trouble with their system. I am one of the unlucky ones myself. It will be quite a while before I specify hydraulic drives again.

The hull of the 44 is built by Cibils in Buenos Aires, Argentina in hand laid up fibreglass including unidirectional roving over an Arex core. This is certainly the deluxe way to go. The keel is external lead. Again, external lead increases the cost of the vessel but I think it is well worth it. The centerboard is fibreglass over an “epoxy/lead core”. It is safe to say that this yacht is finished to very high specifications.