1980 Custom Davidson 44

This 1980 Custom Davidson 44 is a fiberglass ocean racing yacht designed by Laurie Davidson, a New Zealand designer known for fast, capable racing craft. The boat combines racing performance with cruiser comfort, featuring a balanced helm, strong windward ability, and a spacious cockpit suited to both competitive sailing and extended passages.

Below deck, the yacht offers two cabins and one head, with roomy accommodations that support extended cruising. The layout balances living space with the performance requirements of an IOR-era racer. The deck is cored fiberglass with a molded deck house, non-skid surfaces, and anodized aluminum toe-rails.

The hull structure incorporates a galvanized steel grid fitted longitudinally to an external lead keel bolted to the hull, with reinforced bulkheads bonded and tabbed throughout. A single 39-horsepower Volvo diesel engine powers the yacht, with cruising speed around 7 knots and maximum speed of 8.5 knots. The boat was refit for racing in 2018 and remains ready for ocean racing and cruising.