Jeanneau 44DS Ride and Swing

[wanetalake]

Buying a yacht is a gut wrenching experience! We were all set on the 44DS until a respected author, cruiser, and delivery skipper exclaimed "That was the worst delivery I have ever had, bounced over the waves, and swung 140 degrees at anchor, I swore all the boats in the anchorage were leaving in a hurry until i realized it was just my 44 swinging!".    Does anyone have any real life experience in this great yacht?  I know its not a full keel, tight V shape hull, but it cant be that bad up wind!
Should I pass on the 44DS and buy an older 54DS?

[so36idavid]

I would take reviews like this with a pinch of salt. Can you find a sister-boat and take it out for a test sail? Make up your own mind. 

Any boat with a modern underbody, plumb bow and a roller furler is going to sail around at anchor. So that describes pretty much all modern cruising boats. If it bothers you then add windage to the stern. Either deploy a riding sail or do what many people do which is pile a bunch of stuff on the stern like biminis, radomes, davits, arches, solar panels etc. .  

[alenka]

Was this a proper magazine article you read or just anecdotal comments from someone who claimed to have read a review.  The world is full of people who will tell you that "you don't want one of those yachts, you should be buying one of these".

Personally, I have always thought magazine reviews tended to err on the kind side, so as not to upset manufacturers who tend to spend advertising revenue with them.
 
Sorry, I cannot offer any first hand experience on the 44DS. I have sailed the 41DS and didn't find any problems on anchor or mooring buoys.

Our own 43DS once swung her nose into a stiff wind and laid us beam on to a unpleasant 1m swell which, in that huge aft bed, had us rolling from side to side, but that was only 1 night in four years of summer cruising.

[wanetalake]

It was word of mouth as I spoke with her at a boat show. Nothing in writing.  So as so36idavid said, maybe a pinch of salt.  I have never read anything bad, but as you said most written reviews seem to be kind.  I just didn't know if the Hard Chine hull, and wide aft would make some drastic difference on the 44DS.  This hull design seems to be in all the new Jeanneau Deck Saloons.

[hoppy]

I suspect that it wouldn't matter which relatively modern Jeanneau, Beneteau, Bavaria, Hanse etc.. this "respected author, cruiser, and delivery skipper" would sail on, he would have the same opinion of those boats as well. Those kind of people will tell you that you need a full keel or at least a long keel and skeg hung rudder if you want to sail "bluewater".

In conditions where there is a steep chop, our boats will bounce over the waves rather than cutting through them. This will be more uncomfortable but it can be dryer, as we can hide under the spray hood from the water kicked up from the splash down, whilst the heavier "bluewater cruiser" will have a smoother ride cutting through the chop at the cost of waves going over the deck. On the odd occasion the wave breaks over my deck, a lot of water comes under my spray hood.

As for the swinging at anchor, most fin keel boat swing a lot at anchor. Mine does a big arc in heavy winds but a 140 degrees swing is an over exaggeration I think. Based on many, many nights at anchor in winds of 30 to 55 knots and observing the track on my GPS, I would say that my SO40 swings an arc of 75 to 90 degrees relative to my anchor. It feels like it is a lot more of a swing because at the ends of the arc the boat pivots to face more where it is going back to rather than facing the anchor. So relative to the compass it might swing 140. It's a bit disconcerting at first, but you get used to it.

[alenka]

I am reminded of a strange incident a few years ago when I chartered a Dufour 325.

We were on anchor in a small cove with around half a dozen other boats when a very brisk breeze came out of nowhere. As the other boats all duly lined up, nose into wind, the Dufours bow actually fell off the wind and she promptly put her stern to the wind.
At first I though the anchor chain must be caught on the keel but this did not appear to be the case.
Our neighbours were equally confused as to why we were pointing 180 degrees out to everyone else in a 25kt wind.
Still cannot resolve in my mind why this happened.

Have you thought of chartering a 44DS for a weekend prior to making your mind up?

[hoppy]

Feb 21, 2017 8:30:04 GMT alenka said:

I am reminded of a strange incident a few years ago when I chartered a Dufour 325.

We were on anchor in a small cove with around half a dozen other boats when a very brisk breeze came out of nowhere. As the other boats all duly lined up, nose into wind, the Dufours bow actually fell off the wind and she promptly put her stern to the wind.
At first I though the anchor chain must be caught on the keel but this did not appear to be the case.
Our neighbours were equally confused as to why we were pointing 180 degrees out to everyone else in a 25kt wind.
Still cannot resolve in my mind why this happened.

Have you thought of chartering a 44DS for a weekend prior to making your mind up?

Was this at Lakka on Paxos by any chance?

There is a part of the bay where the a strong prevailing wind will swirl around the hill and cause boats (often just 1 even when crowded) to face 180 degrees to every other boat either side of it. I was that boat once and it kind of creeped me out so I moved.

[alenka]

No. It was in a small bay half way down between Fiskardo and Sami.

[dbostrom]

I have to think that a bit of swing is little or no cost for the ability to turn on a dime while docking, with practically no way on, etc. Our 39i turns like a champ forward with practically zero speed and with just a skosh of movement does nicely backward as well. Meanwhile, there's the alternative: loads of momentum but no control. Itinerant, amateur sailors (me) find little difficulty with which fork in the path to follow. Falling off too easily? Thruster in front, throttle blip in back. All completely anti-Pardey and heretical but I don't care. Of course this is a matter for religious fervor, like the shape of bicycle handlebars and other "it depends" choices but one can be an atheist. 

[vasko]

If the question is between 44ds and 54ds it is no brainer from my point of view 54ds it is...

[Spritz]

I have a 42 DS..... I love it!

[ianpowolny]

Guys,

Correct me if I'm wrong here but is the 44DS hull really different from the 45DS? If not then upwind problems could be down to old sails. We change the sails two seasons ago and what a difference that made to upwind sailing. Wish we'd had the new sails before we crossed Biscay!!! We haven't had any problems at anchor.

Ian

[rc sail]

wanetalake,
I have a 2015 44 ds on Lake Michigan USA. Have had a couple motoring rides upwind with 4-5 foot waves/swells and
the motor ride was ok. Would hit an occasional wave hard but boat would cut thru or ride over most of waves.
With waves abeam and motoring the boat can get rocking/tippy, I think in part to the hard chime on aft of hull.
If sailing abeam the ride is much smoother. I have not yet had a reason to anchor in windage so can't comment on anchor swing. I moved up from a 39ds and the 39 would swing a bit at anchor. I found a little out with main sail would reduce the
swing. We have been most happy with the 44ds and the admiral loves the aft cabin and berth as well as her aft
master head. We have the 3 cabin model and use the mid cabin(with the bunk berths) as a storage locker. About the
complaint we have is the small size of bins, drawers, cabinets at the galley. I think the comments to charter for
a day/week are worth noting and would be a good test for your fit if you have opportunity to do so. Most happy to
answer questions or provide more detail. Best to you on your boat purchase
RC