A Catamaran With A Difference: The Vision 444's Unique Design 

I’m not wheelchair bound, but I am mobility challenged. Something like this gives me hope.

The 444 truly is one of the best cats being built for a “reasonable” price in the 45’ range. The base boat is LOADED with options that other builders would charge extra for and its construction makes it pretty light so the smaller sail area isn’t really a problem at all. BTW also Cruising Worlds 2024 Multihull of the Year under 50’. Pretty sure there is an open slot of 2 before #38 (even though that is sold) and prices are lower I hear on the earlier slots as each slot is inflation adjusted. At the show #38 was $888k but earlier slots were under $800k

Did a short sail on this after being on a lagoon. The difference was stark. Im not a sailer by any stretch but even i could tell and feel how light and responsive whe felt under sail. It was an absolute pleasure. This boat has been on my short list ever since.

In the vision 444 promotional write up they mention that it is possible to remove engines through the hatches. 👍

The Vision 444 is my absolute favorite cat around 45 feet.

Very unique catamaran, disabled myself I can feel where one who is also, feel a sense of freedom when sailing. Live the head towels.

I really like your presentation. Your tour is informative and shows aspects that only an owner sailing team can present. I've followed your channel for a number of years and am very appreciative you share your life and experience with your audience.

I was able to tour Kon-Tiki at the boat show last fall. It was actually one of my favorites on display.

Another great review guys! This was one of my wife and I’s favourite boats at the show. I’m surprised Nick didn’t gush over the maintenance closets on this boat. There was great attention to detail with thru hull fittings and having everything located in one spot (per hull). Did you guys get a chance to look at the Catana OC50 by chance and can we expect a review of that boat??

I first watched you two when you were reviewing boats in search of RR2. While I prefer your adventure videos, you're still really good at reviews! Versatility is an asset!

The irony of poor visibility on a Vision branded yacht...

The engine does fit through the hatch. In fact it is installed that way, lowered through the hatch above. That is why that hatch is so large.

🏆The Vision 444 is my choice of the cats of this size. 👉The invisible strength in the 444 is the watertight compartmentalisation between the floor and hull. Also their Vinyl Ester Resin build is a high quality construction choice rarely offered by others. Not enough said about it IMO. I have little concern about a 'crash box' at he bow, but if one could be added as an option, I'm sure it would satisfy such worries. I like the boom-furling option best, and I would love to see the HH engine/power options made available for the Vision 444. I can also envision a simple, lightweight lowerable swim platform/ folding transom catwalk, with sliding poles built within the davits/coach roof posts on the transom! - a new custom option perhaps? I have heard no complaints about helm visibility from those who share videos of actual sailing on the 444, even through reef shallows, but would agree that a built-in step-up feature would be a satisfying add-on, especially when slow manoeuvring; - the more viz the better, no matter the vessel. I much prefer the _single_ raised helm position over the dual helm options offered elsewhere.

Love the reviews. Would appreciate more discussion about vessel construction i.e. core materials, bulkhead tabbing and construction. These are the things I worry about in production boats. FWIW, I toured this boat at the same show and came away very impressed.

FINALLY❤ A boat that is More practical than most and feels safer to move around for people that have difficulty with walking. Lots of very interesting things I love about this boat. Apparently the boat builders are quite open to discussing client's needs and can change smaller details etc. South African built.

The Vision 444 has been on our short list for a couple years. I never noticed the visibly issues from the helm. I've been on three of their hulls and thought visibility was great. I am 4" or so taller than Nick but my wife is the same height as Terysa. I'll have to get my wife's opinion at the next Annapolis show.

The engine in this boat is a Yanmar 3JH40 (40hp), but the standard engine is the Nanni N4.38 (38 HP). Both are paired with SD60 sail drives.

I really like this boat lots of room. I really like the lay out. The last bedroom i would make my master i think. Thanks for sharing this beautiful boat !

For the workshop, many wouldn’t be looking for a place to sit and work. In fact, most workshops I have been in (designed for wood and/or metal/ there wasn’t seating at the bench(es).

It is my belief that a contest should be started for fans of RR2 that people count how many times Nick uses the word "again" in a years worth of videos and some form of prize be awarded. If Nick were required to drop a dollar in a jar for Each "again". The prize could be substantial.❤

Nice review. Thank you for your comments.

So liked this review of the Vision 444. Great job and liked the comparison to RR2.

The boat tour channel.

I love the easy access on-boarding. I noted some of the newer poweboats meant for weekend jaunts have fold-down bulwarks to expand the deck footprint while at anchor. I think if the cockpit bulwark folded down entirely, as opposed to the flap, it would give better access. I don’t want to discount this excellent feature of this boat, but noting for future models. Also, I think that raised boom is significantly undercutting the sail area. The mainsail is your main engine, the diesel Yanmar that can’t easily be removed for service is just the kicker. Unless we like motor-sailing and adding hours to the engine unnecessarily, this seems short-sighted. I would rather see a smooth cabin top with excellent solar, an electric motor for a kicker, and as big a mainsail as I can get…almost to the point where the mast could move further forward, expand the cabin and cockpit, and use furlers and side decks for jib and genoa work. Most of your foresail is jib and genoa anyway, and the bowsprit is carrying the furlers, especially if this boat is geared to mobility, then electrified furlers will be installed anyway.

Yes, you can get a person with a wheelchair onto this boat. As someone who studies accessibility though, I would imagine living on board for a wheelchair-bound person would be very hard. They could sleep in the Saloon but how would they get down to any of the heads without being carried? I realize that a lot of people who use wheelchairs can walk short distances, but this is a boat floating and moving through the water. I am not sure if someone who uses a wheelchair can walk would they be strong enough and/or stable enough to do stairs that are moving with the ocean. Obviously, the width of the hull is wider for wheelchairs, but I still don’t see how they would be getting up and down, unless you guys just didn’t show a lift, or the lift was removed at some point? Looking at the side entry fold-down gate to get on the boat. It looks a bit wimpy to be holding the weight of a whole person and a wheelchair. Also, the latches to keep it closed were sticking up, which would make getting any wheelchair bigger than that of a small child almost impossible as the latches would be in the way of the wheels. The more I think about it, the more this boat would only be accessible for a small child who uses a wheelchair. That would mean no lifts to access the hulls. It would also explain why the stateroom on the port side looked more like an owner’s suite (like on RR2), and the starboard side although styled as an owner’s hull, looks more like a guest or wheelchair-bound child’s hull. The concept of a wheelchair-accessible catamaran is cool. This shows that it could be done, but this one is only partially accessible to an adult. To make it accessible for an adult things like lifts on the stairs, and possibly some countertops that are lower for the person in the wheelchair to make the kitchen workable for them. That helm would absolutely not be accessible to someone who uses a wheelchair. I also do not see how the bathrooms are accessible. I guess there was in one of the heads a place to sit down and shower. Again, could a full-size adult wheelchair fit into the bathroom. In case you are wondering, my nephew was an amputee and used wheelchairs often due to problems with his prosthesis at times. He and his wife had a special house built to accommodate his wheelchairs and crutches.

I love your channel and the reviews. Cracks me up when you talk about all that great headroom though. Hubby is 6'4" and would be hard pressed to stand up straight on board. 😅

You guys really are super at this, manufacturers would be well advised to partner with you.

This type of boat always raises the question, how do you turn a block of flats into a yacht? Putting this thing into a pen would be a nightmare. Sailing at night in a blow would be a nightmare. Not being able to see corners or ffs the water would be a nightmare. And people are waiting till 26 to get one?? Go for it.

@2:30 If Nick can't see well, I have no hope I'm shorter than Terysa. @13:13 I don't love all the tools and spares being stored in the bow, not really where you want weight in a catamaran

Put a stool in that forward starboard "storage" area and bingo, workshop. Love this boat, but i thought I read head height was 6'2". As a 6'3" guy, that is a no-go.

Great insight on the Vision's helm position and Nav station position. Not crazy about the blind spots but there is hopefully always a work around solution.

to anwser you question the engine gets removed by the hatch above the bed

Love the inwards-facing window in workshop, presumably one on the other side too. 12:02 is that floor hatch on backwards? :P

I wonder if they have a camera system to see all 4 corners from any helm/nav station?

Nice review of a nice boat. A couple of points- The advertised lightship displacement of 9 tons seems like a stretch. I have concerns on how Vision (and Balance as well) are using space in the far forward sections of the bows for workshops/lavs seemingly at the expense of a proper crashbox. Maybe not an issue, but I like the thought of a proper watertight bulkhead/crashbox in the bow. Cheers

Jerry Garcia would approve of this boat and your review!

We were very happy with what we saw in the Vision 444. One of our crew is mobility challenged. The fit and finish was very good. From the helm the taller crew had no issues seeing forward. Our shorter (nick sized) couldn’t see anything. Those winches are too tall to use effectively if you ever try to use them with a handle. The line handlers on the deck have a lot of drag. The price is still out of line for value. We could likely add the accessibility options to a few other brands for less money (though that’s guessing).

My wife and I jumped into the Uber you brought to the award show in Annapolis and shook hands with you. (We were checking out and heading to Washington, DC.) We were really looking forward to your thoughts on this boat. What did you think of the steering system, and other safety at sea items? I really wanted to see your model of Seawind at the show, to compare to Balance 442, the Vision 444, and the TAO (older Balance design). You are still our favourite channel. So happy you are out cruising again.

Air draft great for ICW, but with the bridge being that height, boom also above ,would that make her reefing in heavy winds more often / 4 corners would not make it easy docking. Thank you.

I'm not walking thou my shower area, to get to my work shop... that's disappointing.

Another great review ❤

When will we see more videos on Ruby Rose 2?

Big vice, surely you could achieve everything thing on a vice half the size and half the weight.

👍

Come on guys, I repeat my comment from last week. Will you get on with the sailing. I’ve been watching you rabbit on about boats for the past 2 years, enough! In your Christmas vid you told us of all the sailing you have been doing so how about showing us.

I don't understand with limited visibility they don't add cameras to the mast looking down so you can see the perimeter just to increase visibility that way. They already have the electronics. It seems they are really turning the boats into homes on water rather than boats you can live on.

Not sure why you make such a deal of the helm visibility - anything is an improvement on the Seawind boats 🤣 However in regards the disability design brief - i would like to see the helm station with wheel chair access and maybe a spiral sloped floor from the stern with a lowered coach roof in front of the helm would be a cool and unique aspect that would allow those with disabilities the capability and experience opportunity to sail the boat. Also how about a saloon/deck level disability toilet? - maybe opposite the helm station - or where the nav station is.

That’s a starboard helm not a port helm

I don't like the lack of visibility.

💐🙏🦅👍😎🇺🇸

If docking port side nightmare. Nice boat but small main sail. Take your boat any day. Not that you would give it.HAHAHA.

✔️

The helm looks very poor for shorter people, docking short handed will be hard (without cameras). The saloon also doesn't have the best visibility, fore and aft. 10 years ago maybe, but catamarans have improved significantly, both in ergonomics and performance in the last decade. For over a million dollars, extras and taxes, there are a lot of choices, can't see any compelling reason to even shortlist this boat.

At that price point, why would you not just buy the 1370.

This wasn't a very good review. So many great things about this boat that you skipped or misspoke about.

Do not like to have the engines inside the living space of the hulls! Exhaust leaks, water leeaks and fumes makes it an unwanted location for a fossile fuel enigine. I have had two cats one like the 442 and one with the engines aft of the living area, which I have found to be the best location. The enignes are easy to access, a one band show to lift out and in, and no fumes inside the living area. The aft areas of modern cats in my opinion is way to short from the back end to the cockpit area, which obviously is to create better living space, but I for one do not like that! The boats do not behave as good in a seaway and they look too stocky I think. Just my two cents worth.

Can you tell by your paucity of views that your reviews are just not grabbing the public? Just saying...

This cat does not meet the needs of a person that is truly wheelchair bound, such as spinal cord injury or deseases such as MS, MD, or just very aged. JUst being mobility chalenged as many people are they would have Great difficulty participating in the actual sailing.