Fountain Pajot MY44 Reviewed

Power catamarans have been gaining popularity, bringing the rest of us in line with the thinking of France-based Fountaine Pajot, which has been in the power-cat game since in 1998. Its latest model is the Motor Yacht 44, the new flagship in a three-model motoryacht series.

The MY44, a creation of Italian architect Pierangelo Andreani and French designer Daniel Andrieu, has a main deck that’s open from the aft-deck seating all the way forward to the starboard helm station. The sense of spaciousness is significant, for several reasons. First, four glass panels aft can all slide to port, creating an indoor-outdoor space with the aft deck and salon. In the salon, 32-inch-high windows extend for 12 feet down the sides of the yacht, with three sections per side, bringing in natural light along with the three forward panes that comprise the windshield. Finally, 6-foot-6-inch headroom provides vertical clearance, with a 21-foot-7-inch beam that adds interior roominess while keeping the yacht stable.

With the sliding doors to the cockpit open, the salon’s focal point becomes the U-shaped galley aft. It has a four-burner Bosch cooktop, a microwave, a full-size fridge/freezer and more. The galley offers access not only to guests in the cockpit, but also to those on the salon’s 7-foot-long sofa with a corner table and chair to port, or on the twin couch to starboard.

At the business end of the MY44, the forward helm console is sized for two 22-inch displays, and a Volvo Penta throttle and joystick are to starboard. Teak-capped side steps lead to 24-inch-wide side decks, and safety railings encircle the main deck. Forward is recessed seating with a table, perfect for watching dolphins swim in the MY44’s bow wake. Aft, a hydraulic swim platform accommodates a dinghy or Jet Ski for venturing ashore.

Three- and four-stateroom layouts are available. The MY44 that I toured had the four-stateroom setup. The master suite was in the port hull with an entry staircase aft. The king island berth was set athwartships with views out the hullside windows. With more than 6-foot headroom and light alpine furnishings, the stateroom felt airy. Forward was an en suite head with a sink, toilet and shower stall. Twin-berth staterooms were in the starboard hull, with an amidships entrance. Forward on the main deck was a fourth stateroom, ideal for crew or kids.

Optional twin 435 hp Volvo Penta IPS600 diesels coupled to pod drives give the MY44 a top-end around 24 knots, according to the builder. IPS500s are standard.

With a family-size layout, an admirable turn of speed, and twin hulls for added stability, the Fountaine Pajot MY44 should appeal to salty souls with a sense of adventure.

For swimmers, snorkelers and divers, Fountaine Pajot’s MY44 has a nearly full-beam, hydraulic teak swim platform. It should make getting into the water easy, even in fins.

The engine rooms in each hull allow full access around the Volvo Penta diesels and IPS pod-drive components. Fuel filters, the 15 kVA Fischer Panda generator, water heaters, strainers, batteries and other maintenance-needing items are all reachable. The deck hatches are beefy with a 2-inch lip and rubber seal to prevent water intrusion. Sound control is from 1½-inch foam on the hatch’s underside, and the walls are padded with ­sound-absorbing insulation.