Vision 444 Test Sail on “Jubilee” in Mallorca
Test sailing in the Bay of Palma, Mallorca
The morning began deceptively calm in the Bay of Palma, but as often happens in the summer, the wind soon freshened from the east, building to a healthy 19 knots true (Force 5) – perfect conditions to properly evaluate Vision Catamarans’ flagship 444 model aboard “Jubilee.”
The Vision Behind Vision Catamarans
Vision Catamarans are built in Knysna, South Africa with a philosophy that resonates throughout every detail of their boats: “Built by sailors for sailors.” This is evident in the thoughtful design choices that have been refined through years of owner feedback and real-world sailing experience.
The company positions itself in that sweet spot between production efficiency and high end luxury, creating a “sportier cruiser” that doesn’t compromise on safety, comfort or performance.
Construction and Design Philosophy
The Vision 444 employ construction techniques that set it apart from many production catamarans. The hulls are built using resin-infused foam sandwich construction with E-glass throughout, using a highly controlled resin infusion process that eliminates temperature variation during construction. This optimisation of resin and fibres in the laminate structure results in hulls that are both robust and light.
The design team’s focus on weight centralisation becomes apparent when sailing. She has a smooth ride. The engines – twin Nanni 37HP units – are positioned beneath the aft bunks, further forward than many competitors place them. It’s the fine detail like this that contributes to the boat’s balanced feel and provides a generous workspace with good sound insulation for quieter operation.
Performance Under Sail
With the wind building to 14 knots, we put Jubilee through her paces upwind. She rewarded us with impressive numbers: 7.5-8 knots at 55-60 degrees to the true wind, delivered with a smooth, balanced ride that instilled confidence in the freshening conditions. The fully-battened, slab-reefing mainsail features a Hayrack boom that makes sail handling easier, while the mainsheet bridle system provides power and safety.
Forward, the self-tacking jib make life easy for short-handed sailors, and the bowsprit opens up options for asymmetrical spinnakers, Code sails, or gennakers. After gybing and heading back across the bay to Palma, we unfurled the asymmetrical spinnaker and cruised back to Palma on a broad reach.
The Devil in the Details
What distinguishes the Vision 444 are the incremental improvements from owner feedback. The extended nets run all the way to the end of the bowsprit, making light-wind sail handling safer and more manageable. Multiple cleats have been fixed along the crossbeam and forward gunwales to help with everything from picking up mooring balls to fine-tuning the boat’s position at anchor in current. And a toe-rail runs along the side of the decks.
The anchor system also showcases this attention to practical sailing. Mounted on a roller system forward, it’s easily accessible with foot operation at the windlass. Flanking the chain locker are two cavernous storage compartments perfect for fenders, lines, watermaker, and genset – though Jubilee’s 2400W of peak solar panels (glass set with ventilation space below) generate sufficient power for her lithium battery bank, eliminating the need for a generator. There is an additional roller on the cross beam to port if you need to run a secondary anchor.
Deck Layout and Safety
Moving around Jubilee feels secure and intuitive. Cleats and toe rails line the deck edges, and there are numerous clipping points on both deck and coachroof, combined with substantial grab rails, providing plenty of attachment points for safety lines. The skipper on Jubilee runs jacklines along the coachroof rather than the deck edges makes clipping on easier when heading forward in challenging conditions.
The flush hatches make for a clean deck while 2 side doors aft in the cockpit gunwale provides dock access. Slots for washboards allow you to close off the aft cockpit when conditions are feisty, while two sturdy telescoping bars replace traditional safety lines aft. The davit system elegantly accommodates the tender – in Jubilee’s case, a 3.6-meter SeaSUV 360 carbon tender – swinging it high and secure above the water.
Helm Station and Cockpit
The raised starboard helm station has room for two with excellent visibility to all four corners of the boat. Tidy sheet wells and dual-speed Harken 50 winches manage the running rigging efficiently, while B&G navigation electronics and a large Zeus display provide your nav infoand boat monitoring. The entire working area feels intuitive and has good communication with the aft cockpit below.
The spacious aft cockpit centers around a table with seating for 6-8 on the port side and a long bench along the aft beam. Large lockers swallow cockpit cushions, fishing gear, and even short surfboards. The connection to the saloon flows naturally, with another table and sofa area forward to starboard inside and plenty of cold storage to port.
Galley and Interior Layout
The U-shaped galley to port continues the practical theme with its intelligent layout and rails along all work surfaces – great for safety in a seaway and preventing stuff from sliding off the edge. The forward-facing nav station, aft of the saloon table, has clear sightlines forward, allowing the skipper to keep an eye on the conditions while filling out the log or checking the charts
Below decks, the layout maximises the advantages of having a catamaran. The starboard hull houses the owner’s cabin, while the port guest hull features an athwartships forward berth that creates the feeling of having two owner’s suites. The dedicated locker system in both hulls provides large, easily accessible storage, with one door opening to reveal all through-hull fittings and pumps in a single, contained area.
Specifications
Dimensions:
- LOA: 13.12m
- LWL: 13.12m
- BOA: 7.60m
- Draft: 1.17m
- Air draft: 19.47m
- Displacement: 11.32 tons (light condition)
Accommodation:
- Cabins: 3
- Headroom (hulls): 1.9m
- Headroom (bridgedeck): 2.1m
Sail Areas:
- Mainsail: 76.54 sq.m
- Self-tacking jib: 32.3 sq.m
- Code 55: 70.79 sq.m
- Code 65: 89 sq.m
- Asymmetrical spinnaker: 145 sq.m
Power:
- Engines: Twin Nanni 37hp
- Keel type: Mini keels
Final Thoughts
The Vision 444 is a thoughtful evolution in cruising catamaran design. Rather than revolutionary changes, Vision Catamarans has focused on refinement – taking proven concepts and improving them through careful attention to how sailors actually use their boats. The result is a vessel that feels familiar yet superior in the details, with a high quality finish.
From the balanced sail handling to the practical deck layout, the weight distribution to the focus on simplicity and easy maintenance, the systems show evidence of real-world testing, refinement and owner input. For sailors looking for a sportier cruising catamaran that doesn’t sacrifice comfort or practicality, the Vision 444 should be top of the list of potentials.
Vision’s “built by sailors for sailors” philosophy is a design methodology that produces catamarans able to handle serious offshore passages while remaining comfortable for extended living aboard. The best innovations are are often doing the fundamentals exceptionally well.