There is something quite majestic about standing atop the Knysna Heads, the prominent headlands fronting the town of Knysna along South Africa’s rugged southern shoreline. To seaward, the deep-blue waters of the wild Indian Ocean beckon. Inshore, the lagoon in the protected harbor is placid. It seems fitting that this port is where the Vision line of cruising catamarans is built and launched. The Vision 444 ES will be right at home in either venue—as a liveaboard cat in calm waters or knocking off steady miles in the open ocean.
In the past two editions of Cruising World’s annual Boat of the Year contest, we’ve had up-close opportunities to inspect a pair of Visions. For 2024, the Vision 444 earned top honors as the Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet. This past fall, for the 2025 competition, we inspected the company’s redesigned 44-foot sistership, the 444 ES.
Those letters stand for “extended scoop,” an important addition for a couple of reasons. First, the scoops lengthen the waterline with a stretched transom for boarding, diving, fishing and swimming. Equally important, according to company co-owner James Turner, the longer waterline and reconfigured hull forms have improved the boat’s underway performance under sail and when motoring.
Turner is a lifelong waterman. He grew up on all manner of boats before getting into the marine business—first in the charter trade and as a delivery skipper before transitioning to building high-performance sailboats and powerboats. With Vision, his latest venture, he’s aiming to create high-end, user-friendly bluewater cats expressly for cruising couples. His passion is evident, and he has clearly given plenty of thought to every element of his vessels, from the build and ergonomics to systems and rigging. The finished products are marvels of engineering in every facet, right down to the rudders, which are calibrated to ensure smooth tacks and jibes. Vision is currently producing about 10 boats annually.
The 444 ES is a good-looking craft with an almost futuristic mien. The waterline is maxed out, with slightly raked bows forward and those aforementioned extended transoms aft. The main cabin/coachroof is positioned well forward, with wraparound turret-style windows that are accented by a quartet of hull windows to port and starboard.
A hard Bimini top extends over the cockpit, offering plenty of protection from the elements, and serves as an ideal base for the suite of 75-watt solar panels mounted atop it. A side-access door in the hull for easy boarding is a fabulous feature. The raised helm station is to starboard, beneath its own dedicated hardtop, with all sailhandling controls and running rigging close at hand. Visibility from this perch is outstanding. The winches and clutches are from Harken, Garmin supplies the instrumentation, and the full set of excellent North Sails come from the Cape Town loft.
The build is strong but light, with a resin-infused laminate that includes E-glass and a foam sandwich. The only carbon employed is in the steering wheel, davits and bowsprit. The 24-volt DC house system—with a standard bank of lithium-ion batteries—is simple and straightforward. The twin Nanni diesels with saildrives are easily accessed through a pair of lifting lids. The diesels have their own dedicated toolkits and seats for service and maintenance. The fixed mini keels draw less than 4 feet.
In the main cockpit, the galley is forward, handy to the U-shaped settee and dining table. To starboard, there’s an excellent forward-facing navigation station. The owner’s suite spans the length of the starboard hull, with a double berth aft and a terrific workspace/shop forward. It has its own vice, workbench and tools.
The clear highlight of our Boat of the Year inspection, however, was the sea trial, conducted in 14 to 16 knots of northerly breeze on a fine fall afternoon on the Chesapeake Bay. Once the square-topped mainsail was hoisted via an electric winch, we commenced matters with the generous asymmetric kite, knocking off just under 10 knots on a romping beam reach. The helm required just a touch of the fingertips, and it was quite an appealing sensation to have that much power with such precise control. After dropping the kite, we unrolled the self-tacking jib. Closehauled, the boat notched speeds in the mid-7s, but as the breeze gusted into the 20- to 25-knot range, we recorded better than 9 knots upwind. It was a great sail.
That test run added some focus and context to the Vision’s dual-purpose nature. Yes, it’s an excellent liveaboard home in a protected anchorage. But where it really comes to life—and where it will shine the brightest—is under full sail in the open sea.
CW editor-at-large Herb McCormick was a 2025 Boat of the Year judge.
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PRICE: $1.2 million (as tested)
CONTACT: visionyachts.com
