1983 Nordic 44 ‘Seraphina’: The Ultimate Cruiser

Introduction

If you are looking for a yacht that can cross oceans in absolute safety without forcing you to compromise on boat speed or racing performance, this 1983 Nordic 44 is your answer. Designed by the legendary naval architect Robert Perry, the Nordic 44 has a rare pedigree that masterfully balances robust blue-water construction with an agile, high-performance hull form.

Renowned for being fast, close-winded, and incredibly well-balanced, this vessel can comfortably clock 170+ nautical mile days on passage, yet remains stiff and competitive enough to bring home trophies in regional club racing. Built to top-tier standards by Nordic Yachts in Bellingham, WA, she represents classic American yacht craftsmanship at its absolute finest.

Blue-Water Capabilities & Ocean-Going Design

The Nordic 44 was engineered from the keel up to handle heavy weather and extended off-grid living:

• Seakindly & Stable: A powerful hull shape combined with a generous 40% ballast-to-displacement ratio results in a remarkably stiff boat that stands up beautifully to the wind, drastically reducing crew fatigue on long passages.
• Ultimate Tracking & Protection: Unlike modern flat-bottom racers, she features a deep fin keel for excellent lift and a heavy-duty skeg-hung rudder, providing exceptional tracking offshore and vital protection against debris.
• Overbuilt Hull Integrity: Built with a hand-laid solid fiberglass hull reinforced by a massive triaxial structural grid, chemically and mechanically bonded bulkheads, and no structural liners.
• True Liveaboard Comfort: Below deck features a safe, U-shaped sea galley designed for use underway, a proper forward-facing navigation station, two private staterooms (each with its own head), and an insulated interior hull layer that eliminates condensation.

Racing Heritage & Speed Highlights

Do not mistake her blue-water muscle for a sluggish cruiser—the Nordic 44 is a thoroughbred:

• Perry Performance Pedigree: Robert Perry himself once called the Nordic 44 "the most beautiful yacht we have had built to our designs."
• Exceptional Upwind Ability: Her deep 7-foot draft and fine bow entry allow her to point incredibly close to the wind, cutting through chop where other cruisers stall.
• Powerful Rigging: Equipped with a tall, double-spreader aluminum mast, dyneema rigging, a hydraulic backstay, and an adjustable boom vang for precision sail trimming.
• Light-Wind Performance: A generous sail area allows her to ghost along effortlessly in light air, meaning less motoring and more sailing during light-wind regattas or passages through doldrum zones.

Core Specifications

Attribute Specification

Length Overall (LOA) 43.83 ft (13.36 m)

Waterline Length (LWL) 35.42 ft (10.80 m)

Beam 12.92 ft (3.94 m)

Draft 7.00 ft (2.13 m)

Displacement 23,250 lbs (10,546 kg)

Ballast 9,340 lbs (4,237 kg) – Solid Lead

Rig Type Masthead Sloop / Cutter Adaptable

Total Sail Area (100% Jib) 918.75 sq ft (85.35 m²)

Water Capacity 150 US Gallons (568 L)

Fuel Capacity 50 US Gallons (189 L)

Engine

Engine make: Universal M-50 ( Kubota series) (1984), 

Marine Propulsion Systems V-drive ZF-15 MIV transmission (new in 2016). (Stuffing box and log replaced in 2024)

Horsepower: 50 hp

Fuel Type: Diesel

Engine Hours:  unknown

Fuel Consumption: 3.0 ltr (0.7 USG) /hour At Cruising Speed

Max Speed: 7 knots

Cruise Speed: 6 knots

Propulsion: Maxprop 3 blade and spare 3 blade fixed.

New throttle cable and control cables for forward and reverse (2019)

New heat exchanger w/new zinc (2019)

New fuel injectors installed (2019)

New Racor fuel filter and water separator, with Dent vacuum gauge

Engine takes 3 quarts of oil. Also use WIX oil filters. Remote oil filter near engine opening compartment.  Oil analysis was taken in 2018.

Engine gauges replaced with Faria (2022)

Accommodations

AC – Dometic

Heater (diesel driven) eberspacher, with eberspacher controls

Hot water tank Isotemp, 5 gallon (heat source – 120 V and engine}

Water tanks, 2 x 60 gallon each

Teak interior – light brown warm look

Teak/holly sole varnished

Fold away all teak salon table w/bookshelves and wine storage at nave desk bulkhead

Port and starboard settees 

Cedar lined lockers and exposed hull sides

Extensive interior lighting, LED spots over the sink and stove

Overhead galley light and bulkhead mount reading lights

Dorades (4) with insect screens

Teak cocktail table (folding) with cup holders

Berths: 4 with 2 of double berths

Overhead galley light and bulkhead mount reading lights

Opening ports (6), 4 new in 2024, Lewmar with screens

Boarding ladder with teak steps

Entertainment: Fusion stereo MS-RA70N with NHT Zero speakers.

FANS: 6 ea. - Hella Marine 12-volt cabin fans

Teak enclosed cabinets on port and starboard side of salon

A custom teak wine rack (starboard side) for eight bottles of wine.

Galley

Refrigeration/Freezer: new Adler Barber cold machine w/shelving & freezer compartment, (2025) 9 c/f of insulated refrigeration

Range: Force 10, 4 burner gimbaled stove w/oven and two propane tanks

Sink: stainless steel double sink, deep and drain screen replaced (2025) and three faucets, main faucet is new 2025, filter system etc from Jabsco Par-Mate pressure pump. Pressure water runs through a charcoal filter. 

Soap dispenser (new 2025)

Fresh water foot pump

Head

Private head with separate fiberglass shower and w/bench seat

Water closet, Jabsco manual flush -new in 2022

Holding tank, 30 gallons, dockside & overboard discharge

Stainless steel oval sink, faucet, replaced in 2025, ceramic/marble vanity top

Hot and cold pressure water

Vanity w/mirror

Shower sump w/electric pump

Navigation Instruments - Electronics

Garmin Autopilot, new in 2023

Garmin 1024 Chart Plotter, new in 2022 at wheel

Garmin high definition radar, GMR-18, new in 2023

Si-TEX AIS Transceiver (new 2025)

B&G Vulcan 9 at the navigation station

ICOM 506 VHF at navigation station with DSC Remote Access Microphone

Ritchie Stainless Compass – pedestal mount with cover

Edson 44” steering wheel w/cord cover

Boston Ships clock and barometer

B&G wind vane #608 (new 2025)

B&G ZG100 GPS antenna

Sails & Canvas

Mack mainsail with 3 Reef Points, fully battened, Mack Stay Pack lazy jack system

Mack 135% Genoa

110% gib - unknown

North Sails – 150% genoa (2024)

Tides Marine Mast Track (Frictionless Hoist)

Removable Inner Stay - Dyneema

Running Back Stays and babystay controlled with cam cleat

Dodger, bimini and sun awing

0.5 oz spinnaker sail from Bacon’s (used – white)

Asymmetrical spinnaker (new and never used) from iSails 2024, hoisting sock, and ATN assist

Staysail for the inner forestay, hanked-on.

Sail covers: Hemlock Tweed Sunbrella for genoa and main sail

Spars and Rigging

Dyneema standing rigging (circa 2016) with Colligo Marine fittings

Selden roller-furl system 304S

mast and boom

Navtec hydraulic backstay adjuster – rebuilt in 2024, all hydraulic lines replaced in 2024

Navtec rigid hydraulic vang – rebuilt in 2025

Harken traveler with New England Rope controls

Cunningham with 3 to 1 purchase; Harkin blocks

Selden aluminum whisker pole.  

Forespar spinnaker pole

1 bosun chair

Sheets

Jib halyard – Double braid with Dyneema shackles

Main halyard – Double braid Dyneema core

Staysail halyard – Sta-Set color-coded polyester yacht braid w/Schaeffer shackle

Spinnaker sheets – double braid

Port and starboard jack lines for offshore sailing

Dock lines – 12 plait white

New Spinlock cabin top clutches, six total for most lines routed back to the cockpit.

New Spinlock and Andal deck organizers T-50

Winches

All Lewmar Self-tailing: Two 65’s, Five 43’s, one 40 and one 30.  

Winch handles: 1 double-handed lock in, chrome, 3 aluminum lock in winch handles

and one floating non-locking winch handle

One removable winch handle holder on mast

Electrical

Eclectic Energy D400 wind generator

170 Watt Suntech solar panel with SunSaver MPPT Controller and Battery Charger

A/C D/C Distribution Panel w/aircraft circuit breakers 12VDC -120VAC

A/C D/C voltmeters and ammeters

Bow light, anchor light, deck light

House batteries, 3 Rolls, one S12-290 and two S12-128 (September 2022)

Engine starting battery, 12V deep cycle, Batteries Plus, new 2022

Sterling Pro Alt C Battery charger

Shore power 120 V, all connections, w/20 ft and Morinco 75 ft power cords

Three Victron battery monitors (2025), two house and one starter

Alternator: Kenyon Power 12 V. -120 Amps 

Safety

Fire extinguishers & flares (Weems & Plath electronic flare)

Dyneema Lifelines

MOB pole in transom tube

MOB horseshoe floats 

Life Sling MOB recovery system (new 2022)

Adult life jackets (8)

Emergency tiller

Life Raft: Winslow model 60ISOGR - 6 person in valise

EPIRB: ACR GlobalFix 406 MHz Battery good through 2026

Edson pedestal bar raised.

Bilge Pumps: 1 ea. Rule 1500 Automatic electric/ one Whale manual pump in cockpit

Two Drogue parashoot anchors

Miscellaneous

Dodger with zip-out side panels

Custom made green cockpit cushions

Cockpit awning, attaches by zipper to dodger

Rail bracket for outboard engine rail mount

Oversize fenders (3), one Taylor Tuff end, two Polyform G-6, two Dolly Parton balls

Teak cockpit table with cup holder

Custom flagstaff 

Ground Tackle

Simpson-Lawrence Seawolf 520 windlass with chain/rope gypsy

Plow primary anchor, 200 ft. galvanized chain and 100 feet of ¾ inch 12 braid.

Stern anchor with 30 ft. chain with approx. 200 ft. ½" three strand nylon rode.

Anchor Remote: Up switch at windlass.

Boat Upgrades

Deck non-skid replaced in 2024, with original gray AquaDeck from Australia

Cabin ceiling replaced with vinyl 2024

Five operational portlights replaced with Lumar, with screens

Goiot deck hatch lenses and gaskets replaced in 2022

Stainless Steel Constellation Compass pedestal mount with cover.

44lb. Rocha Anchor with 100’ 3.8 Chain and 150' of 3/4" 12 plait Rode

Bottom media blasted in May, 2022; then 3 Coats Epoxy Barrier, hauled out June 2024: 3 coats antifouling paint - Trinidad, cutlass bearing and dripless seal replaced, max prop serviced.

The Nordic 44 is a highly sought-after alternative to vessels like the Valiant 40/42, universally praised by owners as being significantly faster, more responsive to the helm, and sharper on the wind. Whether your goal is a fast ocean crossing or a podium finish at next weekend’s regatta, Seraphina is ready to take you there!