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DeFever 44 Offshore Cruiser

The published record on this model and what owners report, with the questions worth asking while a boat is still a listing. This page covers the model. Every boat still needs its own homework.

A proven, shallow-draft full-displacement Loop trawler whose only real Loop question is the folded air draft of its radar arch.

The DeFever 44 Offshore Cruiser is a heavy, full-displacement twin-engine trawler built roughly 1981–2007, drawing shallow (about 4'7") and typically fitted with twin naturally-aspirated Ford Lehman diesels in the 1980s. It is a well-regarded Loop-capable cruiser: shallow draft is a non-issue, fuel burn is modest (owners report roughly 3.5–4 GPH at displacement speed on twin Lehman 120s), and the main thing to verify is the as-folded air draft of the radar arch. Engines and systems varied over the long production run, so confirm what a specific hull actually carries. Much documented experience spans the whole model run but applies directly to a 1980s hull.

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How to read the tags on this page. CLAIMstated by one source, not yet confirmed QUESTIONopen, and settled by looking at the boat itself CONTEXTbackground on how this model is built or used Sources are linked where published.

Air draft

CLAIM
Air draft hinges on the radar arch — most 44s do the Loop with it lowered The 44 carries a radar arch that drives its air draft; owners report roughly 17–18' with the arch up and about 16' or less with it folded, before counting anchor light and radar array. A hinged/lowering arch is what makes this boat comfortably Loop-capable. Brokerage 'bridge clearance' figures vary widely depending on whether the arch is up or down and whether antennas are counted, so the listing number is unreliable. src: Trawler Forum / Curtis Stokes brokerage
Your move: Measure the actual as-folded air draft on the specific boat and identify exactly what folds or comes off (arch, antennas, anchor light); confirm the arch is genuinely hinged.

Draft

CONTEXT
Shallow draft makes the Loop routes a non-issue The hull draws roughly 4'7", which keeps Loop routes and most side trips open. Draft is not a limiting factor for this model on the Loop. src: Trawler Forum

Range & fuel

CLAIM
Modest fuel burn at displacement speed gives strong range Owner reports on twin Lehman 120s are consistent: about 3.5 GPH at ~1,650 RPM for roughly 7.3 knots on a ~56,000 lb boat; one owner averaged 3.6 GPH over 5,500 Loop miles (including generator time and lock waiting), and another saw 3.5–4 GPH on a multi-day run. Brokerage and builder sources put fuel capacity in the rough range of 700–935 gallons depending on configuration, with some boats carrying a third tank. Combined with low burn, that gives generous displacement-speed range. src: Trawler Forum
Your move: Confirm the actual tank count and capacity on the specific hull and check tank material/condition during survey.

Handling

CONTEXT
Heavy full-displacement hull with twin screws This is a heavy (~56,000 lb) full-displacement trawler built for comfortable, economical passage-making at hull speed rather than planing. Twin screws aid close-quarters maneuvering and give get-home redundancy, which suits the Loop's locks and marinas. src: Trawler Forum

Reading the boat

QUESTION
Does this hull have original or replaced fuel tanks, and of what material? On a boat of this age, original fuel tanks are a common major-cost item across older trawlers; capacity also varies by whether a third tank was fitted. Knowing tank material, age and condition matters for both range and refit budgeting.
Your move: Ask for tank material, age and any replacement records, and have the tanks inspected during survey.

Engines

The engines research is part of the full profile inside the product. It covers factory options, tested performance and the engine-specific questions in our members' dossiers, and it travels with every dossier and survey brief built on this model.

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