1980 Wellingto 44 Center Cockpit Cutter

$15,000 Price Reduction

If you are looking for a spacious and seaworthy UNSINKABLE Bluewater Keel/Centerboard Cruiser that will take you safely and comfortably to offshore destinations and also capable of gunkholing in your favorite anchorages; then this semi-custom, two-owner, 1980 Wellington Center Cockpit 44 Cutter is a must-see and a step above all of the other Wellington 44 models that were built. This hull was hand-laid of solid fiberglass and cured in the mold for 30 days so you won't find stress cracks or even spider cracks in the gelcoat after all these years of bluewater sailing. The original owners cruised onboard Bird of Paradise for over 10 years throughout the Caribbean and the current owner, stalled by COVID restrictions, has updated systems since 2019 in preparation for a Caribbean and Pacific cruise that has been cancelled for health reasons.

She was re-powered in 2018 with a 110HP Yanmar 4JH11X1 Diesel Engine and Yanmar Digital Instrument panel and currently has only 85 hours. The Genoa and Mainsail were recently removed, checked and reconditioned by a local sail loft, and the super-slick Tides Marine Strong track system on the Mainsail makes raising and lowering the mainsail effortless. Additional recent upgrades include both electric toilets with Bidets and plumbing replaced, the interior satin-varnished teak cabinetry is in nice condition for its age, all bilges and interiors of cabinets and storage areas are freshly painted and clean, and all opening windows and hatches have been re-sealed in the last few years to ensure a dry and leak-free interior. This 44 Wellington Cutter hull is lined with foam that provides excellent insulation as well as full flotation buoyancy that makes this an unsinkable and extremely dry and quiet yacht.

All Garmin Electronics were replaced since 2022, featuring a Garmin GPSMap Color 942xs MFD Chartplotter with a Garmin Panoptix Forward Looking Transducer, Garmin GMR 18 HD Color Radar, Garmin Digital Display Touch-Screen AutoPilot, ICOM SSB and a 2023 Standard Horizon Matrix VHF Radio with GPS AIS are all in good working order.

Bird of Paradise is ready to cruise with a 5kW Kohler Generator with under 2,500 hours and recent service, a Xantrex Freedom 30 Inverter/Charger, Ice-Cold Air Conditioning system with reverse cycle heat, SeaFrost Refrigeration with a large separate Freezer, heavy duty SS custom dinghy davits, a Caribe RIB with Yamaha 15hp engine, a SS Outboard Engine Lift, multiple anchors with recently updated Anchor Chain, and custom Sunbrella covers on all the exterior varnished teak, hatches and windows, and serviceable Bimini with full enclosure panels, custom-made teak cockpit grate, and a custom skylight above the Master Shower that makes it bright with natural light. Additional sail inventory includes a Staysail on a Pro-Furler, a high-cut furling jib on a 2022 Harken Furling System, 140% Genoa, and a Spinnaker with a spinnaker pole.

This 1980 Wellington 44 Center-Cockpit Cutter has had extensive upgrades and safety inspections to prepare it for safe bluewater cruising but is in need of some Exterior TLC because the Seller?s plans were to have some exterior upgrades and deferred maintenance done in Panama, before cruising to the Pacific. However, if you appreciate quality craftsmanship and classic styling, you owe it to yourself to schedule a personal inspection of Bird of Paradise . Plan on buffing out two small areas on the hull of minor dock rash, waxing the hull and cabintop, sanding and treating the exterior teak, and you won't be disappointed upon inspection.

Accomodations

Bird of Paradise is an ideal home-away-from-home bluewater cruising platform with an incredibly spacious interior and deep, safe and comfortable center cockpit with full enclosure panels that can seat a crowd for entertaining yet very functional with all lines and controls led aft for short-handed sailing. This semi-custom 1980 Wellington 44 Center Cockpit Cutter has its companionway offset to starboard as you enter the spacious salon with varnished teak cabinetry, 6'4" Headroom, a convertible L-shaped Dinette to Port with a Teak-Trimmed Opening Deck Hatch above, Nav Station to Starboard, a long and deep 6'4" Settee forward to starboard with teak cabinetry storage under and outboard of the backrests. All 12V Light Fixtures in every cabin are upgraded with LED bulbs. Two large Opening Teak-Trimmed Bomar Deck Hatches are above the Galley stove and Refrigeration Counter.

Further Forward are top-loading SeaFrost 110V Refrigerator and Freezer compartments with Formica Countertops with additional insulated covers that add to the prep space for the well-equipped U-Shaped Galley opposite to Port. The Galley has two deep stainless steel Sinks with a 2023 SS Goose-Neck Pull-Out Faucet, a 3 Burner Gimbaled SS Propane Stove and Oven, Daewoo Microwave Oven, and plenty of drawers, cabinets and shelves to please any gourmet chef. Please note that all of the curtains shown in some of the interior photos have been removed; making the interior light and bright.

Forward of the Galley is a solid varnished teak door that leads to the Hallway of the V-Berth, with a mini-cushioned settee to starboard with storage above and below and opposite is the private Head with new fresh-water Electric Toilet with Bidet, vanity and sink, opening deck hatch, and plenty of storage in the outboard insulated cabinets as well as under and above the vanity.

The V-Berth is forward with a large Teak-Trimmed Opening Deck Hatch, two 12V LED light fixtures and the 5kW Kohler Generator is located under the V-Berth with access under the mattress and via a cabinet door below.

Aft of the Dinette and Nav Station is a passageway with a solid teak privacy door, teak-louvered cabinet storage on the outboard side and opposite are insulated access doors to the engine room with the 2018 Yanmar 110hp Diesel engine with only 85 hours. The A/C System is under the Nav Table.

Moving aft is the Master Stateroom Suite with a full beam King-size berth with a 2022 Custom Mattress raised up above and aft of a mini-cushioned settee with bookshelves and storage on each side, as well as a surprisingly deep double-louvered door storage closet outboard of the settee to starboard. A large Teak-Trimmed Bomar Opening Deck Hatch is above the Master Bed and Opening Ports on each side.

Opposite is a vanity sink with mirrored medicine cabinet above, and a private Head behind a solid varnished teak door with a 2020 fresh-water Electric toilet with Bidet, and a large stall shower with a custom frosted acrylic skylight above, making it light and bright, yet private. The inboard lower section of the shower stall has a removable insulated panel that provides easy access to the Port side of the engine room. The ceilings throughout this vessel are molded white panels fastened with varnished teak batts that provide an elegant arched effect.

Galley

The Well-Equipped U-Shaped Galley of this semi-custom 1980 Wellington 44 Center Cockpit Cutter features:

  – SeaFrost 110V Holding Plate Refrigeration with top-loading Freezer and Refrigerator
  – 450 GPD Village Marine Watermaker (Pickled)
  – 3-Burner SS Gimballed Propane Stove Oven
  – Trident Propane Gas Controller
  – Daewoo Microwave Oven
  – Dual SS Sinks with H/C Pressure Water
  – SS Goose-Neck Pull-Out Faucet (2022)
  – Manual Freshwater Pump
  – Dual Freshwater Filters
  – Formica Countertops with varnished rails and generous drawers cabinets

Hull & Deck

Bird of Paradise is a unique Center Cockpit 44 Wellington Keel-Centerboard Cutter because she is one of the few that was totally finished and customized in the Wellington Shipyard in Jacksonville, Florida. Some of her many unique features include:

  – Hand-laid up Solid Fiberglass Hull, Cured in the Mold for 30 days.
  – Fully-lined with Flotation Insulation making it UNSINKABLE, Dry quiet.
  – Keel/Centerboard integrated Keel with a Cut-a-way Skeg-hung Rudder
  – Deck-Saloon Cabin design with forward-facing Windows
  – Center Cockpit with Cushions and teak-trimmed Storage behind backrests
  – 6 Teak-Framed Acrylic Opening Deck Hatches with Sunbrella Covers Screens
  – 2 SS Dorades with SS Rail Guards
  – 2 SS Mast Guards
  – SS Stanchions and SS Double Lifelines 2 Boarding Gates
  – Wooden SS Steering Wheel
  – Dual Anchor Rollers Pulpit
  – Anchor/Foredeck Washdown
  – 44# Delta Plow Anchor 100' 3/8" Galvanized Chain (2013)
  – Fortress FX-55 Anchor 25' 3/8" Galvanized Chain 100' Nylon Rode (2013)
  – Simpson Lawrence 12V Dual Gypsy Windlass with Deck mounted "Up" switch
  – Divided Anchor Locker with access from V-Berth
  – Cockpit Sunbrella Bimini Dodger with Full Enclosure Zippered Vinyl Panels
  – Full Sunbrella Covers for all Varnished Exterior Teak, Hatches Windows
  – Teak Cockpit Floor Grate
  – Cockpit Cushions
  – Custom Removable Helm Seat
  – Custom SS Heavy Duty Dinghy Davits
  – Garhauer SS Outboard Motor Davit
  – Folding Transom-mounted Swim Platform
  – Cockpit Shower

Electronics/Navigation & Electrical

Most of the Electronics and Navigation systems on this 1980 Wellington 44 Cutter were updated since 2021 and are all in good working order. The onboard systems include:

  – Garmin GPSMap Color 942xs MFD Chartplotter
  – Garmin Panoptix Forward-Looking Depth Transducer
  – Garmin GMR 18 HD Color Radar
  – Garmin Digital Display Touch-Screen AutoPilot
  – ICOM SSB IC-M700PRO
  – Standard-Horizon Matrix VHF with GPS/AIS/DSC
  – BG Network Display @ Nav Station (may need repair)
  – ACR EPIRB RapidFix 406 (Needs new battery or replacement)
  – Ritchie SS 4? Binnacle Compass

The 12V Electrical System and Battery Configuration was upgraded in 2021 during the refit of this 1980 Wellington 44 Center-Cockpit Center-Board Cutter. Electrical System features:

  – 5kW Kohler 5CC0Z23 Diesel Generator with less than 2,500 hours
  – 110V 12V Circuit Breakers with Voltage Amp Gauges
  – Xantrex Freedom 30 Inverter/Charger
  – Link 2000 Heart Digital Battery Controller
  – 80W Kyocera Solar Panel on Pivot Rail Mount Regulator
  – 2 @ 100W Renogy Flexible Solar Panels (New, boxed, and ready to be installed)
  – 2 @ 100W HQST Aluminum-Framed Rigid Solar Panels (New, boxed, and ready to be installed)
  – 12V Interior and Exterior/Navigation Lighting upgraded to LED
  – CruiseAir Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning Systems with remote Evaporators
  – 6 @ 6V Batteries (2022)

Sails & Rigging

The 63' Bridge Clearance of the double spreader anodized aluminum Cutter-rigged mast of this 1984 Wellington 44 Custom Center Cockpit Cutter makes Bird of Paradise a great performer offshore in all conditions, as well as able to pass under all of the East Coast IntraCoastal fixed bridges. Her Keel/Centerboard underbody with skeg-hung rudder configuration tracks well and ensures excellent upwind performance with the Center-board down, yet excellent gunkhole capability only drafting 4'6" for bay and inland cruising with the board up. Other features included:

  – AirForce Mainsail with Stack-pack and Lazy Jacks
  – Tides Marine Strong Track SS Tides Slides on Mainsail
  – SS Solid Rod Boom Vang
  – Mack Sails RF 135% Genoa
  – Mack Sails RF 100% Genoa
  – Mack Sails RF Staysail
  – Spinnaker with Spinnaker Pole and all gear with Vertical Mast Mounts
  – Aluminum Double-Spreader Masthead Rigged Mast Boom
  – Inner Staysail Stay with ProFurl LC32 RF system (2016)
  – Headstay with Harken RF System (2022)
  – All lines and halyards led aft to Cockpit
  – 3 Barlow #16 Winches on Mast
  – 1 Andersen #40 ST 2-Speed Halyard Winch
  – 1 Barlow #16 Mainsheet Winch
  – 2 Barlow #16 Staysail Sheet Winches
  – 2 Primary Lewmar #42 ST 2-Speed Winches
  – 3 Sheet Stoppers
  – Primary Lewmar #48 ST 2-Speed Genoa Winch Aft of Cockpit
  – Secondary Lewmar #40 ST 2-Speed Staysail Sheet Winch