Mark Wattrus walks through an owner's-version Orana 44 with three heads, a genuine island-berth master and a fresh sail wardrobe — warts and all.
Some catamarans photograph better than they sail. The Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 isn’t one of them — and in his full walkthrough of the 2009 owner’s version S/V Littlest Hobo, broker Mark Wattrus makes the point early: “These Orana 44s actually sail pretty darn well,” he says, crediting a good hull design and generous sail area in the tradition of the older Fountaine Pajots.
Deck and cockpit
The tour begins aft, where a canvas bimini on a stainless frame shades a generous cockpit with U-shaped seating and an additional bench to one side. An AB tender hangs on davits with a 15-horsepower two-stroke Yamaha, and a life raft is stowed aft. The Orana’s signature aft-facing lounge for two is present and correct. At the helm there’s a bench with room for roughly three, a retractable hard top overhead, a Raymarine navigation package with autopilot (some displays replaced over time), and an electric winch for the main halyard.
Forward, the side decks are clean and wide, protected by stainless rail and wire guardrails, leading to a full-sized trampoline, dolphin seats and an aluminum crossbeam. Wattrus notes the genoa and the stack-pack cover appear to have been replaced and are in good condition. The anchor locker is cavernous, with the windlass and ground tackle detailed on the spec sheet. Custom-made solar panels sit on their own mounts, a barbecue lives outboard, and there’s a Starlink mini dish aft plus additional solar.
Living aboard
Inside, an L-shaped settee, pantry, flat-screen TV and outboard storage share a bright saloon with excellent window visibility. The aft-facing U-shaped galley offers real prep space, an Eno oven with three-burner stovetop, a deep sink, a sliding door for crockery and a large fridge with small freezer opposite. The forward-facing nav table gives a clear view out and houses the electronics and switch panel, plus a Raymarine display for depth, speed and wind, and the VHF. Air conditioning is fitted, and Wattrus singles out the hatch at the mast base for channelling breeze through the saloon.
The starboard hull is given over to the owner: an island berth accessible from both sides, a forward-facing study desk with its own seat, shelving, a tool cupboard and, as he puts it, “a ton of storage.” The owner’s head has a basin and vanity, a good-sized shower and a custom-built parts store forward. To port, a queen-sized forward berth and an oversized aft berth each have their own head and shower — six people accommodated comfortably.
Honest about the hours
Wattrus doesn’t gloss over the mechanicals. The engines reportedly show between 4,500 and 5,000 hours, are operational — the owner recently sailed her over from the Bahamas — but visibly show their age and should be examined by an independent surveyor. The generator likewise “shows her age” but reportedly starts and runs fine. His summary: expect work, as with any boat of this age and price, but the platform, recent additions, generator, air conditioning and solar make a strong entry-level cruising catamaran.
Where the Orana 44 sits
| Recent solds (24 mo) | 2 |
|---|---|
| Median sold price | $250,000 |
| Median time to sell | ~129 days |
| Active listings | 2 |
| Asking range | $249,000–$345,000 (median $297,000) |
| Median sold (24 mo) | $250,000 | |||
| Lowest active ask | $249,000 | |||
| Median active ask | $297,000 | |||
| Highest active ask | $345,000 |