top of page
Search

Buying a Fountaine Pajot Helia 44? Read This Before You Book a Survey

Updated: Dec 11, 2025

TreNorth Yacht Advisors - FP Helia 44
TreNorth Yacht Advisors - FP Helia 44

The Fountaine Pajot Helia 44 is one of the most popular cruising catamarans on the market — spacious, efficient under sail, and capable of serious bluewater passages. But like every production multihull, it has a set of recurring structural, mechanical, and moisture-related issues that buyers should approach with clear eyes.

Across hundreds of buyer reports, owner logs, and survey findings, a pattern emerges: the difference between a great Helia 44 and a financially painful one is almost always revealed before the survey — if you know what to look for.


That is exactly why we created the Fountaine Pajot Helia 44 — Comprehensive Survey-Prep Guide.

Why Buyers Need a Model-Specific Guide

Most survey findings aren’t random.They cluster around predictable weak points: window seals, mini-keels, saildrives, steering linkages, deck hardware bedding, and interior moisture zones.


A generic checklist won’t help you find Helia-specific trouble areas such as:

  • mini-keel joint cracking or previous grounding repairs

  • saildrive corrosion patterns unique to the model

  • water intrusion pathways from the hardtop

  • wear patterns around the helm station and rig base

  • moisture traps beneath cabin soles and aft berths


Knowing this before you travel or schedule a haulout can save thousands of dollars — and help you walk away from the wrong boat early.


What’s Inside the Helia 44 Survey-Prep Guide

The guide gives buyers a structured, repeatable approach to evaluating a Helia 44, including:

  • full model overview and production nuances

  • known structural and mechanical weak points

  • red flags (walk-away signs)

  • green flags (positive ownership indicators)

  • a Helia-specific photo and video checklist

  • sea-trial guidance

  • negotiation notes based on typical findings


It’s the same approach experienced surveyors use to assess multihulls professionally.

Why This Guide Can Save You Money

A meaningful sea trial and a targeted pre-inspection often reveal major problems long before you commit to:

  • a non-refundable haulout

  • surveyor travel fees

  • yard delays

  • international logistics


If a boat fails early checks, you avoid thousands in unnecessary expenses. If it passes, you enter the survey with confidence and leverage.

Either way, the guide pays for itself many times over.


Get the Guide

If you’re serious about buying a Helia 44, this is the first step:



Independent. Neutral. No commissions. Just the information buyers need to make smart decisions offshore.

 
 
bottom of page