Fountaine Pajot · Catamaran

Fountaine Pajot Hélia 44

The Hélia 44 is a 13.30 m cruising catamaran by Fountaine Pajot, drawn by Berret Racoupeau with the yard’s design office. Previewed in July 2012 as the yard’s new model for 2013 and launched that summer at Île de Ré, it replaced the Orana 44; from 2016 it was sold as the Hélia 44 Evolution, with a brighter saloon and integrated mast foot, new hull windows, new davits, an extra cockpit bench and a new owner’s suite with a separate head. Both came as the three-cabin Maestro, with the owner’s suite in the starboard hull, or the four-cabin Quatuor with four bathrooms, with two 40 hp Volvo diesels as standard and 2 × 55 hp as an option; by October 2018 the New 45, later named Elba 45, had taken its place. Fountaine Pajot publishes no owner’s manual online: the most detailed builder documents still reachable are the archived standard inventories of 2012 to 2015, and documentation and spare parts go through the builder’s owner’s requests form with the hull number.

Manuals & documents
Equipment & its manuals
Specifications
Good to know
Videos & how-tos
On the marketplace

Manuals & documents

Fountaine Pajot publishes no owner’s manual for the Hélia 44: owners ask for documentation through the builder’s request form or its extranet login (the first two links). Most other links are archived copies of the builder’s own pages and PDFs from 2012 to 2018, which it has since taken down; the boat tests describe single test boats, not the standard specification. We host nothing.

Owner’s requests form: technical documentation and spare parts, with the ‘Hélia 44 Evolution’ in the model list and your hull number Manual portal catamarans-fountaine-pajot.com · EN
Fountaine Pajot extranet (login only; what it holds is not described publicly) Manual portal extranet.fountaine-pajot.com · EN
Standard inventory ‘Hélia Grand Large’, first issue (‘création’), 2012: data, layouts, engines, systems, rig and deck gear Archived maker page web.archive.org · PDF · EN
Standard inventory, rev. a (2014/2015): data, layouts, engines, systems, rig and deck gear, now with a 1500 W windlass; English edition, French edition from April 2014 Archived maker page web.archive.org · PDF · EN · FR
Hélia 44 brochure, 2012: data, layouts, Ecocruising options (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian) Archived maker page web.archive.org · PDF · EN · FR · ES · DE · IT
Hélia 44 brochure, 2015 edition, with the Volvo Penta partnership logo on the data page Archived maker page web.archive.org · PDF · EN · FR · ES · DE · IT
Hélia 44 Evolution ‘new 2016’ leaflet: data, Volvo 2 × 40 HP, new owner’s version (English and French) Archived maker page web.archive.org · PDF · EN · FR
Hélia 44 characteristics on the builder’s old website, August 2012 Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
‘Hélia 44 Evolution NEW 2016’ characteristics on the builder’s old website, October 2015 Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN · FR
Hélia 44 Evolution model page, July 2016 (standard 2 × 40 hp only) Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
Hélia 44 Evolution model page, September 2016 (2 × 55 hp option listed) Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
Hélia 44 Evolution model page, June 2018 (last capture before the New 45) Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
New 45 model page, October 2018: the New 45 in the range menu where the Hélia 44 Evolution was Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
News: ‘Hélia 44… New boat for 2013’, 11 July 2012 Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
News: the Hélia 44 launch at Île de Ré, 1 August 2012 Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
News: the Hélia 44 owner’s version after the autumn 2012 boat shows, 11 October 2012 Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
News: three new catamarans for 2016, including the Hélia 44 Evolution and what changed, October 2015 Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
Goiot escape-hatch recall: Fountaine Pajot’s recall site with FAQ, boats built 2012 to August 2018 including the Hélia 44 (2020) Service bulletin web.archive.org · EN · FR
Fountaine Pajot magazine 2015: Volvo Penta’s service network for the yard’s owners and a Hélia 44 family’s round-the-world plan (English and French) Archived maker page web.archive.org · PDF · EN · FR
YACHT first look before the launch, July 2012: replacing the Orana 44, layouts and data Boat test yacht.de · EN
Cruising World boat test, June 2013 issue (2 × 40 hp Volvo saildrives, construction, solar panels) Boat test cruisingworld.com · EN
Trade-A-Boat test, September/October 2014 (hull 48, Maestro, 2 × 55 hp, options list and prices) Boat test tradeaboat.com.au · EN
Mysailing test of a Hélia 44 Evolution, September 2018 (Maestro, 2 × 55 hp, options) Boat test mysailing.com.au · EN
SAIL test of the Elba 45, October 2019: the replacement for the Hélia 44 and what changed Boat test sailmagazine.com · EN

Equipment & its manuals

Standard equipment as the builder’s documents list it. Boats were ordered with options and refitted since — check what is actually aboard.

Item	Model	Manual / page	Note
Engine	Volvo Penta 40 hp × 2^1,2,3,4,5,6Standard on all boats: ‘2 x 40 CV’ in the inventories of 2012 to 2015 and the brochures, ‘VOLVO 2 x 40 HP’ on the Evolution leaflet and pages (2015 to 2018)	—	Fountaine Pajot gives the make and power but no model; the 2015 brochure carries a Volvo Penta partnership logo. Volvo Penta’s 40 hp sailboat diesel of those years is the D2-40, which has its own page here; read the engine plate before ordering filters, impellers or belts. Inventory: heat-exchanger cooling, raw-water filter, full engine panel with dual controls and hour meter at the helm, sound-insulated engine rooms under cockpit hatches.
Engine	Volvo Penta 55 hp × 2^7,8,6,9,10Option: ‘Option Power VOLVO 2 x 55 HP’ on the Evolution pages from September 2016 (not yet in July 2016) to June 2018. Trade-A-Boat’s 2014 test boat (hull 48) already had optional 55 hp Volvo Penta saildrives, and so did Mysailing’s 2018 test boat	—	The builder names no model. Volvo Penta’s 55 hp sailboat diesel was the D2-55, built until December 2016, when the D2-50 and D2-60 took over; read the plate.
Saildrive	Saildrive × 2^11,9,10,3Saildrives on the test boats of Cruising World (2013), Trade-A-Boat (2014) and Mysailing (2018); the builder’s inventories say only ‘2 motors 40CV’ and name no drive	—	Read the plate on each leg before ordering seals, anodes or a propeller.
Propeller	Fixed two-blade × 2^1,2,3,9Standard: ‘2 Fixes blades propeller’ in the English inventories of 2012 and 2015, ‘2 hélices bipales fixes’ (two-blade) in the French one of 2014; size not given	—	Trade-A-Boat’s 2014 test boat had three-blade folding propellers with its optional 55 hp engines. Check which engine and propeller are fitted before buying a spare.
Fuel filter	Pre-filter/separator + engine filter^1,3For each engine, inventories 2012 to 2015	—	One 470 l tank filled through a deck plate with an anti-overflow fitting, electric gauge at the chart table, fuel shut-off valves.
Alternators	115 A / 12 V × 2^1,3,4Engine alternators, inventories 2012 to 2015 and brochures	—
Batteries	AGM 600 Ah + 100 Ah^{1,2,3,12,4,10}Inventories 2012 to 2015: a starboard bank of service/engine batteries of 600 Ah and one 100 Ah, 800 CCA engine battery to port; the brochures give AGM batteries of 4 × 150 Ah	—	2012 inventory: manual and automatic emergency links between the banks; 2014 and 2015: manual link only. 12 V panel at the chart table with circuit breakers, voltmeter and spare circuits. Extra batteries were an option (Mysailing, 2018).
Winches	Size 50 × 2 · size 46^1,2,3,9Inventories: two size 50 winches for the genoa and main sheets and one size 46 for the main halyard and reefing (2012, French 2014); the English 2015 inventory calls all three self-tailing and gives the 46 to the mainsheet	—	The inventories name no maker. Trade-A-Boat’s 2014 test boat had Harken genoa winches and an optional electric Harken 46 for the halyards; check the drum before ordering parts. A size 40 winch works the davits.
Windlass	Electric, 1000 W / 1500 W^1,2,3,91000 W in the 2012 inventory, 1500 W in the inventories of 2014 and 2015, each with circuit-breaker protection	—	Trade-A-Boat’s 2014 test boat had a Quick 1500 W vertical windlass in the port foredeck locker. Anchor fairlead with built-in bridle under the bridge deck and a roller on the forward beam; the inventories list no anchor or chain.
Mast & rigging	Aluminium mast and boom^1,3,5Anodised aluminium mast and boom with complete standing rigging, inventories 2012 to 2015; maker not named	—	Ball-bearing mainsail luff cars, tackle on the main halyard, topping lift, three reef lines, lazy jacks, genoa and spinnaker halyards on clutches, two flag halyards. The Evolution has an integrated mast foot (builder, 2015).
Sails	Full-batten main · genoa^1,2,3,4,9Full-batten mainsail of 70 m², square-topped in the French 2014 inventory (‘CST’ in the English one of 2015), and a 45 m² genoa; sailmaker not named	—	Genoa with UV strip in 2012 (the English 2015 inventory says ‘no UV band’). Trade-A-Boat’s 2014 test boat had an optional 55 m² screecher.
Furler	Roller furler^1,2,3Roller genoa furler, inventories 2012 to 2015; make not named	—
Steering	Wheel · 2 rudders^1,2,3Inventories 2012 to 2015: ‘push pull’ steering system with a leather-covered wheel at the raised helm, two rudders linked mechanically by tiller arms and a transverse tube, emergency tiller, steering compass	—
Toilet	Manual marine WC × 3–4^1,2,3,5,13One manual marine toilet in each bathroom (four in the Quatuor, three in the Maestro), inventories 2012 to 2015; make not named	—	Each shower drains through an electric pump. On the Evolution, the Maestro owner’s suite has an Italian-style shower room with a separate head (builder, 2015).
Water pump	Electric + accumulator^1,2,3Inventories 2012 to 2015: one electric fresh-water pump with pressure accumulator; make not named	—
Water heater	40 l^1,2,3Inventories 2012 to 2015; make not named	—
Bilge pump	Electric 2 m³/h × 4 + manual^1,2,3Inventories 2012 to 2015: one electric bilge pump in each engine room and one in each hull (2 m³/h each), plus a manual pump worked from outside	—
Fridge	190 l^1,3,12,4,10190 l of cold storage in the galley, inventories and brochures 2012 to 2015; make not named	—	A cockpit fridge was an option (brochures); Mysailing’s 2018 test boat had doubled fridge and freezer space, including an outdoor fridge.
Stove	Gas, 3 burners + oven^1,2,3Inventories 2012 to 2015: stainless hob with three gas burners and pan holders, stainless gas oven	—	Gas locker for two bottles in the cockpit; space for an optional dishwasher under the sinks (inventories).
Davits	Davits × 2 + size 40 winch^1,3,5,13,9Inventories 2012 to 2015: two tender davits that double as a kayak carrier, worked with a size 40 winch; new davits on the Evolution (builder, 2015)	—	Trade-A-Boat lists ‘davits and dinghy’ among the options on its 2014 test boat, so check what a given boat has.
Generator	Option^1,2,3,10Inventories 2012 to 2015: a large foredeck locker takes an optional generator; model and power not given	—	Mysailing’s 2018 test boat had a generator among its options.
Instruments	Garmin (option)^1,3,9No navigation electronics in the standard inventories of 2012 to 2015: only an instrument console at the chart table, an instrument panel at the helm and a VHF antenna at the masthead	—	Trade-A-Boat’s 2014 test boat had optional Garmin electronics, autopilot and wind instruments (models not named); check what is fitted before ordering parts.
Solar panels	Integrated panels (option)^12,4,11Ecocruising option in the 2012 and 2015 brochures: solar panels built into the boat’s design, plus a hydrogenerator and a wind turbine; number and output not given	—	Cruising World’s 2013 test boat had four solar panels built into the bimini aft of the traveller.
Watermaker	Option¹⁰Option on Mysailing’s 2018 test boat; make and output not given	—
Air conditioning	Option¹⁰Option on Mysailing’s 2018 test boat; make not given	—
Hatches & ports	Goiot escape hatches^14,1,3Fountaine Pajot’s Goiot escape-hatch recall names the Hélia 44 and covers its boats under 50 ft built from 1 January 2012 to 31 August 2018, so practically every Hélia 44	—	The glazing could come away from the frame. Fountaine Pajot told owners not to sail until its safety kit was fitted and then supplied new hatches; Goiot’s hatches from September 2018 have a screw in the middle of the frame top. The inventories put one escape hatch in each forward cabin.
Lights	LED^1,2,3,12,4LED lighting inside, LED navigation and exterior lights (inventories, brochures)	—

Specifications

Length overall	13.30 m (43.5 ft)^15,4,5,6
Beam	7.40 m (24.3 ft)^15,4,5,6
Draft	1.15 m (3.8 ft); 1.20 m in the French inventory of 2014. The English inventories of 2012 and 2015 print ‘3.80 m’, a slip for 3.80 ft^{12,4,5,15,2,1,3}
Displacement	10.8 t unloaded, 15.7 t fully loaded (approx.); the Evolution pages give only the unloaded 10.8 t^1,2,3,5,6
Sail area	115 m² upwind: 70 m² mainsail plus 45 m² genoa^12,4,6
Mainsail	70 m² (753.5 sq ft), full-batten; labelled ‘sail area’ on the 2016–2018 pages, and given as 45 m² by mistake on the Evolution leaflet^15,4,5,6
Genoa	45 m² (484.4 sq ft), on a roller furler^15,4,6,3
Light-air sails	Screecher of 55 m², an option on Trade-A-Boat’s 2014 test boat; Cruising World (2013) describes a moulded bowsprit for off-wind sails^9,11
Engine	2 × 40 hp Volvo diesels as standard; option 2 × 55 hp Volvo, listed on the builder’s pages from September 2016 (not yet in July 2016) to June 2018 and already fitted to a 2014 test boat^{1,3,5,7,8,6,9}
Cruising speed	7.5 kn at cruising rpm and nearly 9 kn flat out with 2 × 40 hp (Cruising World, 2013); 9.2 kn at 2900 rpm with 2 × 55 hp and folding propellers (Trade-A-Boat, hull 48, 2014)^11,9
Fuel tank	470 l (124 US gal), approx.^1,4,5,6
Water tank	2 × 375 l (750 l) in the inventories and brochures of 2012 to 2015; 700 l on the Evolution leaflet and pages (2015 to 2018). The builder does not say whether the tanks or only the figure changed^1,3,12,4,5,6
Cabins	Maestro: owner’s suite in the starboard hull (aft cabin, desk, storage and laundry space, bathroom with separate shower) plus 2 double cabins with 2 bathrooms to port · Quatuor: 4 double cabins with 4 bathrooms^1,3,15,6
Berth sizes	Aft double berths approx. 1.60 × 2.00 m; forward double berths approx. 2 m long, 1.60 m wide tapering to 1.30 m (starboard) or 1.10 m (port)^1,3
CE category	A for 12 people, B for 12, C for 18, D for 22 (inventories 2012 to 2015); no CE declaration published^1,2,3
Hull	GRP; the builder’s documents give no details. Cruising World (2013): hulls of vacuum-bagged solid laminate below the waterline and balsa sandwich above, infused deck; Trade-A-Boat (2014): bridge deck and saloon moulded as one injected structure^11,9
Designer	Berret Racoupeau, with the Fountaine Pajot design office^12,4,15,6
Builder	Fountaine Pajot, Aigrefeuille near La Rochelle, France^12,4,5
Versions	Hélia 44 (2012 to 2015) and Hélia 44 Evolution (from 2016), each as Maestro (3 cabins, owner’s version) or Quatuor (4 cabins); ‘Hélia Grand Large’ in the headers of the inventories^1,3,13,5,6
Years built	2012 to 2018: previewed in July 2012 as the new model for 2013 and launched at Île de Ré that summer; the Evolution was announced in October 2015 for 2016; the model page was last captured on 1 June 2018, and by 11 October 2018 the New 45 had taken its place in the range menu^{16,17,13,6,18}
Hulls built	No total from the builder. Trade-A-Boat (2014): 117 sold since the 2012 launch; Mysailing (2018): up to hull number 200 in five years^9,10
Successor	Elba 45, first shown as the ‘New 45’ (2018): from October 2018 the address of the builder’s Hélia 44 Evolution page forwards to the New 45, whose address later forwards to the Elba 45; SAIL (2019) calls the Elba 45 the Hélia 44’s replacement^19,18,20,21
Predecessor	Orana 44 (according to YACHT, 2012, and Cruising World, 2013)^22,11

Good to know

Fountaine Pajot publishes no owner’s manual or equipment list for the Hélia 44 online. For technical documentation or spare parts, use its owner’s requests form, whose model list has the boat as ‘Hélia 44 Evolution’, and give the hull (HIN) number; the builder says an expert for your area answers. The most detailed builder documents still reachable are the standard inventories of 2012 and 2014/2015 on archive.org; no inventory of the Evolution has survived there.^23,1,3
Fountaine Pajot’s recall of Goiot escape hatches names the Hélia 44 and covers boats built from January 2012 to 31 August 2018, so practically every Hélia 44 is affected: the glazing could come off the frame. The builder told owners not to sail before its safety kit was fitted, and then supplied new hatches. When buying or surveying one, ask for proof that both steps were done; if in doubt, ask Fountaine Pajot with the hull number.^14,23
Engines: two 40 hp Volvo diesels as standard, two 55 hp as an option (on the builder’s pages from September 2016, but already on a 2014 test boat). The builder never names the engine or saildrive model, so read the plates on the engines and legs before ordering filters, impellers, anodes or a propeller. In the builder’s 2015 magazine, Volvo Penta offers Fountaine Pajot owners its worldwide service network and advises registering engine and drive with it.^3,7,8,9,24,4
Check figures before ordering: the inventories, brochures and the 2012 to 2018 pages give a 70 m² mainsail and a 45 m² genoa, but the Evolution leaflet labels the 45 m² figure as the mainsail. The English inventories print the draft as ‘3.80 m’ (it is 3.80 ft, 1.15 m), and the fresh water drops from 2 × 375 l to 700 l on the Evolution papers without explanation.^1,3,4,5,6
The equipment of a Hélia 44 depends on its year and options. The windlass grew from 1000 W (2012 inventory) to 1500 W (2014), the Evolution brought new davits and a new owner’s suite with separate head, and electronics, generator, watermaker, air conditioning, solar panels, folding propellers and extra batteries were options; Trade-A-Boat even lists the davits among its test boat’s options. Check what a given boat actually has before ordering parts.^{1,2,5,13,9,10,4}

Videos & how-tos

Links to YouTube, nothing embedded. The maker’s own channel comes first; the rest are channels we found clear and correct for this model.

Hélia 44: the builder’s presentation film (2012) Video Fountaine Pajot · maker’s channel · EN · 6 min
Hélia 44 Evolution: the builder’s film, sailing with the Lucia 40 off the Lérins islands (2016) Video Fountaine Pajot · maker’s channel · 3 min

On the marketplace

Browse the category on boatparts.app

Looking for a part for the Fountaine Pajot Hélia 44? Post a wanted ad in the app — it is free, it sits on the live map, and boaters nearby who have the part aboard can answer.

Got spares you no longer need? List them in a minute. No commission, ever.

Get the app

Sources

Fountaine Pajot is a trademark of its owner; boatparts.app is not affiliated with it. Part numbers are quoted for identification only. Spotted an error? Write to mail@boatparts.app.