There comes a time when a boatbuilder has to retire a popular model from its line, as Fairline did a few years ago with its Targa 43. The English manufacturer, which had produced about 300 of the express cruisers over eight years, tapped Italian yacht designer Alberto Mancini to dream up a replacement, following his work on Fairline’s Targa 63 GTO.
The result is the new Targa 43 Open, with a hardtop and a centerline, powered canvas top that opens to create an indoor-outdoor experience on the main deck. The boat’s other features also aim to connect passengers with nature.
“This new 43 maximizes its day-boat credentials with a big tender garage sized to accommodate a Williams 280 Minijet and has an expansive social cockpit with entertaining areas,” Andrew Pope, head of design at Fairline Yachts, stated in a press release. “And as with all our boats, we have tried hard to retain a true connection with the water.”
The 43 Open’s bright interiors take cues from the 63 GTO. The cabin has tapered, one-piece salon windows, while hull-side glazing brightens the accommodations level. The boat comes standard with two staterooms, and owners can choose to locate the master forward or amidships. With the master forward, there’s a guest stateroom with twin berths amidships; with the master amidships, the twin-berth stateroom moves to the bow.
The 43’s exterior has a rakish roofline that suits the boat’s potential for sporty performance. Fairline’s recommended propulsion is a pair of Volvo Penta IPS600s paired to 435-hp D6 diesel inboards. The package should push the Targa 43 Open to a top-end speed of 34 knots, according to the builder. The deep-V hull is designed for comfortable coastal cruising, and the comfort can be enhanced by a Seakeeper stabilizer.
This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue.
