The stormy rendezvous between high Ulf and low Jessika towards the evening of the first of October last year causeda strong mistral west of Cannes. It not only sweeps away the furniture on the hotel terrace, but also stirs up the Mediterranean Sea, creating the best conditions for tomorrow's testof the new Fairline Targa 43 Open in Mandelieu-la-Napoule. All that remained of the stormy appearance the following day were slightly choppy Mediterranean waters, waves up to a metre high and a gentle breeze of one Beaufort.
Marketing Manager Miles Moorhouse proudly explains the Fairline Targa 43 Open to me. It is a completely new development and builds on the success of the old 43, three hundred of which left the shipyard between 1997 and 2005.
The new 43 is primarily designed for useon the Mediterranean Seabut that doesn't mean that you can't sail them elsewhere. For the Mediterranean, Fairline emphasised the importance of a large cockpit,Extensive sun loungers The boat is equipped with a spacious tender garage with space for a Williams 285 TurboJet. There is also a hydraulically lowerable bathing platform with space for a jet ski.
And it has something of an open, an open boat, if as Miles says"the largest sunroof in the boat class" is open. I can only agree with this and add that even with the roof open, at least as a driver or co-driver, you are absolutely free from draughts. Initially, the shipyard thought about offering the boat with sterndrives as well, but then decided to offer it exclusively with the roof open.with two Volvo Penta IPS 600 D6-435(as installed in the test boat).
The generous amount of space on deck continues below. The comfortable companionway leads into a saloon with galley and dinette that extends across the entire width of the boat. Wherever you walk, stand or look, you will see high-quality materials and neatly finished surfaces.
Design details from the Targa 63 GTO are also used here thanks to Alberto Mancini and thus span an arc across all models.The future owner should decide at the time of purchase whether he wants to use the front cabin or the centre cabin as his own, because the arrangement of the doors and use of the bathrooms with toilets depends on this.
In both cabins, the queen-size berths can be pushed apart to form single berths. A porthole in each of the large hull side windows in both cabins ensures a clear view even in the rain.for natural ventilation. It goes without saying that there is plenty of storage space everywhere.
The Targa 43 Open is entered primarily via the stern, where an electro-hydraulic gangway on the starboard side paves the way to the cockpit. Wide steps on both sides of the stern sunbed lead into the cockpit or to the port side deck. A handrail or similar is to be installed there so that the sunbathers can lie safely aft and hold on while sailing.
Skippers of all ages enjoy reasonably sized side decks on the way forward.
The handrails on the cockpit roof should be given a little more space so that you don't bump your knuckles when holding on. The cockpit, which is divided into two levels, offers plenty of seating at the rear and a fold-up table. At the front, the driving position on the starboard side dominates with the cockpit galley arranged behind it and the seating for the co-driver opposite.
One weak point crystallises during the test: the engine compartment.
Due to the tender garage, it is only possible to reach the engines or other installed technology in the engine compartment for inspection or servicing with some artistic exercises. Although the garage floor is designed to be removed, this involves a lot of work and many screws and will only be the case in an emergency or at best during major inspections. The shipyard has taken up my suggestion of converting the entire garage floor into a large hatch and designed it accordingly. If this is realised as I have been informed in the meantime, there is nothing more to complain about.
Thanks to IPS drives, all manoeuvres are moderate; extreme manoeuvres are prevented by the pod drives' speed-dependent steering angle. At full speed, the turning diameters measure around 200 metres and 30 metres in displacement mode, and only one boat length with the help of the joystick.
The latter is used to manoeuvre the boat in any direction, making it easier to moor and cast off even in narrow passages. Our test boat begins to planing at around 11 knots, whereby the transition from displacement to planing is accompanied by little trimming of the boat and therefore the foresight is maintained.
As is usual with boats with IPS drives, trim tabs are used to lower the bow. On the one hand, this improves visibility and, on the other, sailing comfort when the foreship cuts through the choppy water. At full throttle (3490 rpm), the GPS logs 31 knots, missing the shipyard specification by just 1 knot.
Fairline designates speeds around 3200 rpmfavourable for marchingwhich I can confirm after analysing my measurement data. One tank of fuel is theoretically enough for 208 nm non-stop plus 15 % reserve, which means that our target has not been met. If you want to go further, you have to switch to displacement sailing and, depending on your speed, you can cover distances of around 1600 to 1230 nm.
Extraordinary: the sound pressure level in the entire cockpit does not exceed 78 dB/A. A very good value that is otherwise only found in closed boats.
With regard to the safety requirements set by BOOTE, the test boat fulfils everything in an exemplary manner apart from the missing water alarm sensors in the fuel pre-filters. However, there is another special feature: if the tap on the onboard outlet from the faeces tank is closed, a sensor there blocks the macerator and pumping out is then not possible.
The shipyard is absolutely state of the art in terms of overall workmanship and technical and electrical installations.
Onlya few little things still need to be optimised in mould construction - but that's no great surprise when you consider that the boat with build number 1 was presented to the public here. Fairline offers the Targa 43 Open ready to sail, but like other shipyards also provides a list of accessories that owners can use to customise their boat.
