Fairline Introduces the Targa 43 Open: A Modern Successor Designed for Day-Boat Performance and Comfort

When a successful model reaches the end of its production life, a careful successor is required. Fairline faced that choice after retiring its popular Targa 43, a model that the English yard produced for roughly eight years with about 300 examples built. For the replacement, Fairline called on Italian designer Alberto Mancini—known for his work on the Targa 63 GTO—to shape a fresh, contemporary take on an express cruiser for day use and near-coastal cruising.

The result is the Targa 43 Open, a boat that blends the open-air advantages of a convertible layout with refinement and practicality. Its defining feature is a hardtop combined with a powered, centerline canvas roof that retracts to create an indoor-outdoor main deck. That arrangement gives owners the flexibility to enjoy sun and sea air or shelter and shade at the touch of a button, making the yacht equally suitable for bright, warm days and mixed weather cruising.

Design and Exterior

Fairline’s design language for the 43 Open favors a rakish roofline and clean, sporty proportions. The profile emphasizes motion and performance while the hull’s deep-V form is tuned for comfortable coastal passages. The yacht’s layout prioritizes sociability on deck: the aft cockpit opens into a generous entertaining area, and the garage is sized specifically to stow a substantial tender—Fairline notes it can accommodate a Williams 280 Minijet—so owners can carry a versatile water toy without sacrificing cockpit space.

Interior Layout and Natural Light

Inside, the Targa 43 Open draws aesthetic influence from the larger 63 GTO. The salon benefits from tapered, one-piece windows that visually integrate the interior with the surrounding seascape, while hull-side glazing brings light into the accommodations level below. Standard accommodation includes two staterooms, with a flexible master layout: owners can choose a forward master berth or an amidships master. If the master is placed forward, a twin-berth guest stateroom sits amidships; if the master is amidships, the twin-berth guest cabin is located in the bow. This adaptability helps the boat appeal to a wider range of buyers, from couples seeking a spacious owner’s cabin to families who value separate guest berths.

Performance and Mechanical Options

Fairline recommends twin Volvo Penta IPS600 drives coupled to the 435-hp D6 diesel engines. That propulsion package is quoted to deliver a top speed of about 34 knots, giving the Targa 43 Open brisk performance for a day-boat of its size. The builder also highlights the deep-V hull for controlled, comfortable passages along the coast, and owners can enhance onboard comfort further with options such as a Seakeeper stabilizer to reduce roll at anchor or underway.

Practicality and Onboard Living

Although conceived as a sporty day-boat, the 43 Open maintains practical features important to owners who spend extended time aboard. The well-sized tender garage preserves cockpit real estate while keeping launch-and-recovery simple. The open-plan social cockpit and flexible interior routing make entertaining straightforward, and the retractable roof adds a layer of versatility absent from fixed-hardtop designs. Attention to visibility and natural light is clear throughout the interior, and the accommodation choices allow owners to configure the yacht for different cruising styles.

Who the Targa 43 Open Suits

The Targa 43 Open targets buyers who want the convenience and sociability of a day-boat combined with the refinement and build quality expected from a modern express cruiser. It should appeal to those who value close connection to the water, want easy tender stowage, and appreciate sporty performance without sacrificing onboard comfort. The configurable stateroom arrangements and sheltered yet open main deck make it well suited to weekend escapes, coastal cruising and entertaining family and friends.

Fairline’s collaboration with Alberto Mancini aims to carry forward the successful attributes of the earlier Targa 43 while introducing contemporary styling cues and practical refinements. The Targa 43 Open brings a modernized, flexible layout and an emphasis on light, sightlines and outdoor living—attributes that reinforce its suitability as a capable, attractive day-boat and coastal cruiser.

This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue.