Buying a used Targa: a motorsailer built to sail, not just to cruise
Buying a used Targa means buying against the grain of what "motorsailer" usually promises. Where the type has a reputation for undersized rigs and hulls that struggle to make way to windward, Targa Yachts of Jämijärvi, Finland set out to fix exactly that, drawing a small-yard boat around a deliberately different set of choices rather than the era's usual compromises. A used Targa 96 or 101 is worth evaluating on how well that fix holds up in the specific boat in front of you -- rig condition, hull integrity, how the cockpit and cabin have aged -- rather than on the motorsailer category's general reputation for compromise, which this builder was working against from the outset.
Which era to target
The range spans just two sailboats: the Targa 96, from 1975, and the Targa 101, from 1980, both drawn by Hans Groop under the same approach -- a taller, narrower rig and a slimmed hull with a comparatively shallow keel suited to archipelago sailing. Nothing in the record distinguishes what changed between the two beyond the five-year gap, so there's no basis for treating the later model as a design departure from the earlier one; weigh a listing on its condition and size fit rather than on assumptions about which year is the "real" version.
Navigating the lineup
Both models share the trade Groop built the range around: a cockpit set amidships rather than aft, in exchange for cabin space few sailboats this size carried at the time -- an arrangement that later became close to a signature feature at larger Swedish cruising yards. Choosing between the 96 and the 101 is mainly a question of size and build year rather than a different design idea. Buyers coming from mainstream cruising sailboats should expect the trade-off to run the other way here: more livable space aft, in a hull designed to sail rather than just motor. Check the full model directory on this page for the specifics of each.
Where they're listed
Targa listings appear across 8 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 2 (22.2%), followed by Germany and Denmark.
Country view
9 listings · 8 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $23,219 | 2 | 0 | 22.2% |
| Germany | $23,189 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| Denmark | $21,670 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| Spain | $150,321 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| Finland | $104,758 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| France | $20,975 | 1 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Greece | $23,110 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| Portugal | $37,755 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
All Targa models
1 model grouped by length overall. Open any model to see recent asking prices and active listings.