In four-cabin charter form, the yacht is marketed as the Moorings 43.4. Two- and three-cabin arrangements are also available for private owners.
Design and Construction
The Beneteau 43 has a solid fiberglass hull with an internal pan molding that stiffens the structure and absorbs keel and rigging loads. Above the waterline, the deck is a fiberglass-and-balsa sandwich, and the keel is cast iron.
The hull has a shallow canoe body and flat bilges, giving it a dinghy-like form rather than the rounded sections of a traditional cruiser. The flat, shallow bilge ends in a sump just large enough for a Rule-Mate bilge pump rated at 1,100 gallons per hour.
Displacement is 19,566 pounds, waterline length is 38 feet 1 inch, and beam is 13 feet 6 inches. Sources differ on draft. One gives a standard draft of 5 feet 5 inches and a deeper option of 6 feet 7 inches; another lists 6 feet 7 inches as standard and 5 feet 5 inches for the shoal-draft version.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The boat carries a 19/20ths fractional sloop rig with aft-raked spreaders and a split, non-adjustable backstay. This arrangement maintains forestay tension and tightens the genoa sheeting angle. The standard headsail is a 140-percent genoa.
Every control line leads aft to the cockpit. The primary winches are close enough to the helm for a single sailor to trim the jib and tack. The mainsail controls are on the cabin wings, a couple of strides from the wheel.
Writing in Cruising World, the reviewer found that the boat sailed to windward at over 6 knots in under 10 knots of true wind. It later broad-reached at 7.8 knots in 17 knots of breeze. Under power, the 54-horsepower Yanmar drove the boat to 8.5 knots at full throttle and a quiet 6.2 knots at 2,000 rpm.
The twin-wheel steering is light. Together with the broad cockpit, the two helm stations allow the helmsman to watch the headsail luff while also easing access to the swim platform.
Cockpit and Deck Details
The broad cockpit has a robust table that serves as both a footrest and a brace. Subtly angled sections of the cockpit sole give the helmsman traction.
Beneteau fitted padeyes in the cockpit and at the forward corners of the cabin trunk, so jacklines can run inboard. An EU-approved life-raft locker opens onto the transom.
A locker beneath the starboard helm seat provides access to the steering. The propane locker is under the port seat, while a large locker beneath that seat is shelved and floored to keep it usable.
Accommodations
Nauta’s rectilinear interior approach produces layouts that testers called practical and comfortable. The saloon is roomy and inviting, with a large table and seating on three sides. The settees are long enough to serve as sea berths when fitted with lee cloths. A small, aft-facing chart desk sits at the foot of the port settee.
Owners can choose among several layouts:
- A two-cabin version with generous ensuite heads
- A three-cabin, three-head plan
- A four-cabin, two-head charter layout, in which the forward staterooms become a smaller V-berth and a two-bunk cabin
In the two-cabin model, the starboard aft cabin has a huge athwartships berth, standing room, and its own door to a head with a separate shower stall.
The linear galley is tucked aft and to port of the companionway. It includes a stove, front-opening refrigerator, top-loading freezer, and fiddled work surfaces, although one reviewer questioned its suitability for seagoing duty.
Headroom drew praise for its generosity, and the companionway offers plenty of handholds. However, the same reviewer noted that additional handholds forward of the galley would help crew move through the boat while it is heeled.
Known Issues
The cabin-trunk handrails drew criticism in Cruising World. A hand can’t close around them, nor can a line be secured to them, and they stop at the shrouds instead of continuing forward.
The flush cabin sole boards have no lifting rings. This preserves visual uniformity with the bulkheads but makes routine access to the bilge beneath more difficult.
The Verdict
The Beneteau 43 is a modern cruising design that combines a stiff, flat-bodied hull with a user-friendly rig and a genuinely roomy Nauta interior. It sails efficiently in modest breeze, makes good speed under power, and offers layouts ranging from a private two-cabin arrangement to a four-cabin charter plan.
Its weaknesses are mainly ergonomic: limited handholds forward, awkward cabin-trunk rails, difficult bilge access, and a galley whose suitability for offshore use has been questioned. These concerns are ergonomic rather than structural concerns.
Pros
- Light, responsive twin-wheel steering, with all lines led aft for short-handed sailing
- Roomy, practical Nauta interior with several cabin configurations
- Strong speed under power from the 54-horsepower Yanmar
- Flat, stiff hull form that stands up to upper-teen breeze
Cons
- Cabin-trunk handrails are too low and short for a secure grip or line attachment
- Flush sole boards without lifting rings hinder bilge access
- Linear galley has been questioned for offshore duty
