The layout puts six people in three private double cabins, each with its own head. That charter-driven arrangement shapes the whole boat: straightforward accommodations, a sociable cockpit, and simple coastal-cruising manners.
Design and Construction
The Cyclades 43.3 measures 43.5 feet overall, with a 40.65-foot waterline and a 14.5-foot beam. Displacement is roughly 19,800 pounds, balanced by 6,400 pounds of iron ballast in a bulb fin.
The boat is built predominantly of fibreglass with wood trim. Both the hull and deck are fibreglass with a balsa core. This sandwich construction keeps weight down while adding stiffness and sound insulation, though it demands disciplined sealing of every deck fitting over the years.
The hull has a slightly raked stem and a walk-through reverse transom with a swimming platform. An internally mounted spade rudder is controlled by twin wheels. Below the waterline, a fixed fin keel with a weighted bulb gives a moderate draft of just over six feet.
The design belongs to the Cyclades range, a line aimed at straightforward cruising rather than offshore certification.
Rig, Cockpit, and Handling
The Cyclades 43.3 carries a fractional sloop rig with a deck-stepped mast, two sets of swept spreaders, and aluminium spars. Its cockpit is arranged to keep manoeuvres simple, with genoa winches close to the helm and a double helm position that improves comfort when sailing and moving about the boat. Instrument supports are fitted at the cockpit table and on the helm consoles.
The simplified, charter-oriented deck plan does have a drawback. Yachting World tester Matthew Sheahan noted a shortage of winches on the Cyclades 43. That limited hardware can make short-handed reefing and halyard work laborious when several jobs must share the same winches.
Once the sails were trimmed, however, Sheahan reported that the boat sailed well and felt stiff. It barrelled upwind at just under seven knots and reached eight with ease. He also found it easy to steer in a straight line and responsive when twisting over waves, though the twin-wheel system made it rather heavy on the helm.
Yacht broker Richard Jordan wrote that the Cyclades 43 is “absolutely not a bluewater boat” and that the series isn’t rated for offshore work. He called it a great coastline sailor, better suited to hopping between the Bahamas or cruising the Caribbean.
Accommodations
Below, the Cyclades 43.3 sleeps six in three double cabins: one in the bow and two aft. Each cabin has its own head.
The main saloon has a U-shaped settee and a straight settee. To port, the straight galley includes a three-burner stove, refrigerator, freezer, and sink. A navigation station sits to starboard in the saloon.
The arrangement is plainly charter-derived. It combines private cabins and en-suite heads with a social saloon, while the galley allows one cook to work on a busy boat without blocking the passage.
Known Issues
The shortage of winches identified by Sheahan may make sail handling more laborious for a short-handed crew, particularly when reefing and halyard work must share limited hardware.
The twin-wheel steering has also been reported as heavy on the helm. That’s something any prospective buyer should assess during a trial sail.
The Verdict
The Cyclades 43.3 is a purpose-built charter cruiser with roomy, well-divided accommodations and a simple, sociable cockpit. It isn’t intended for ocean passages. Within its intended role—shoreline cruising and island-hopping—it is stiff, spacious, and forgiving.
Pros
- Three double cabins, each with a private head, suit charter or family use
- Simple cockpit layout, with genoa winches near the wheels
- Stiff and quick upwind, and easy to steer in a straight line once trimmed
- A shared hull with the Cyclades 43.4 gives buyers a known, repeated production platform
Cons
- Twin-wheel steering has been reported as heavy on the helm
- The winch count has been criticized as inadequate for non-charter, short-handed sailing
- Not rated for offshore work according to the broker assessment; intended as a coastline sailor
