Design and Construction
The 43 Cws was a product of Dehler’s long collaboration with E.G. van de Stadt, built as the company’s classic-era monocoque hulls were still being produced with the deck and hull laminated together inside the mold for a continuous fiberglass bond. Her 43.68 percent ballast ratio and 1.91 capsize screen reflect a stiff, seakindly hull form of the period, and the 203.52 displacement-to-length figure places her firmly in the moderate-displacement cruiser bracket rather than the ultra-light racer end of the Van de Stadt spectrum. The solid fiberglass hull and deck, with lead ballast, were conventional for the era and contributed to the displacement recorded in the design data.
Rig and Handling
What set the Cws apart on deck was her cockpit architecture. She sprouted a cockpit arch to which the main was sheeted, doing away with a central winch in favor of two independent steering positions, each carrying an electrically operated winch and engine controls. The rig itself used a fractional sloop plan with a non-overlapping headsail that was nevertheless not self-tacking, fitted instead with a vertical batten to aid shape and handling. Period testing found her performance generally good, though reviewers noted she was criticised for lacking power to drive through a lumpy sea — a trait of the moderate hull form rather than a rig deficiency.
Accommodations
Below, the 43 Cws was laid out as a three-cabin cruiser: an owner’s suite forward, two cabins aft for crew or guests, and a saloon between. The dinette was oriented across the boat rather than along it, opening the saloon visually and socially. A moulded bath was fitted, and the foot of the companionway held a spacious working and wet area that doubled as a practical zone for sail handling and cleanup, including a good chart table. The one consistent compromise was a small galley — functional but tight for a boat of this size and intended cruising range.
Known Issues
The principal documented shortfall in service was her behavior in a confused or lumpy sea, where the moderate-displacement hull proved reluctant to drive through chop without additional sail or favorable angle. This was a design characteristic noted from the period rather than a structural defect, and it bears on how the boat should be sailed in short, steep conditions.
The Verdict
The Dehler 43 Cws is a thoughtfully laid-out Van de Stadt cruiser that used then-novel cockpit arch sheeting and twin powered steering stations to reduce crew workload. Her accommodations were clever and roomy in the saloon and forecabin, let down only by a small galley, and her hull was a solid, lead-ballasted cruiser of its class. She rewards an owner who sails her with her sea-keeping limits in mind.
Pros
- Largest and most capable of the CWS designs
- Twin independent steering positions with electric winches and engine controls
- Across-beam dinette and moulded bath below
- Solid fiberglass construction with lead ballast
Cons
- Lacked power to drive through a lumpy sea
- Small galley for a 43-foot cruiser
- Non-self-tacking non-overlapping headsail demands more active handling
