Design and Construction
The hull and deck are a hand-laid and vacuum-bagged vinylester/e-glass composite wrapping a foam core, sitting atop a massive galvanized stainless-steel grid the core of the Grand Soleil 43 is a massive, galvanized stainless-steel grid. A formidable steel U-shaped stringer anchors the chainplates, and the standard 7-foot-6-inch tapered bulb keel carries a metal frame bolted straight to that internal steel structure. Buyers could also choose an 8-foot-6-inch fin keel without a bulb or a 6-foot-6-inch shoal-draft bulb version. With a displacement of 19,621 pounds and 6,283 pounds of ballast, the 32.0 ballast-to-displacement ratio and 169 displacement-to-length ratio place her firmly in the modern lightweight performance cruiser camp, while the 24.9 sail-area-to-displacement ratio confirms a powerful rig for the displacement.
Rig and Handling
Above the low, clean, expansive coach roof rises a lofty triple-spreader fractional Sparcraft rig carrying 1,130 square feet of sail. The balanced rudder works with Solimar steering and a big recessed destroyer wheel that test sailors found light and feathery, and an open-transom version with twin wheels was also available. Under power, the 55-horsepower Volvo diesel on a saildrive with a three-bladed fixed prop pushed the boat at 7.6 to 7.8 knots. Deck hardware is thorough: Harken blocks and winches, Spinlock clutches, Lewmar hatches, and a Facnor recessed furler are all fitted.
Accommodations
Interior designer Patrick Roséo faced the brief of building a layout homey at anchor yet race-ready, and he answered with two main-saloon options. On the test boat, hull number 43, an L-shaped galley sat at the companionway foot to starboard with the nav station to port; the alternative placed a straight-line galley to port and an expansive nav station to starboard. Forward is a huge master stateroom, with twin double cabins aft that double as excellent sea berths offshore, and the saloon centers on a dining table with wraparound settee. Standard mahogany furniture and bulkheads can be swapped for oak, and the owner's head forward is generously sized, using a folding glass panel to contain the shower.
Known Issues
The same reviewer who praised the boat's poise noted the footing on the gelcoat deck was somewhat tenuous, and that the outward-opening coach-roof ports, when open, sat directly in the line of fire of the jib sheets outward-opening coach-roof ports. Teak decks were offered as an option precisely to address the grip concern.
The Verdict
The Grand Soleil 43 is a genuine performance cruiser from a respected Italian builder, pairing America's Cup–proven design talent with a rigid steel-grid structure and a versatile interior. She rewards sailors who want racing lineage without surrendering cruising comfort, though her slick decks and port placement demand a careful hand.
Pros
- Botin & Carkeek race-proven design with a lofty triple-spreader fractional rig
- Massive galvanized steel grid with chainplate and keel loads directly anchored
- Two saloon layouts, huge forward master, and twin aft doubles that work as sea berths
- Light, feathery steering from the balanced rudder and Solimar system
Cons
- Gelcoat deck footing described by the reviewer as somewhat tenuous
- Open coach-roof ports fall in the jib-sheet path when deployed
