Design and Construction
The Eclipse 43 measures 42.5 feet overall, with a 36.8-foot waterline and a broad 14-foot beam. She displaces 23,000 lbs and carries 8,750 lbs of lead ballast. Her 38 percent ballast ratio and 3.03 length-to-beam ratio place her firmly among moderate-volume cruisers rather than slender racing boats.
The hull is solid, hand-laid fiberglass, built under the Marine Projects partnership that shaped Moody’s late-1980s output. Buyers had a choice of keels. The 6.7-foot fin keel provided better performance and maneuverability, while the 5.4-foot wing keel offered greater stability and less leeway. The shoal-keel variant documented in the builder’s specifications draws 4.83 feet.
Twin steering positions define the command layout: one in the cockpit and another at the interior helm.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Eclipse 43 is a masthead sloop with a fully furling sail plan. Period descriptions, however, identify it as a Solent rig rather than a cutter, with a self-tacking inner-stay arrangement distinct from a conventional cutter.
Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 15.6 with the standard reference sail, rising to 18.6 with a 135 percent genoa. Those figures give her lively performance for a 23,000-lb cruiser. The builder claimed high cruising speeds under power and sail. Independent calculations put her theoretical displacement-hull speed at 8.0 knots, with a calculated maximum near 8.2.
The displacement-length ratio of 218 and motion comfort ratio of 27.6 categorize her as a moderate-displacement cruiser with predictable load-carrying behavior. Her capsize screening value is 1.97. One editorial review cautioned that this would not make her the wisest choice for ocean passage-making in strong winds and heavy seas, although another noted that the 1.97 figure alone would permit consideration by that formula.
Accommodations
The Eclipse 43 sleeps eight in three double cabins and has two heads.
Forward, the owner’s stateroom centers on a fore-and-aft double berth. It also has a large hanging locker, an opening deck hatch, topsides portlights, and an en-suite toilet and shower compartment with its own deck hatch.
The port guest cabin has two fore-and-aft single berths and en-suite access to the main heads. This compartment includes a marine toilet, shower, and handbasin supplied with pressurised hot and cold water.
Aft, the third cabin has twin full-length single berths that can be infilled to form a double. It also contains a locker and handbasin, with opening ports for ventilation.
In the deck saloon, the dining area and settee are raised to port, providing panoramic views. The interior helm sits to starboard and includes bench seating, a stainless wheel, engine and gear controls, and a built-in chart table. Aft of the helm, a sideboard with a cocktail cabinet and front-opening refrigerator completes the social area.
Galley, Machinery, and Tankage
The U-shaped galley is forward of the deck saloon to starboard. It includes a stove, large refrigerator, microwave wired to the shore-support system, and pressurised hot and cold water.
Refrigeration is split between the main galley unit and the refrigerator in the sideboard. This arrangement supports extended coastal cruising without constant engine running for cooling.
Tankage is generous for a 43-footer, with 100 gallons of water and 90 gallons of diesel. Power comes from a Perkins M80T 78-hp diesel with direct drive.
The Verdict
The Moody 43 Eclipse is a short-production, Dixon-designed deck-saloon cruiser that trades offshore passage-making pedigree for interior volume, natural light, and the flexibility of twin helms. Her three-cabin, two-head layout and elevated saloon make her a compelling coastal and med-mooring cruiser, while the Solent rig and furling sail plan reduce the crew’s workload.
Only 38 boats were built, so careful survey and confirmation of the keel option matter more than they would on a high-volume sister.
Pros
- Elevated deck saloon with panoramic views and an interior helm
- Three double cabins, two heads, and eight berths
- Choice of fin or wing keel to suit different draft requirements
- Generous 100-gallon water and 90-gallon fuel capacities
Cons
- A capsize screening value of 1.97 limits her suitability for ocean passages
- Only 38 were built, resulting in a sparse spares network and limited brokerage turnover
- The wing keel’s stability comes with a performance trade-off against the deeper fin keel
