Design and Construction
Dixon's layout for the Eclipse 43 was a deliberate fusion of deck-saloon living and sloop-style handling, a combination one review described as unique and versatile for cruising. The hull is solid hand-laid fiberglass, built under the Marine Projects partnership that shaped Moody's late-1980s output. She was offered with a choice of keels: a fin keel drawing 6.7 feet for better performance and maneuverability, or a wing keel at 5.4 feet for more stability and less leeway. The shoal keel variant documented in the builder's spec draws 4.83 feet. Twin steering positions — one in the cockpit and one at the interior helm — define her command layout.
Rig and Handling
The Eclipse 43 is a masthead sloop with a fully furling sail plan, but period descriptions note she carries 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 and rises to 18.6 with a 135 percent genoa, giving her lively performance for a 23,000-lb cruiser. The builder claimed high cruising speeds under power and sail, and independent calculations put her theoretical displacement-hull speed at 8.0 knots with a calculated max near 8.2. Her capsize screening value of 1.97 led one editorial review to caution she would not be the wisest choice for ocean passage-making in strong winds and heavy seas, though another noted the 1.97 figure alone would permit consideration by that formula. Her motion comfort ratio of 27.6 and displacement-length ratio of 218 categorize her as a moderate-displacement cruiser with predictable load-carrying behavior.
Accommodations
The Eclipse 43 sleeps eight across three double cabins and two heads. Forward, the owner's stateroom centers on a fore-and-aft double berth with a large hanging locker, opening deck hatch, top-sides portlights, and an en-suite toilet and shower compartment with its own deck hatch. The port guest cabin has two fore-and-aft singles and en-suite access to the main heads, which carries a marine toilet, shower, and pressurised hot and cold handbasin. Aft, the cabin offers twin full-length singles that infill to a double, a locker, a handbasin, and opening ports. The deck saloon elevates the dining and settee to port for panoramic views, while to starboard sits an interior helm station with bench seating, stainless wheel, engine and gear controls, and a built-in chart table. Aft of the helm, a sideboard with cocktail cabinet and front-opening refrigerator completes the social space.
Galley and Systems
The U-shaped galley sits to starboard forward of the deck saloon and is equipped with a stove, large refrigerator, microwave wired to the shore support system, and hot and cold pressurised water. Tankage is generous for a 43-footer: 100 gallons of water and 90 gallons of diesel feed a Perkins M80T 78-hp diesel with direct drive. The split refrigeration — main galley plus sideboard — supports extended coastal cruising without constant engine running for cooling.
The Verdict
The Moody 43 Eclipse is a short-production, Dixon-designed deck saloon that trades offshore passage-making pedigree for volume, light, and twin-helm flexibility. Her three-cabin, two-head plan and elevated saloon make her a compelling coastal and med-mooring cruiser, while the Solent rig and furling plan reduce crew workload. The limited 38-boat run means careful survey and keel-option confirmation matter more than on a high-volume sister.
Pros
- Elevated deck saloon with panoramic views and interior helm
- Three double cabins with two heads for eight berths
- Choice of fin or wing keel to suit draft restrictions
- Generous 100-gal water and 90-gal fuel capacity
Cons
- Capsize screening of 1.97 limits ocean-passage suitability
- Only 38 built — sparse spares network and limited brokerage turnover
- Wing-keel stability trade against deeper-fin performance
