Raul Gardini bought one of the first four hulls. His boat, Moro di Venezia, went on to compete successfully in both the Mediterranean Championship and the Middle Sea Race—an early indication of the design’s racing credibility.
Design and Construction
The Orca 43’s very slender bow and completely flush deck set it apart visually, giving the boat a purposeful rather than decorative profile. The solid-fiberglass hull was built at the site operated as Sailboat / Nautical Fiberglass. Below the waterline, the boat has lead ballast, a fin keel, and a skeg-hung rudder.
The Orca 43 measures 43.5 feet overall, with a 32.81-foot waterline and a 12.66-foot beam. Displacement is roughly 26,455 pounds. Its comfort ratio of 38.62 and capsize ratio of 1.7 place it firmly in the cruiser-racer middle ground rather than at either extreme.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Orca 43 carries a 1,377-square-foot masthead-sloop rig. Its theoretical hull speed is about 7.68 knots.
A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 24.81 suggests a boat designed to move in a respectable breeze without being overcanvased. The displacement-to-length ratio of 334.38 tells the other side of the story: this is a moderately heavy hull for its length, better suited to steady wind than frantic acceleration.
Gardini’s early Mediterranean racing results showed that the design could be campaigned seriously. At the same time, the comfort and capsize figures support its passage-minded character.
Accommodations and Systems
The 12.66-foot beam defines the Orca 43’s interior volume. Tankage comprises 158 gallons of water and 53 gallons of diesel, a split that favors extended time aboard over long motoring legs.
Period reviewers noted the flush deck, which creates a continuous sheer line rather than a raised saloon. This arrangement tends to keep the cabin trunk low and the side decks wide.
A single 60-horsepower Perkins diesel drives one shaft. The mechanical package is straightforward and serviceable by cruising-standard yards.
The Verdict
The Orca 43 has a clear Dick Carter pedigree: a wooden prototype translated into a solid-fiberglass production boat, campaigned early by a notable owner, and built at a site that later became part of Grand Soleil’s Pardo Shipyard.
It’s a moderate-displacement cruiser-racer with distinctive deck geometry and a practical tankage balance. Its weight may limit light-air acceleration compared with lighter contemporaries, but the design combines documented racing credibility with passage-minded proportions.
Pros
- Slender bow and flush deck create a distinctive, purposeful profile
- Successful early record in Mediterranean racing
- Solid-fiberglass hull with lead ballast and a skeg-hung rudder
- Cruising-oriented tankage, with 158 gallons of water and 53 gallons of fuel
Cons
- Moderate displacement limits light-air acceleration compared with lighter contemporaries
