Design and Construction
The Targa 96 is a solid-fiberglass monohull, with both the hull and deck molded in fiberglass. For owners, that helps keep seasonal upkeep manageable: fiberglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season.
Her ballast ratio is 36 percent, higher than only about a quarter of comparable designs. A displacement-length ratio of 247 places her in the “moderate racer” category rather than at the heavy-cruising end of the spectrum. Her length-to-beam ratio of 3.19 makes her slimmer than just over half of similar boats, while a wetted surface of nearly 26 square meters gives her a modest footprint in the water for her length.
Keel and Draft
Targa OY offered the 96 with more than one keel configuration. One option was an iron fin drawing roughly 1.50 to 1.60 meters, depending on load, allowing the boat to enter most marinas with a draft of about 1.50–1.60 meters.
A lead fin was also available. At about 1.40 to 1.50 meters, it was shallower and allowed the boat to reach even shallow harbours. The fin-keel and skeg-hung-rudder arrangement was conventional for the era, but the range of drafts gave buyers a real choice between coastal access and ultimate stability.
Rig and Handling
Two rigs left the factory: fractional and masthead. The fractional version carries a mainsail and jib totaling 36.5 square meters. Its smaller headsails make tacking easier, an advantage the original review noted for cruisers and racers alike. The masthead rig is slightly smaller, at 34.8 square meters.
Across all versions, the boat is slightly overrigged relative to 73 percent of similar sailboats. With a 135 percent genoa, her sail-area-to-displacement ratio reaches 16.2. Even so, she is quicker than only about 18 percent of her peers in light air—an honest indication that she is no featherweight ghoster.
Performance and Comfort
The Targa 96 has a theoretical hull speed of 6.8 knots. Her capsize screening value is 1.85, which, by that formula alone, would admit her to ocean racing.
A Motion Comfort Ratio of 23.4 to 25.8 makes her more comfortable than 62 percent of similar designs. Her immersion rate of about 157 kg per centimeter points to a hull that settles predictably under load. A Relative Speed Performance score of 31 means she outpaces roughly a third of her class, consistent with the moderate-racer label.
Accommodation and Tankage
Below, the Targa 96 was fitted with six or seven berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. The layout can accommodate a small family or a racing crew overnight, while the fiberglass construction makes the interior surfaces easy to live with through a season.
Fresh-water capacity is 150 liters. A steel fuel tank holds the same volume.
Engine Options
Two diesel installations appear in the records. From 1975 to 1978, the Targa 96 could be fitted with a 25-horsepower Volvo Penta MD2B driving a shaft, with a calculated maximum speed near 6.0 knots.
From 1978 to 1984, the listed engine was the 23-horsepower Volvo Penta MD11C with saildrive, quoted at 7.6 knots. Either engine is a modest auxiliary for a 9,000-pound boat, better suited to marina exits and calms than sustained passage-making under power.
Verdict
The Targa 96 is a thoughtfully varied Scandinavian design that rewards buyers who read the specification plate carefully. Its multiple keel, rig, and engine options mean that individual boats can differ substantially. The available configurations and a comfort ratio better than most peers make it a credible small cruiser-racer, while modest auxiliary power and limited light-air performance are the main trade-offs.
Pros
- Solid-fiberglass hull and deck, with low seasonal maintenance
- Shallow-draft lead-keel option for extended coastal cruising
- Fractional rig makes tacking easier for short-handed crews
- Comfort ratio higher than that of 62 percent of similar designs
Cons
- Light-air speed below that of most comparable boats under genoa
- Small auxiliary diesels limit motoring performance
- Fewer than 200 built, with specifications varying widely from boat to boat
