Targa 96 Buyer's Guide
Shopping a used Targa 96 means stepping into a small and varied corner of the Scandinavian used-sailboat market. Designed by Hans Groop and built by Targa OY from 1975 onward in fewer than 200 units, the 96 left the factory with alternative keels, rigs, and engines, so the practical differences between individual boats are far greater than the shared name suggests. A buyer should treat each listing as a distinct specification exercise rather than a single type.
Layouts on the Used Market
The boat is a 31.5-foot monohull with a solid fiberglass hull and deck, a skeg-hung rudder, and a choice of iron or lead fin keel that sets draft between about 1.40 and 1.60 meters depending on load. Below she was laid out with six or seven berths, a galley, a toilet, and 150 liters each of fresh water and steel-tanked fuel. The length-to-beam ratio of 3.19 gives a slim interior relative to many contemporaries, and the displacement near 9,000 pounds with a 36 percent ballast ratio defines a moderate-racer hull rather than a bulky cruiser.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Autopilots are commonly fitted across the used fleet, a meaningful point for single-handed docking and helm relief on long beats. Beyond that, the consequential equipment story is factory-original: the Volvo Penta MD2B with shaft drive appears on 1975–1978 boats, while the MD11C with saildrive belongs to 1978–1984 examples, and the rig may be fractional or masthead with differing sail plans. A buyer should confirm which engine and rig a specific hull carries before weighing comfort and maintenance, since those choices shape both the helm and the spares bin.
What to Inspect
The practical inspection centers on the boat's age and its chosen systems. Verify the integrity of the steel fuel tank, the condition of the saildrive or shaft coupling for the respective Volvo Penta installation, and the state of the fiberglass hull and deck where routine weathering applies fiberglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. The keel-bolt arrangement for the iron versus lead fin should be looked at as part of any survey, given the draft-dependent loading the factory quotes.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, and Greece. For a shopper, the takeaway is straightforward: confirm the keel type and draft, match the engine era to the transmission style, and check the autopilot as fitted. Read the rig choice as a handling trade — fractional for easier tacking, masthead for the classic overlap — and budget for the modest auxiliary power either way.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Targa 96. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $21,670 | — |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $37,755 | +74.2% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $23,110 | -38.8% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $23,219 | +0.5% |
Where they're listed
Targa 96 listings appear across 4 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 2 (40.0%), followed by Denmark and Greece.
Country view
5 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $23,219 | 2 | 0 | 40.0% |
| Denmark | $21,670 | 1 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Greece | $23,110 | 1 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Portugal | $37,755 | 1 | 0 | 20.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallberg-Rassy 39 | 38.88' | $ 182,459 | 30 | 9 |
| Maxi 95 | 31.17' | $ 22,606 | 17 | 5 |
| Gibert 96 | 33.16' | $ 20,975 | 11 | 3 |
| Bavaria 960 | 31.5' | $ 37,289 | 6 | 1 |
| Targa 96You are here | — | $ 23,189 | 5 | 0 |