Design and Construction
The Young Sun 43 is a substantial vessel at 42'6" overall, 12'11" beam, and a displacement of 35,000 pounds carried on a cutaway forefoot full keel with a keel-hung rudder. Her solid FRP layup and encapsulated lead ballast of 10,000 pounds give her the heft expected of a bluewater cruiser of the era. Above the waterline she carries quite a bit of exterior teak, and both the center-cockpit and pilothouse aft-cockpit versions share a canoe stern with a substantial bowsprit forward. The decks are clear with room to move fore and aft, and the companionway is offset to starboard with curved steps rather than a ladder leading below.
Rig and Handling
Her deck-stepped, double-spreader masthead rig carries just over 1,100 square feet of sail area and a bridge clearance just under 60 feet, with the staysail attachment set on deck only a couple of feet back from the stem. Originally she left the yard with five non-self-tailing winches in the cockpit and three on the mast from Custom Yacht and Cathay Industrial. At the helm, the original wheel was a traditional wooden work of art. Underway she is no lightweight: it takes at least 10 to 15 knots of wind to move her, but once going she has a nice ride and tracks well, settling to around six knots under sail and 7.5 under power.
Accommodations
Initially four interior layouts were offered. One included a galley-up configuration with an L-shaped galley to starboard, while some featured three cabins or galley-down arrangements. The master stateroom aft — with a Pullman berth to starboard, ample stowage cubbies, and a small head to port — was constant across all layouts. Forward of the main saloon, bunks run down the port side opposite a nav station and office combination, with a head and separate stall shower, and a bow cabin with a Pullman berth. Headroom of 6'1" in most areas was good for an older boat. Some pilothouse models even carried an inside steering station with decent forward and side visibility.
Known Issues
The pilothouse aft-cockpit model has a triangular cockpit that is a tight squeeze for some and offers limited lazarette space. On the original winches, spares may be a problem because the mast-winch makers may no longer be in business. Engine access, by contrast, is excellent: the saloon floorboards lift to reveal the entire engine.
Refits and Ownership
Many owners have swapped the original manual windlasses for electric units that retrieve hundreds of feet of chain rapidly. Most boats carried Perkins 4018 engines, with two iron fuel tanks holding 300 gallons and two stainless-steel water tanks at 200 gallons. A deep anchor locker and double bow-roller sit forward, and original equipment included an icebox, a gimbaled stove, and plentiful stowage.
The Verdict
The Young Sun 43 is a heavily built, traditional cruiser that rewards patient sailors with a steady sea manner and a voluminous, well-arranged interior. She is not a light-air performer, and the pilothouse variant trades cockpit space for shelter, but her construction and layout speak to serious offshore intent.
Pros
- Solid FRP hull with 10,000 lbs encapsulated lead ballast
- Excellent engine access through saloon floorboards
- Four adaptable layouts with constant aft master stateroom
- Clear decks and substantial bowsprit for foredeck work
Cons
- Needs 10–15 knots to make way
- Pilothouse cockpit tight and lazarette limited
- Original mast-winch spares potentially unobtainable
