Cruising World - May 2016

BOATS & GEAR

may 2016

cr

uisingworld.com

66

is big enough for friends but

intimate for two. Opposite, a

pair of captain’s chairs would

be ideal for a relaxing evening

spent reading, though they can

be replaced with a settee for

an additional sea berth.

With the requirements of

a sailing couple in mind, I

would say that on the day of

our sea trial, with a half-dozen

people aboard, the center

cockpit felt tight at times as

the Boat of the Year judges

and I moved about to trim

sails and take our turns at the

wheel. But that same space

would likely feel just right for

two people clicking of the

miles. Standing watch under

the hard dodger and behind

the fi xed windscreen would

certainly be pleasant on a

damp, breezy night. The wide

wheel allows the helmsman

to sit to either side to see past

the dodger.

Winches for the double-

ended mainsheet are close

at hand on the deck, just aft

of the helm station; the jib-

sheet winches are located just

forward of it. If I were buying

the boat, I would opt for the

standard pedestal; the owner of

the boat we sailed chose a wide

one that made moving around

it somewhat awkward. I’d also

consider a folding wheel to

make going forward and below

easier while at anchor.

Wide teak side decks and

solid bulwarks, also capped

with teak, ensure solid footing

when moving about on deck;

handrails on top of the dodger

and running the length of the

cabin top were an added bonus.

Hallberg-Rassys are

bred for the chilly waters

of northern Europe. The

43 comes equipped with a

Webasto diesel heater, and the

hull and deck are cored with

Divinycell, which both reduces

weight and provides insulation

from heat and cold. (The area

surrounding the keel is solid

glass for added strength.) A

layer of vinylester resin is used

during the hand-layup of the

hull to prevent blistering.

Throughout the interior, the

woodwork appeared to be top-

notch. The aft cabin included a

private, en suite head and stall

shower; the head and shower

forward can be accessed

from both the saloon and

V-berth. Overall, I thought the

accommodations looked quite

comfortable and inviting.

As luck would have it, we

got to sail the 43 in a dying

afternoon breeze. Still, in

wind that hovered in the

5-knot range, we managed

to keep the boat speed

approaching 4 knots, and

even pushed it toward 5

knots when we set a colored

downwind sail for the ride

back toward the harbor. Any

boat will move along in lots

of wind; the well-designed

ones will keep pace when

conditions are light. For the

record, I loved the view from

the seats fashioned into the

stainless rails of the aft pulpit.

Hallberg-Rassys have a

well-earned reputation for

being no-nonsense cruisers,

but like other top-end boats

from Scandinavia, they come

at a price. The base cost for

the 43 Mk III is just under

$600,000, though the boat

we sailed, loaded with an

electric furling main and lots

of other options, including

the hard dodger (canvas

comes standard), was closer to

$800,000 commissioned and

delivered to the East Coast.

Price aside, sitting below

and watching the light

dance of the matte-fi nish

mahogany as we sailed along,

I couldn’t help but imagine a

calm evening in some palm-

fringed anchorage or p ine-

lined Down East cove. Almost

without thinking, I found

myself headed down the most

fanciful of paths: “If this were

my boat ... ,” it began.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

For a complete guide to Cruis-

ing World’s extensive online boat

reviews and to request reprints

from our older print archives of

reviews, go to cruisingworld.com/

sailboats/sailboat-reviews.

SEA TRIAL

WIND SPEED

5 knots

SEA STATE

Calm

SAILING

Closehauled 3.6 knots

Reaching 4.5 knots

MOTORING

Cruise (2,100 rpm) 7 knots

Fast (2,500 rpm) 8.4 knots

SPECIFICATIONS

HALLBERGRASSY 43 MK III

LENGTH OVERALL

44’6” (13.56 m)

WATERLINE LENGTH

38’7” (11.76 m)

BEAM

13’5” (4.09 m)

DRAFT

6’7” (2.01 m)

SAIL AREA

1,024 sq. ft. (95.1 sq m)

BALLAST

9,950 lb. (4,513 kg)

DISPLACEMENT

28,000 lb. (12,701 kg)

BALLAST/DISPLACEMENT

0.36

DISPLACEMENT/LENGTH

218

SAIL AREA/DISPLACEMENT

17.8

WATER

172 gal. (650 l)

FUEL

104 gal. (394 l)

HOLDING

32 gal. (121 l)

MAST HEIGHT

66’4” (20.22 m)

ENGINE

75 hp Volvo (shaft drive)

DESIGNER

Germán Frers

PRICE

$586,000

Hallberg-Rassy

+46 (0)304 54 800

hallberg-rassy.com

A full-size nav station sits

to port at the foot of the HR

43’s companionway (above).

The island queen berth is an

option for the aft cabin.

BILLY BLACK; COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURER (TOP RIGHT)

Cook’s Paradise

In its Mk III version, Hallberg-

Rassy was able to increase

counter space in the galley.

Equipment includes fridge,

freezer, stove, oven and

microwave, all in a layout

designed for preparing meals

at sea.