Fairline Targa 38

WindyWesty

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Buying a Targa 38 in Balearics, and some ads suggest several boats about 2010 have new engines, although it may be my google translate?!?
Any forum owners have reports, good or bad, about this age boat running twin D4s 260hp or D6s 300hp Also has anyone concerns keeping stern drives in water year round? Boat will be kept in Menorca where many are winterised ashore, but that adds a wedge to annual costs. Thanks.
 
What's the reason to go for aged sterndrives as opposed to a Med shaft drive Pershing , Baia , Itama et al ?
You could bypass the whole Volvo Penta hassle and go straight to either ( in no particular order ) MAN , CAT, Cummins on shafts .
How do you intend to use the boat .?
Adjunct to a villa ? - Day boat ?
Floating apartment? Extended stays aboard ?
Few weeks "quality time " balancing work ? - needs to be turn key , esp long W-E ?
Etc etc .
 
Buying a Targa 38 in Balearics, and some ads suggest several boats about 2010 have new engines, although it may be my google translate?!?
Any forum owners have reports, good or bad, about this age boat running twin D4s 260hp or D6s 300hp Also has anyone concerns keeping stern drives in water year round? Boat will be kept in Menorca where many are winterised ashore, but that adds a wedge to annual costs. Thanks.

D4's are said to be a little less reliable than KAD's and more expensive to fix when they break but they are smoother and more economical. AFAIK, the drives also have issues with steering rams that require replacement every few years.

Regarding keeping the boat in the water all year, I do this as do thousands of others in the UK and abroad. Unless you are in an area where there is rapid anode wear they should last a year. Of course, there's always the option of a quick lift and anode change in the slings if they are looking worn (I'm actually hoping to change mine whilst the boat is in the water).
 
Contrary to power yacht blogs opinion, I've had stern drive engined boats in salt water 365 days per year's for the last 13 years. They only come out once per year for a few days for annual maintenance.

The first boat had mercruiser alpha 1 drive (kept in salt water for 6 years) the second a volvo dph drive (kept for 6 years so far) . There has been no issue with corrosion etc. The anodes are easily lasting the year. Maybe it would be worse if you were in a marina with a bit of stray electrical current, but my experience has been that it's fine.

My father has also kept stern drive boats in the water all year, with no problems, this is on various boats going back to the early 90s.
 
My boat is in mallorca BTW, and I keep them in the water all year to save on storage costs over winter. If you pick a properly winter weather safe marina it should be fine.
 
Regarding volvo d4 engine, I have a 2006 d4 in my boat, its very economical, and has never let me down whilst out on the water, but it has a few components that wear out and require replacement and they're not especially cheap.

These are things like, belt pulleys, heat exchangers. Theyre all simple parts, but theyre a bit pricey from volvo. And it seems nobody has started to produce any pattern parts for this engine yet.
 
Contrary to power yacht blogs opinion, I've had stern drive engined boats in salt water 365 days per year's for the last 13 years. They only come out once per year for a few days for annual maintenance.

The first boat had mercruiser alpha 1 drive (kept in salt water for 6 years) the second a volvo dph drive (kept for 6 years so far) . There has been no issue with corrosion etc. The anodes are easily lasting the year. Maybe it would be worse if you were in a marina with a bit of stray electrical current, but my experience has been that it's fine.

My father has also kept stern drive boats in the water all year, with no problems, this is on various boats going back to the early 90s.

Dangerous talk that runs the risk of challenging recived wisdom herabouts that outdrives are the work of the Devil and are to be avoided at all costs! :)

Friends have a Targa 38 with D series engines (can't recall which HP) and drives and haven't had any major issues. As said they are smooth, economical engines but being common-rail and electronic have a higher poitential for issues than older (simpler) engines, with associated higher costs (look at the cost of replacement injectors compared to the KAD series) - not reasons to avoid but just to be aware.

They are great boats IMHO and well suited to the Med :)
 
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:-) Don't get me wrong, if I could avoid drives I would, but whether it's a problem leaving them in salt water all year long, I have to say its not a big deal.
 
:-) Don't get me wrong, if I could avoid drives I would, but whether it's a problem leaving them in salt water all year long, I have to say its not a big deal.

Me too but they go with the territory of sports crusiers of a certain size and have some major upsides such as enabling accomodation space.
 
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