targa 40 or princess v42

[lanerboy]

Ok after reading various posts on larger shaft drive boats my wife has pointed out that why do we need a 46-50ft boat when 95% of the time there is just the 2 of us going to it.

So I am now thinking outside the box and looking at smaller sports boats but I will be back on stern drives, but the smaller size boat will save me about £1000 per year on moorings and will be more fuel efficient which will more than off set the cost of servicing the legs every 2 years or so

I have narrowed it down to 2 boats around the 2006-2008 year of build they are the fairline targa 40 and the princess v42 the layout without the tender garage on the V42 which gives a larger cockpit seating area

I would also like some input on which engines would be the best choice for both boats I pressume the Volvo D6 would be best in the V42

So out of these two boats which would you buy and why

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

It's going to boil down to how you use the boat. The Targa 40 has the garage with the sunpad over; the non-garage version of the V42 has a bigger cockpit. I wanted the garage, and there aren't often more than two of us on the boat, so it was an easy decision to go for the T40. (I bought mine intending to only keep it for a year or two, and I've now had it five years...). One practical thing about the V42 that I didn't like was the canvas arrangement, there's better headroom at the helm position on the T40.

The T40 finished production in 2007, and the late boats that you are looking at will all either be D6-310's or D6-350's.

 

[Nigelpickin]

http://www.dickies.co.uk/brokerage/brokerage-boat-details/?BoatID=3910864

Make a cheeky offer on this with a part ex on yours...joystick and extra beam/loa will give you more days on the water and itll feel bigger with the full beam master. I was impressed with the handling when i took one out...handles like a smaller boat. But doesn't have the badge or the finish of a fairsuncess....

 

[Cozzy]

I've viewed both models in my quest for Cozzy 3 and agree with jtb, it's down to garage v cockpit.
Like you, it's only the two of us on board all year round (except the odd visit from family). My wife preferred the cockpit and I preferred the garage arrangement for tidy platform.
I think in other areas both models are strong contenders for a cruising couple. Good luck :encouragement:

 

[admillington]

Ok after reading various posts on larger shaft drive boats my wife has pointed out that why do we need a 46-50ft boat when 95% of the time there is just the 2 of us going to it.

So I am now thinking outside the box and looking at smaller sports boats but I will be back on stern drives, but the smaller size boat will save me about £1000 per year on moorings and will be more fuel efficient which will more than off set the cost of servicing the legs every 2 years or so

I have narrowed it down to 2 boats around the 2006-2008 year of build they are the fairline targa 40 and the princess v42 the layout without the tender garage on the V42 which gives a larger cockpit seating area

I would also like some input on which engines would be the best choice for both boats I pressume the Volvo D6 would be best in the V42

So out of these two boats which would you buy and why

A well priced Targa 40 with D6s - http://www.essexboatyards.com/boats-for-sale/fairline-targa-40-616

I owned a KAD300 Powered Targa 40 and had to change the anodes every 6 months so good call to go with the D6s.

-Andrew

 

[rubberduck]

Please go look at absolute 41 / 45, you will be glad you did.

 

[lanerboy]

Please go look at absolute 41 / 45, you will be glad you did.

cheers just had a look but not for me im afraid

 

[rubberduck]

What is it lacking, I'm interested when I come to sell.

 

[lanerboy]

I personally was not keen on the colour of the interior woodwork and the galley seems very small and I just didn't like the look of the layout inside

but I did like the cockpit area and the helm layout

 

[lanerboy]

actually after looking some more they are not as bad as I first though but the galley is still very tight

its one I will keep on the back burner though what is the build quality etc like compared to fairline / princess

 

[rubberduck]

Its an open forum, but lets say those that maintain her have made comparisons to one or two local builders & they have been very favourable. Nothings fallen off yet anyway. Its the layout & joinery that 1st attracted me, loads more room & proper solid wood, also the galley folds away which I like, makes the boat feel even bigger when away, but you do need to be organized to use it. We mainly use the grill upstairs or eat out but yes, that is its only weak point. I feel its unlikely to date too much with its traditional Italian style, whereas I find older dark wood interiors have already. We have different preferences evidently, funny really, but interesting.

 

[Bandit]

There are some great Fairline Targa 47's with chunky D9's in second hand with sliding hard tops great boats, goos sea keeping no drives, some friends of mind had one great boat. Look at one of those.

 

[jrudge]

I had a T40, and my friend has a V42 w/o tender garage.

My views ....

1. The V42 has a bigger bathroom, but this is at the expense of the kitchen area. I would prefer a bigger kitchen

2. The rear cabin on the V42 is slightly wider - maybe by 8 inches or so making it more spacious

3. The boats are identical in length - we used to moor together alot and they are the same - in fact the hull looks so similar it is untrue

4. The V42 has more seating as no garage, but the tables are useless plug in things, so having a meal was not so good. We normally ate on our boat!

5. We used to be in La Rochelle. There we never used the tender, or the sun pad. We moved to Mallorca and used the tender every time we stopped and the sun pad - so it depends on where you are going to keep it.

6. With the covers up the T40 is MUCH bigger inside / on deck

For me the T40 worked best. It had the bigger saloon, and the tender gge was very useful and a great place to store stuff.

T40 in my view had few faults - the plate storage area would fill with sink water if it over flowed but that was about the only design flaw I found in 4 years.


Jeremy

 

[lanerboy]

thanks jrudge that's a few questions answered there regards the difference in the boats

I am surprised the targa felt bigger in the cockpit as the v42 looks very spacious as it has no sun pad

one thing I do prefer is the squarer seating in the saloon on the v42 I cant help it but I just don't like curved seating

with me being in the uk I would not use the tender like you would in the med so I feel that may be wasted space

I prefer the galley in the targa

at the minute I feel the v42 is just ahead for me personally for uk use

if they both had d6 370 engines does this mean they would come with the same outdrive legs

cheers

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

thanks jrudge that's a few questions answered there regards the difference in the boats

I am surprised the targa felt bigger in the cockpit as the v42 looks very spacious as it has no sun pad

one thing I do prefer is the squarer seating in the saloon on the v42 I cant help it but I just don't like curved seating

with me being in the uk I would not use the tender like you would in the med so I feel that may be wasted space

I prefer the galley in the targa

at the minute I feel the v42 is just ahead for me personally for uk use

if they both had d6 370 engines does this mean they would come with the same outdrive legs

cheers

Ref my #2 above, the T40 was not produced with D6-370's, only the D6-310's or 350's (and also the KAD44's and KAD300's). The D6-engined boats of this sort of age all use the same DPH leg.

Incidentally, I agree with you about the curved saloon seating in the T40; it's actually quite easy to change - but the better solution is to move your boat to the Med because then you won't be using the saloon.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Fairline 40 Targa is a better sea keeper then the V42. The interior is more or less the same, very few differences.
The 40 Targa has a cockpit which want to do all and does nothing in my book, small dinette (may be 4 normal size person), small garage etc etc.
In both the other versions the Princess V42 works better outside.

Absolute 41 make you only pay the price in the interior galley, has an extra head in the aft cabin, saloon is a bit deeper in beam, garage is good size, engine space is more, and has a nice size wet bar outside (if you make a hob would not need inside galley in Summer).
LOA is more or less the same but Aboslute is about a foot wider.
Having run around all three boats Absolute 41 would be my preferred of the lot even in finishing in the hidden areas.
Another boat you should consider if you want to wider your circle would be the Atlantis 39 and 42. (both 2 cabins 2 head layouts).
39 has among the best hulls in its size Micheal Peters design, although I am not a fan of its cockpit layout though good for four persons, and central passage way.

 

[jrudge]

thanks jrudge that's a few questions answered there regards the difference in the boats

I am surprised the targa felt bigger in the cockpit as the v42 looks very spacious as it has no sun pad



cheers

It is really to do with the height of canopy which is taller and more voluminous. THe T40 has a backward sloping arch which gives you a full length "roof". The V42 slants forward so the "roof" is smaller and the slope at the back greater. The V42 has the greater floor area.

Re a T40 doing nothing well on deck having had one for 4 years this is not a view I came to. The garage held rib and all kids bits and we regularly had 6 round the table with no issue. The sun pad was used all the time, and the seats back rest flops forward making this a large space.

Any boat is a compromise and some compromises appeal to some owners more than others. For us a 2 adults and 2 kids ( 4 and 7) it worked very well. More people than that and it was crowded - but it is a 4 berth boat ( the sofa converts to a "double" that is in practice a single). We were in the med, and to me the T40 is a good Med boat, but my friend is very happy with his V42 - there is little in it other than layout and they are both nice.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Re a T40 doing nothing well on deck having had one for 4 years this is not a view I came to. The garage held rib and all kids bits and we regularly had 6 round the table with no issue. The sun pad was used all the time, and the seats back rest flops forward making this a large space.

Tee-hee, I'm (obviously) with you on this - but I should point out that PYB has form for irrationally criticising the T40 cockpit. I can only assume he hasn't spent enough time on one to enjoy it properly . There are usually two of us on mine, sometimes four, and occasionally six, and the cockpit is perfect, both in terms of seating capacity at the table, and lounging capacity when the backrest is moved forward. And Rogerrat famously got 26 people on to his once (one of who was a fat bald so-called builder... ).

In fact my own main criticism of the T40 is the stairway down into the saloon - which is too steep and the stairs are too small. Not too difficult to replace though, which is what I've done (and I've now seen other boats that have done this as well). I also think the bathing platform is a bit small by contemporary standards, but again that's fixable if you really want.

 

[jrudge]

On engines.... we had the 310s - I had no problem with them and the boat did 36 kt. We used to cruise in the mid 20s. The 350s will clearly be faster - Jimmy has them - but from my point of view the 310 model had plenty of power.

Stairs - always wondered how you did that modification! I did not mind them. We have now changed boat and my daughter said she liked the new one as the stairs were less steep so JTB gets the vote of my 7 year old!

Mine was PXd with Essex for not a lot of money - we really need a "I am going to PX my boat in the next 7 days - the dealer has offered x for it" sticky thread! That said I heard yesterday that one of the legs has "blown up" which James at Essex will need to fix so the price paid was a long way from a free lunch!

 

[lanerboy]

Another boat you should consider if you want to wider your circle would be the Atlantis 39 and 42..

Just had a look and again its got curved seating on the cockpit I cant stand curved seating this is what is sopping me buying a Targa 43