Tanton 43

BoatsTanton 43

See her sail

The Tanton 43, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Hashtag Sal

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 28 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 28

CoastalBluewater

1.88 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.88

LightHeavy

185 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 185

EasygoingPowered-up

7.8 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 7.8

TenderStiff

45% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 45%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

Draws less than ~94% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2566 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Tanton 43, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Tanton 43 is a cat ketch-rigged sailboat designed by Yves-Marie Tanton and built by Ta Chiao in Taiwan from 1980 onward. This 13.2-meter (43-foot) vessel, also marketed as the Offshore 43 and Explorer 43, features an unstayed carbon fiber mast system that flexes in gusts, reducing the need for constant sail trim or reefing.12:10 Its hull design is a fin with a rudder on skeg, and it displaces 9979 kg with a 1.5-meter draft.10:26 A pilot house version was also offered.32:34 The Tanton 43 shares a hull design with the Tanton 44, which is often referred to as the CT44. Aboard Hashtag Sal, a Tanton 43 is sailed by a liveaboard who has cruised for 21 years, emphasizing the psychological shift required for full-time life aboard.0:46 The Tanton 44, as seen by 59° North Sailing, features a rounded stern, high bulwarks, and an uncluttered foredeck, with teak seating in the cockpit but clear side decks.17:52

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

45.5%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Cat Ketch (unstayed)

Ratios

SA / displacement

7.8

Displacement / length

185.1

Comfort ratio

28.0

Capsize screening

1.88

Hull speed

8.2 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1767

Hull

Hull type

Fin with rudder on skeg

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

First built 1980

Designer

Yves-Marie Tanton

Builder

Ta Chiao (TAIWAN)

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Beneteau Sense 4313.16 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Berret-Racoupeau fractional sloop featuring dual rudders and a wide beam designed for modern, stable cruising

Everything You Need to Know - Beneteau - Episode 107 - Lady K Sailing3:15 from Lady K Sailing

Hunter Marine 45 DS13.17 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA deck salon cruiser featuring a furling mast and shoal-draft keel, updated from the 44 DS for easier handling

What Happened to Hunter Sailboats? The History Most People Don't Know.from All About Sailing

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 4313.21 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13.2-meter masthead sloop offered with a shallow draft keel option and also marketed as the Moorings 43

Boats crossing Atlantic0:16 from practicalboatowner

Ct-44 (Pilot House)13.16 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Tanton-designed pilot house cutter featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability

How We Learned to Live on a Sailboat FULL TIME | (EP.030)12:11 from Plan-Sea

Hunter Marine 42013.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 42-foot cruiser with a performance-oriented fin keel and spade rudder, built for efficient coastal and offshore travel

Easy DIY BOAT HACKS, DINGHY CHAPS, Sewing CREATIONS & INVENTIONS during an ISLAND LOCKDOWN - Ep 590:15 from Sailing Jibsea

Beneteau 4313.11 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Berret-Racoupeau fractional sloop designed for comfortable cruising with a shallow draft and balanced performance

CONVERTING a 43´Beneteau INTO a 46´BENETEAU Oceanis SAILBOAT | Sailing Zephyr - Ep.176 from Sailing Zephyr

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Offshore 43 (Tanton)A 13-meter cat ketch with a 44% ballast ratio, designed for stability and ease of handling in shoal waters Offshore 45 (Tanton)A 13.66-metre cruiser with a 4204-kilogram ballast for stability and a 1.5-metre draft for shoal-water exploration Offshore Yachts 39 (Tanton)A light-displacement 12-meter cruiser with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited, easy-handling performance TA Chaio Shipbuilding Co. (Taiwan) Ct-44A 13-metre cutter with a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, offering a pilot house option for offshore voyaging Ct-44 (Pilot House)A Tanton-designed pilot house cutter featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability

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