BoatsMorgan Yachts 43

Morgan Yachts 43

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1985

A 13-metre masthead sloop with a skeg-mounted rudder and a 1.83-metre draft, designed for offshore stability

Designed by Nelson Marek.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Morgan Yachts 43, on the water

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

Footage from Practical Sailor

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 30 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 30
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.89
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 238
EasygoingPowered-up

15.6 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.6
TenderStiff

35% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 35%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Heavier than ~76% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~77% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2574 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Morgan Yachts 43, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Morgan Yachts 43 is a Nelson Marek-designed masthead sloop built by Morgan Yachts from 1985. This fin-keel cruiser, with a rudder on skeg, measures 13.1 meters LOA, 4.1 meters beam, and 1.8 meters draft, displacing 10659 kg.1:49 An updated version, the Morgan 44, appeared around 1989 and is similar to the Catalina Morgan 43/44.1:32 The Morgan 44, a 44-foot center-cockpit cruising sailboat, features a performance-oriented hull with a 35-foot 4-inch waterline, a 5-foot draft, and a skeg-supported rudder.2:08 It carries 215 gallons of water and 50 gallons of fuel, with a layout including two private cabins, two heads, and a walk-in engine room.3:07 Owners report consistent 150-nautical-mile days and capable performance on a reach.6:26 The 23,500-pound displacement requires significant wind to maintain speed.6:38 The design prioritizes long-distance cruising comfort and mechanical accessibility.5:03

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

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
34.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.6
Displacement / length
237.9
Comfort ratio
30.1
Capsize screening
1.89
Hull speed
8.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1704
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1985
Designer
Nelson Marek
Builder
Morgan Yachts

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.

Bowman Yachts 4213.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13-metre cutter by Chuck Paine featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a balanced sail area-to-displacement ratio
Bowman 40 - A Survey & Sea Trialfrom Hold Fast!
Hallberg-Rassy 40C13.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed center cockpit cruiser featuring a modern fractional rig and dual rudders for stable performance
Testing the Hallberg Rassy 40c0:04from SEILmagasinet
Columbia 4313.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA William Tripp Jr. design featuring a high ballast ratio and a masthead rig, built for offshore performance
Felipe from Velejar Brasil | #SAL #10414:21from Hashtag Sal
Tanton 4313.16 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile 13-metre cruiser also marketed as the Offshore and Explorer 43, available in both standard and pilothouse
Watch if you want to change your life | #SAL #13110:26from Hashtag Sal
Tartan Marine 430013.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13-metre masthead sloop featuring a deep 2.51-metre fin keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Tartan Yachts and the Catalina Fallout: How One Brand Survived5:35from Practical Sailor
Swan 43 (S&S)13.04 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthDrawn for the RORC rule, this masthead sloop features a high ballast-to-displacement ratio for a stiff, stable ride
113. Pedro Millet, the silver medal that changed everything.4:07from A Son de Mar

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Morgan Yachts 45-4A Nelson-Marek masthead sloop with a performance-oriented fin keel that served as the versatile base for multiple modelsCatalina Yachts Morgan 44A 13.4-metre masthead sloop with a shallow 1.52-metre draft, adapted from the Morgan 43 for cruising comfortMorgan Yachts 35A masthead sloop with a deep 2.06-metre draft and spade rudder, built for performance and stability in deep water

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