Fairline Targa 34 used boat test: Consistently gets rave reviews

The Targa 34 continues to command a premium on the used market. And with a design that’s often described as timeless, that looks set to continue well into the future

The Targa 34 combines unrivalled speed with integrity in a truly spectacular feat of engineering and interior spatial planning… These are not our words but an extract from More Than Skin Deep, Fairline’s self-published book from 2002.

While it’s easy (and fun) to scoff at marketing puff, we have to admit that, in this case, it contains an element of truth. Every owner of one the 295 Targa 34s built between 1996 and 2006 we have spoken to raves about the performance and handling and the sheer practicality of accommodation that Fairline has managed to cram into a package that’s just 34ft 6in long.

One such owner is Southampton-based Martin Bridgewater: “What attracted me to the Targa 34? The style and layout,” he replies without hesitation. “I’ve always had sportsboats. I started with a Fletcher, then moved up to a Regal and saw the Targa 34 as the next step up. When I go away, nine times out of ten it’s to the Isle of Wight, and while staying in a marina is fine with a smaller boat, you just don’t have the luxuries. I never have more than two of us on board and when it’s just me there’s loads of room.”

In the early 2000s, the Targa 34 was the smallest of Fairline’s Targa range, which at the time comprised the 40, 43 and 52 open-top models, as well as a 62 with a retractable hard top. But when equipped with twin 285hp  Volvo Penta KAD300 engines, the Targa 34 was also the fastest, notching up speeds in the order of 40 knots.

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Other Volvo Penta units fitted to Targa 34s over the years include the test boat’s 260hp KAD44s, which generated 36 knots; and the 200hp KAD41s, which were good for 35 knots. While it would be easy to draw comparisons with an open top sports car here, the grunt on offer from the T34 arguably makes the muscle car category a better call. And to continue the automotive comparisons, hauliers have an old adage that says trucks need 10hp per tonne, so a modern day 40-tonner will have an engine of around 400hp.

But in the case of a T34 with KAD300s, you get a total of 570hp – a truck-and-a-half’s worth of motive power in a vessel that weighs just 6.4 tonnes. That’s why it feels so quick.

Open boating cockpit

Potential purchasers would do well to note that the Targa 34, in common with the 40, 43 and 52, is essentially an open boat. That means that, apart from the vessel’s canvas covers, there’s precious little to stave off the British weather. That’s not an issue on a balmy summer’s day of course but if you’re like me and you were trained never to put to sea with the front, rear and side covers up because of the visibility limitations of peering through wibbly-wobbly clear vinyl screens, it can make for a wet and chilly ride.

But let’s pretend for a moment that it’s a joyously warm and sunny English summer’s day and focus on the joys of open-top boating: “Take the covers off and it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” says Martin. “The boat looks fantastic, you’ve got loads of sunlight coming in, which is great, and when you get going, it handles really well. It’s great at speed and cruises superbly.

You never have to slow down too much because it’s such a sensible and well designed boat. Where I do my boating, we get the Solent chop and the 34 cuts through that really well. But if the wind’s coming from the wrong direction, it can be a bit annoying, as you’re going to get wet!”

In a 2008 MBY article on the Targa 34, our writer commented on its “sexy open style” and even today, the same holds true. With its sweeping curves and sleek design, the T34 cuts a lovely profile on the water. The cockpit stretches all the way from the transom to the helm and is divided – but not separated – into two parts by virtue of a single step ahead of the aft section.

At the port quarter, a big three-sided seating unit wraps its way around a dining table that can be topped with an infill to create a sunbathing area. Opposite that, a single seat facing the table completes a super-sociable arrangement, capable of seating six or seven people with ease.

From here, a central step leads forward to a second seating area, where the boat’s starboard helm leads back to a cockpit fridge. And it’s also worth noting that the Targa 34’s engine room, located beneath a hydraulically operated hatch, contains a storage box capable of housing a deflated O2 Lite 265 dinghy along with its oars, seat and pump. On a boat of this size, the tender can be a thorny issue so being able to carry one out of sight is a major plus.

That said, the helm area is the one place where you feel Fairline may have taken its eye off the ball. The standard position for the chart plotter is at the bottom left of the console, which places it rather low down and partially obscured by the wheel.

You can solve this by adding a helm pod, which raises the plotter up towards the helm’s eye line, without overly restricting forward visibility. But a second issue concerns the engine master switches, which are located in a recess below the bolstered helm seat.

As the Targa 34 is most often driven from a standing position with the bolster up, these switches are exposed – and when you’re in the rough, that can lead to the skipper’s leg knocking the switches off and killing the engines. Again though, rectifying this is easy. A simple hinged cover does the trick so well, it’s surprising Fairline didn’t think of it themselves.

Below decks

While the Targa 34 is actually quite compact compared to some of its more voluminous competitors, Fairline has made great use of every available inch. For instance, this is one of the few vessels in its class to offer an island double bed in the forward master cabin.

Its offset mounting does result in slightly less length on the right-hand side, which means anyone above average height will find their toes hanging out, but if you bend your knees a touch, the problem goes away. Storage is somewhat limited too, with just a small single hanging wardrobe, but there are three lockers beneath the bed, which helps. And there’s also a massive locker under the mattress, which is better set aside for bulky non-essential gear than to everyday essentials, as it’s a bit of a faff getting to it.

The aft cabin is home to two large, full-length single beds, one of which has a locker underneath, which is mercifully much easier to access. This cabin also has a larger wardrobe, a two-seater settee, a vanity unit with a sink and high and low-level storage lockers. But what this cabin lacks is headroom above the bed – so much so that, unlike the master cabin, it’s not possible to sit up in bed to read the paper.

Between the two cabins are the heads, galley and saloon. The heads is a wet room with toilet, basin and shower in a single space. There’s a small locker beneath the basin and above the loo is a clever mirrored cabinet, which hinges through 90 degrees to reveal a sizeable medicine chest.

The galley is also well planned, with a double burner hob, an oven or microwave/oven/grill, plus a sink and fridge and drawers for pots, pans and cutlery, all packed into a compact, curved space. And speaking of curves, the heads also has a lovely curved door which, like the other doors off the saloon, is deep-gloss varnished and equipped with premium quality handles. Fairline’s finish in its boats of this era was truly superb and that’s clearly evident down here.

The dinette uses a table that drops down to provide an occasional third berth and the saloon also has no fewer than eight lockers, also with curved doors, which helps take up some of the slack for the bow cabin’s lack of storage. Six of these form a continuous row above the sofa while two (one of which houses the boat’s electrical panel) are above the galley. Once again, the finish is high gloss and once again, the sense of quality is unmistakable.

With all of this on offer then, it’s hardly surprising that Targa 34s continue to command a premium on the used market. And with a design that’s often described as timeless, that looks set to continue well into the future.

Fairline Targa 34 specifications

MODEL: Fairline Targa 34
DESIGNER: Bernard Olesinski
HULL TYPE: Deep-V planing
RCD: B8
LOA: 36ft 3in (11.04m)
BEAM: 11ft 4in (3.45m)
DRAFT: 3ft (0.91m)
DISPLACEMENT: 6,100 kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 592L
WATER CAPACITY: 232L
TOP SPEED: 40 knots
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 1.8l/nm @ 20 knots
RANGE: 250 Nm @ 20 knots with 20% reserve

Fairline Targa 34 running costs

Fuel: 1,179 litres (Estimated annual usage based on 25 hours at 25 knots and 25 hours at 6 knots)
Berthing: £7,810.00 per year (based on £710 per m for a Hamble River marina downstream of Bursledon

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