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Taswell 43
Designer: Bill Dixon  ·  Builder: Ta Shing Yacht Building (Taiwan)  ·  First built: 1987
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About the Taswell 43

Built by Taiwan's renowned Ta Shing Yacht Building starting in 1987, this Bill Dixon-designed cruiser represents the golden era of quality Taiwanese yacht construction. The Taswell 43 combines traditional seaworthiness with modern sailing performance, earning respect among serious blue water cruisers worldwide. Dixon's design philosophy shines through in the boat's balanced proportions and thoughtful details. The cutter rig configuration provides excellent sail handling flexibility, particularly valuable for short-handed offshore sailing. With its fin keel and rudder-on-skeg arrangement, the boat offers responsive handling while maintaining directional stability in heavy weather conditions. The impressive 9,600-pound ballast and moderate displacement create a stiff, comfortable platform that tracks well in various sea states. A comfort ratio of 28.16 indicates this yacht prioritizes seakindliness over pure speed, making extended passages more pleasant for crew. The capsize screening value of 1.91 falls within acceptable offshore parameters, though conservative sailors prefer lower numbers. Ta Shing's reputation for solid fiberglass construction and attention to detail made their boats highly sought after during the Taiwan yacht building boom. The Taswell 43 continues to attract experienced sailors seeking a proven offshore cruiser with classic lines and dependable performance characteristics.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 42.83 ft / 13.05 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 38.25 ft / 11.66 m
Beam 13.67 ft / 4.17 m
Max Draft 6.25 ft / 1.91 m
Displacement 23,500.00 lb / 10,659 kg
Ballast 9,600.00 lb / 4,354 kg
Ballast Type Iron
Sail Area (Reported) 860.00 ft² / 79.90 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Bill Dixon
Builder Ta Shing Yacht Building (TAIWAN)
First Built 1987
Related Sailboats ["Little Harbor 42" · "Ct 43" · "Swan 432" · "Formosa 44" · "Christina 43 Hans Christian"]
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 108
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.84
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 40.85
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 187.47
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 28.16
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.91
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 8.29 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.84
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,868.30 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 16.83
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 55.00 ft / 16.76 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 17.00 ft / 5.18 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 49.00 ft / 14.94 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
SA Fore 467.50 ft² / 43.43 m²
SA Main 392.00 ft² / 36.42 m²
SA Total (100%) 859.50 ft² / 79.85 m²
Est. Forestay Length 57.57 ft / 17.55 m
Mast Height (DWL) 62.00 ft / 18.90 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Yanmar
Engine Model 4JH-HTE
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 55
Fuel Capacity 86 gals / 326 L
Water Capacity 192 gals / 727 L
How It Compares

vs. Ct 43, Formosa 44, Swan 432

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Taswell 43 ★
42.8 ft
Ct 43
42.7 ft
Formosa 44
42.7 ft
Swan 432
43.0 ft
LWL
Taswell 43 ★
38.3 ft
Ct 43
33.9 ft
Formosa 44
35.6 ft
Swan 432
34.1 ft
Beam
Taswell 43 ★
13.7 ft
Ct 43
13.0 ft
Formosa 44
13.0 ft
Swan 432
13.1 ft
Displacement
Taswell 43 ★
23 lbs
Ct 43
23 lbs
Formosa 44
34 lbs
Swan 432
19 lbs
Ballast
Taswell 43 ★
9 lbs
Ct 43
9 lbs
Formosa 44
10 lbs
Swan 432
9 lbs
Sail Area
Taswell 43 ★
860 sq ft
Ct 43
820 sq ft
Formosa 44
1 sq ft
Swan 432
—
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Taswell 43 ★
108 s/nm
Ct 43
—
Formosa 44
—
Swan 432
99 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Taswell 43 ★
16.8
Ct 43
15.9
Formosa 44
17.2
Swan 432
—
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Taswell 43 ★
40.9 %
Ct 43
39.5 %
Formosa 44
—
Swan 432
46.4 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Taswell 43 ★
28.2
Ct 43
33.1
Formosa 44
47.1
Swan 432
26.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Taswell 43 ★
1.91
Ct 43
1.81
Formosa 44
1.59
Swan 432
1.95
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Taswell 43 ★
187
Ct 43
273
Formosa 44
—
Swan 432
219
Hull Speed
Taswell 43 ★
8.3 kts
Ct 43
7.8 kts
Formosa 44
8.0 kts
Swan 432
7.8 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Taswell 43 ★
2.8
Ct 43
1.9
Formosa 44
—
Swan 432
—
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