Finnish legend Botnia Marin claims their boats are built for reality, not wishes. We test the Targa 44 to see if it’s truly bulletproof
There’s an interesting quote on the website of Finnish boatbuilder Botnia Marin. Attributed to Founder and Chairman Johan Carpelan it reads: “Targas are designed and built according to how the sea in reality is – not as one wishes it to be. Our guiding principle is to send you out to sea as a proud and confident captain with a smile on your face.” Fine words indeed, but does the Botnia medicine work? Well, according to Targa 44 owner Charles Craven, it really does: “You know what?” says Charles. “I feel like this boat looks after me.”
Given that Charles is a self-confessed adventurer whose resumé includes high-end motor racing as well as taking his boat out in conditions where others would turn back, he probably needs a bit of looking after. “I like to challenge myself so that I feel a little bit out of my comfort zone,” he says. “I like to push; I like to push the fear, if you see what I mean. Yeah, but in a controlled fashion and giving myself the best chance of safety.”
To illustrate his thrill-seeking tendencies, Charles recounted the last leg of his journey after collecting his Targa 44 from Botnia Marin’s factory in Malax on Finland’s west coast. “Boy, did we see some weather on that trip,” he says. “On the last day, we were cutting across from Dublin to Inverkip, where I keep the boat. It was an eight- or nine-hour day and for the last three to four hours, it was Force 6 with gusts up to 8 and 9 according to the weather station at Campbeltown. Although I was petrified, the boat was fine!”
Charles went on to tell us that his 44 feels like a tank which simply cuts through the sea, whereas his other boat – a Botnia Targa 32 – is more like a jetski. That said, the twin Volvo Penta D6 440hp sterndrives propelling his Targa 44 top out at a more than respectable 39 knots. Not bad for a boat, which if you include the bathing platform, isn’t far short of 50ft long!
The flybridge is quite spartan by the standard of some rivals
Our 2015 model
The Targa 44 we tracked down for this review, a 2015 example being offered by Berthon, Lymington, for £559,000 excluding VAT, is equipped with the slightly less powerful twin D6 400s which, according to the broker, is still good for 32 knots. Botnia Marin also provided us with fuel figures for a vessel equipped with 435hp IPS 600 units.
Apparently, these forward-facing pod drives will allow it to reach around 37 knots. The key operational difference in Charles’ opinion is that sterndrives make for more of a “driver’s boat” – hardly surprising that’s what he opted for!
While Botnia appears to have all the power, performance and handling bases covered, what about the creature comforts? Charles, who stands 6ft 2in in his stockinged feet, assures us the master cabin bed is more than large enough for him and that in trips of up to nine days at sea there was nothing that he missed.
Large, open cockpit is supremely safe and easy to move around
Among the prerequisites others might consider essential for a vessel of this size is crew, but Charles stresses that the Targa’s 44 twin pilothouse doors opening out onto the side decks’ high-sided, super-safe gunwales make berthing very simple even for single-handed skippers.
If you want to talk about desirability, it’s arguable that the Targa 44 doesn’t have quite the luxury factor that others in its size class might have. But that’s because this boat is primarily designed as a safe and sturdy passagemaker rather than a floating hotel. So although the build quality throughout is impeccable, what you don’t get with the Targa 44 are luxuriously appointed cabins and a separate saloon and galley area.
Similarly, while the aft cockpit is a generously proportioned space with bags of room for deck furniture and the flybridge will accommodate six or seven people, the upper deck is relatively modest in terms of its outright size.
That said, one thing we really like about the Targa 44 is that it has a proper little ship feel about it. That impression begins the moment you step aboard, as the side decks are on a level with the aft cockpit. Protected by waist-high teak-topped handrails, these walkways remain flat until you reach the pilothouse’s full-height sliding side doors, at which point, a couple of steps take you up to the foredeck. Glance back from here and the reverse raked windscreen of the pilothouse confirms that this is a boat built for business.
Swathes of satin-finished teak are a hallmark of the Targa’s top quality interior fitout
Cockpit and saloon
On our review boat, the pilothouse is entered from the cockpit by way of a sliding aft patio door. This was one of two options offered by Botnia, the other being an enclosed aft end to the pilothouse with access only via the side deck doors. This frees up the space for additional storage where the patio doors would have been. The saloon also has a flat floor throughout so the cockpit, dinette, galley and helm are all on the same level, making it very easy and safe for guests of all ages to move around.
Of course, a downside of the wide side decks is that the pilothouse is relatively narrow. It does feel a touch tight as you make your way through, but Botnia has nonetheless managed to fit everything in – a dining table, a six-seater wraparound settee (which doubles as an occasional berth), an oven, a two-burner hob, a sink, a fridge and some storage spaces.
Wide side decks mean the saloon is relatively narrow but well laid out and equipped
There’s also plenty of delicious woodwork and cabinetry on show here, all with a satin finish which again screams quality. Up at the helm, there’s a single driving seat to starboard and twin co-pilot seats to port. Radar and plotter displays sit above two lengthy ranks of Carling switches. And visibility, both to the sides as well as forward through that low-glare reverse windscreen, is excellent.
Split cabins
The boat’s cabins are accessed from either end of the saloon. Three forward steps lead down to the bow cabin, which on our review boat has a double bed nestled into the forepeak. This is a permanent built-in fixture rather than a V-berth with infill, but that option was also available on the Targa 44.
The forward cabin either has this permanent double or a convertible vee berth
There’s lots more satin wood-faced storage space in the forward cabin, as well as a good size of ensuite, which on our boat also comes with a washing machine. Another point of note here is that adjacent to the bow cabin’s entrance steps is another bed – a crawl-into space which can be screened off from view by a curtain. It’s an unusual feature for sure, but one that could prove useful when travelling with a child on board.
At the opposite end of the saloon is the entrance to the owner’s cabin. Again, there are three steps down and there’s another crawl-into bed alongside the stairs, this time a compact double. The ensuite is surprisingly sizable and, while the master itself has a large bed and plenty of storage around it, it’s still a cabin built to meet your practical needs rather than to provide a luxurious retreat.
Will it work for you?
When it was introduced in 2007, the Targa 44 represented an evolutionary step from the Targa 42, with its longer length allowing the possibility to fit Volvo Penta IPS drives. The Targa 46, which was launched in 2017, was again an evolution of the Targa 44. Mainstream production of the 44 would continue until 2024 but even then, that didn’t mean the end because today, it is still produced in very limited numbers for commercial workboat applications.
The aft cabin also has a small single berth at the entrance – ideal for parents with a child
Clearly then, the Botnia Targa 44 feels like a breed apart. It’s not a boat for everyone but for those with a spirit of adventure, who value function over form, and who want the ability to put to sea in even the most demanding conditions, this is a vessel you should consider. As owner Charles says: “I’ve looked at plenty of boats and for me, the 44 ticks all the boxes. It’s strong, solid and dependable. In fact, to my mind, it’s bulletproof – and I like that!”
Botnia Targa 44 specifications
MODEL: Botnia Targa 44
DESIGNER: Oy Botnia Marin AB
HULL TYPE: Planing
RCD: Category B (15 people)
LOA: 47ft 1in (14.36m)
BEAM: 10ft 10in (3.34m)
DRAFT: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
DISPLACEMENT: 12,400kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 2,000L
WATER CAPACITY: 350L
TOP SPEED: 37.2kn (speed and fuel figures supplied by Botnia for a Targa 44 with 2X IPS 600 435hp engines)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 3.52L/nm @ 25.5 knots
RANGE: 453nm at 25.5 knots with 20% reserve
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