Life is at its best when all your choices are good ones, which means life is at its best with the Fairline Targa 53GT . Buyers of this express cruiser are treated to a number of choices, all of which are good.
Take, for example, the galley. The standard arrangement has the galley-down in a sunny atrium, but I know at least one wife — mine — who wants the galley-up in the salon. Galley-down gives you great counter space, while galley-up gives you a U-shaped setup tucked behind the helm seats. The trade-off? With up, you get a day-head opposite the portside twin guest cabin, plus a utility area, which means laundry to me. This day-head (with shower) also gives the VIP cabin forward a private en suite head. With the galley-down, you gain a salon sofa.
The main deck’s airiness is impressive whether you choose the cockpit’s C- or J-shaped settee. The triple sliding doors open the cabin to the cockpit, allowing the entertainment area to flow unbroken by steps or dividers. When I first stepped into the salon, I was attracted to the four overhead skylights that work with the huge windows to bring in light, and you can harness them with hidden shades to reduce light. Four more skylights are in the retractable sunroof.
Under that big sunroof are the two helm seats and a cozy settee for companions. Fairline isn’t too far from the Aston Martin factory, and I’d bet the Fairline designers peeked at the latest Vanquish for inspiration before styling the two leather helm seats. In fact, all of the cushy seats and couches have automotive stitching with contrasting piping, and they’re ever so soft. There’s even a lounge in the full-beam master suite, so the owners can get away in comfort.
There and throughout the yacht, subtle touches impressed me, like the salon minibar with Lucite glass and bottle holders, and the cockpit grill. This is an elegant yacht, from the marble inlays to the woven leather headboards to the leather fascia on the drawers in the cabin.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The Targa name was first used, and trademarked, in the 1966 Porsche 911, which had a removable roof panel. Porsche chose the Targa name in honor of the Targa Florio, a road race around Sicily in which Porsches had great success over the years.
SUN OR SHADE
This Fairline has a sunroof that opens the salon to the sky, and a clever option is a retractable fabric shade that covers the entire cockpit at the touch of a button. It hides in the roof until needed.
FOR THE KIDS
A cabin with side-by-side berths makes a great hideaway for the children to call their own. An elongated hullside window provides a nice view and brings in natural light. Bring the outside inside or vice versa when you open the 53GT’s salon doors.
