Leading A Bold New Generation: Fairline releases the Targa 63 GTO

Fairline Yachts celebrated by breathing new life into its offerings and orchestrating the release of the Targa 63 GTO

Published in the February 2018 Issue February 2018 Feature Austa Cook

What do you get when you bring together an Italian superyacht designer, a Dutch naval architect, and classic British craftsmanship? No, this isn’t the start of a bar room joke. They call it a coming evolution’s crowned head – the Targa 63 GTO.

When observing its golden anniversary last year, Fairline Yachts celebrated by breathing new life into its offerings and orchestrating the release of the Targa 63 GTO, the first of a new generation of yachts designed by the acclaimed Alberto Mancini. Following this latest and greatest’s worldwide debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September was a launch a little closer to home at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in November.

“The 2017 Cannes Yachting Festival was Fairline’s most exciting yet. We took our revival to another level during our special 50th anniversary year as we launched the highly anticipated Targa 63 GTO. We have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback from our international network of dealers, our loyal customer base and the world’s media,” Fairline Managing Director Russell Currie recently shared with us.

This model represents an exciting first step towards the new design journey that Fairline Yachts is embarking on – without, of course, losing that sense of deft design work this manufacturer has been applauded for throughout 50 years of boat building.

“We have always remained committed to our rich history of building timeless, classic yachts, our dedication to exceptional British craftsmanship, the exquisite materials we choose, our investment in cutting-edge innovation, design and technology and the attention we pay to ensure every perfect detail,” Currie continued. “Working with external designers helps to push the boundaries of what is considered possible. With the Targa 63 GTO, we have an exciting new shape but it clearly retains Fairline’s original design DNA. Similarly, our naval architects, Vripack, have designed a hull shape that allows for maximum volume, which significantly improves comfort levels on board, as well as making the boat stable, dry and very safe.”

Beyond Comfort

Along with ensuring excellent seakeeping and handling, Vripack zeroed in on minimizing noise and vibration levels throughout the Targa 63 GTO. This, paired with Fairline’s proven monocoque construction, further ensures onboard comfort that would please anyone. Of course, a look alone reveals how Mancini brings stunning Italian styling to the table with sweeping lines and curving architecture, taking Fairline Yachts in a sleeker, bolder direction than ever before.

And this is only touching the surface – it goes without saying that the innovation continues deeper.

A Closer Look

This latest Targa model’s interior is crowned with a fully-glazed panoramic roof and large sliding glazed sunroof that, paired with the powered patio doors that disappear through the cockpit floor, now give boaters the benefits of an OPEN and GT layout combined. When the sun graces those truly beautiful days that can gild the Great Lakes, this setup creates the perfect opportunity for anyone wanting to enjoy the natural breeze and warm pools of light. Should the weather turn or the temperature drop as twilight draws nearer, simply close the sunroof and patio doors for an enclosed interior that’s a cozy world apart from cold weather.

“These innovative touches transform the main deck and add to the overall sense of space and light onboard,” Currie attested.

The interior takes flexibility a step further by offering a wide range of cabin, cockpit and saloon options that seamlessly suit your particular needs.

“There is the choice of either an extended cockpit or extended saloon variants, the former offering large outdoor space, the latter for those where air-conditioned interior space is more important,” explained Currie.

Going Spacious

The Extended cockpit model takes advantage of an even bigger rear deck with enough room for relaxing al fresco on the generous sunpad or plush seating area. Likewise, the Extended Saloon Model keeps the generous foredeck seating and ray-soaking sunbeds but offers a large indoor space so that there’s always plenty of room to relax onboard, whatever the climate. Whichever particular layout you go with, you’re guaranteed intelligently assigned space and well-utilized, innovatively balanced interiors. Three- or four-cabin layouts both come with the ability to offer a twin crew cabin, showing how the lower deck really does make the most of every available inch.

“Maximizing space and comfort are the key features of the Targa 63 GTO with every centimeter optimized. Regardless of specification, owners will find a large saloon and cockpit as well as an impressive full-beam master cabin with adjoining en-suite,” Currie enthused. “This taps into another key trend, which is to use light and space in highly innovative ways to ensure you feel connected to your surroundings. You can see this in the spectacular new windows which sweep across the hull; these are a styling cue from Alberto Mancini, and enable the interior of the lower deck to be bathed in natural light. This style of hull window is being used across other Fairline models now as it is such an important design feature.”

Cool Features

Other amenity highlights include the aforementioned “fresh air maker” air conditioning, powered sunshade over the cockpit, fully integrated audio and visual systems throughout, and the f-Drive multifunction glass bridge for a change of scenery while you’re at the helm.

“We’re really excited about this new model; it’s one of the first boats that Fairline has put out since they went through their acquisition into the new owners, so it’s a big step for them just first off right there. The new model sets a standard for what we’re going to be expecting now,” Zach Mann, sales consultant at Spring Brook Marina, shared with us. Fairline Yachts recently signed on Spring Brook Marina in Illinois as a dealer, inviting new models such as the Targa 63 GTO a step further in the Great Lakes area and making these yachts more accessible than ever before.

“The boat itself has multiple different options for us, which is great for the United States because everyone wants something different here – whether you’re actually using the boat in Florida just to go to the British Virgin Islands or to extend your season in the Great Lakes, it offers so many different options and layouts that it works across the board for everybody,” Mann continued. “It has dedicated storage for the Seabobs that they’re selling now and are very popular, along with the crew quarters, so for those people who want to take their toys and still have a captain to run the boat, they have the best of both worlds. Up here, we personally would most likely go with a Galley Up version with the three-cabin layout just because it also gives you a dayhead. A lot of our owners don’t like someone having to go into their bedroom to get to the restroom. This three-cabin layout that the 63 GTO offers includes a dayhead that is simply a restroom for guests to use without having to go into any stateroom.”

At the end of the day, it’s thoughtful touches like these that boaters are really going to love while they’re out on the water. It’s clear that at every step of the design process, the professional team Fairline Yachts assembled knows what people want and how to deliver. Designer Mancini stated, “With one design team working on both the interior and exterior, the spaces flow seamlessly. We have focused on perfecting the quality, design and details of the boat. We wanted the boat to be recognizable as a Fairline, but with a fresh new approach that encompasses Italian styling, Dutch engineering and British craftsmanship.”

Because at the end of the day, it’s exactly as Currie puts it: “The Fairline Targa range sets the benchmark for the modern express cruiser, combining powerful muscular grace with large, luxuriously equipped living areas and the Targa 63 GTO is the flagship model from this range, beautifully epitomizing all the hallmarks Fairline is known for.”

Which begs the question – with a forerunner like this one, what are Fairline Yachts, Mancini, and Vripack going to dream up next?