43 Trawler

Built on the Gulfstar 43 Motorsailer hull, the 43 Trawler is a conservative long-range cruiser of the type popular back in the 1970s during the fuel crisis. Her solid fiberglass, semi-displacement hull—essentially a sailboat hull—is designed with rounded bilges, a long, deep keel and moderate beam. Originally a trunk-cabin design (pictured above), in 1975 a MK II sundeck version was introduced with a redesigned flybridge and a full teak interior replacing the previous mica or mahogany decor. The MK II’s full-width aft deck allows for an enlarged master stateroom below with a centerline queen berth. A comfortable cruiser, the galley and dinette in the Gulfstar 43 are down, resulting in a fairly roomy salon with complete lower helm station and deck doors port and starboard. Additional features include near-standing headroom in the engineroom, wide side decks, and protected underwater running gear. Obviously dated by today’s design standards (but a seakindly boat offshore), she’ll cruise at 9 knots and reach a top speed of 11–12 knots with 130hp Perkins diesels.