Hallberg-Rassy
HR 43
Last reviewed: · Vadim Nareyko
Three Hallberg-Rassy 43 data sheets sit on the table. The sail buyer is not hunting a third mast - they are reading two sail-area columns and asking how the saloon breathes. The common Germán Frers hull is 13.57 × 4.08 m, built 2001–2016; the yard delivered 199 hulls as centre-cockpit cruisers as Mark I, Mark II and Mark III. Three builder plates, one family boat - not three strangers.
There are only two sailplans, not three. Early Mark I sheets list 92.9 m² with a working jib and 108 with a big genoa. From model year 2008 the same strengthened plan covers Mark II and Mark III: 95.1 and 110.2 m², a slightly taller mast, a larger main, forestay set a touch below the masthead - a slight fractional plan that is easier to ease. Mark III is not a new spar: the yard's improvement list versus Mark II does not invent a third mast.
The ventilation owner pauses on Mark III (about 2013–2016, roughly 9–10 of those 199 hulls). Frameless superstructure glass floods the saloon with light, yet those glued saloon panes often do not open; hatches and low-profile vents (with the ping-pong ball trick, as on sister HR models) do the breathing. Early Mark I specs show about 13 aluminium-framed ports, roughly 12 opening. Exception on the late finish: an opening galley–cockpit portlight can still appear - not "every window sealed".
About 150 Mark I boats (roughly 2001–2007) took Cruising World Overall Boat of the Year 2003. Mark II is model year 2008, hull numbers about 151–189. A neighbouring listing may not be this 43. The 42 Enderlein (1980–1991) is another type. The 42F Frers (1990–2001, 181 hulls) is the shorter-waterline predecessor. The 412 (2011–2021, 41 hulls, 12.61 m) keeps an aft cockpit. The 44 from 2016 stretches LWL to 12.88 m with twin rudders. A card saying "HR 43 1995" near 13.05 m is not this model.
Why the yard replaced the 42F: Frers stretched LWL from 10.35 m to 11.75 m (+1.40 m) at nearly the same displacement, about 12.5 t versus 12.7 t. Inside came a separate forward shower and honest headroom into the aft cabin. Under the same name you may meet a 2.00 m keel or one 30 cm shallower - one headline, different skerry access.
A Boat of the Year badge without a year on a mid-2010s card is selling someone else's cup: German Yacht des Jahres 2002 and US Cruising World Overall 2003 belong to the first finish generation. That US cup boat ran a Volvo near 55 hp, not the later 75. Deck, standing rigging and rudder stay unknown until haul-out. You take a Swedish centre-cockpit near 43 feet for Baltic and North Sea work and you pay for the size in berth and iron.
At a glance
Quick facts
- Production
- 2001–2016
- LOA
- 13.57 m
- Beam
- 4.08 m
- Model
- HR 43
Key takeaways
- Best for: Frers larger HR families on longer Baltic/North Sea legs (Mk I–III, 2001–2016, 199 hulls)
- Common issue: rudder bearings and deck-joint or chainplate moisture scaled to LOA
- Typical price: premium HR tier; survey rigging and Marks before negotiating
Technical data
- Length overall (LOA)
- 13.57 m
- Beam
- 4.08 m
- Production years
- 2001–2016
Design history
Hallberg-Rassy built this 43 in Ellös, Sweden. Beside the first-generation finish cups sits the Australian Import Boat of the Year 2006. In the Sail 2003 test the price was about 350 thousand dollars from the yard in Sweden; that is not a 2026 price.
On early boats the teak sits in silicone rubber (the screw era). From model year 2011 the yard vacuum-bonds teak without screws on all new boats with a teak deck. Hulls from 2013 are already after that line. From which 43 number the change started, read that boat’s papers, not the listing title.
Typical problems
Buyer FAQ
- Are these three different boats or one?
One Hallberg-Rassy 43 family on one Frers hull. Later generations differ in light and windscreen, not a new shape.
- How is this 43 not a 42F, not a 412, and not a 44?
The 42F is shorter on the waterline. The 412 keeps the cockpit aft. The 44 already has twin rudders. Match the yard plate, not the title.
- What about a card “HR 43 1995” at 13.05 m length?
That is not this model. On this 43’s plate the years start at 2001 and length is 13.57 m.
- How does early teak differ from late teak?
Early decks sit in silicone rubber (screws). From model year 2011 the yard vacuum-bonds teak without screws. Read the hull, not the photo.
- How deep does the keel go (draft)?
Standard light-ship draft is 2.00 m; there is a version 30 cm shallower. One title, different marina access.
- Can you trust “Boat of the Year” on a late boat?
The 2002–2003 trophies belong to the first finish generation. Without a year on a late card, that is someone else’s cup.
- Which diesel appears under this name?
Early engine plates show Volvo TMD22, D2-55, or D2-75. Late yard sheets already list only D2-75. Read the plate on this engine, not the title.
- Is a centre berth aft another model?
No. On the late finish it is an option: twin berths or a wide centre berth. With the centre berth, aft-deck lockers became narrower and deeper. A photo of a wide centre berth does not describe the neighbouring twin-berth boat.
- Will sails from an early boat fit a late one?
Do not assume they will. From model year 2008 area with the working headsail is 95.1 m² and with the genoa 110.2; earlier 92.9 and 108. The forestay sits a little below the masthead. The mast is still Seldén; length and forestay attachment change, not the brand. Match sails to the hull year, not to a neighbouring card.
- Does a brighter salon mean different ventilation?
Late salon coachroof windows are larger and frameless: they do not open themselves. Air comes through hatches and low mushroom vents on deck. An opening window from the galley into the cockpit remains on the late finish. See what the salon breathes through, not only light in photos.
Annual ownership costs
The tanks hold about 395 L of diesel and 650 L of water: that is passage reserve, not a promise of miles. A 43-foot boat does not make ownership cheap: in the Baltic, berth, winter, and reserves for sails, deck, and systems usually sit on top of the purchase price. Planned ranges for the Hallberg-Rassy 43 (Frers, 2001–2016) in EUR (rate about 11 SEK/EUR), northern-yard guides, not your marina’s price list. A full sail replacement or a major deck repair sits outside the band. The band is roughly 110,000–280,000 SEK a year.
| Item | Low (EUR) | High (EUR) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berth | ~2,900 | ~6,400 | ~13.6 m class, Stockholm/Gothenburg (from ~32–70k SEK) |
| Insurance | ~1,450 | ~3,300 | agreed value and cruising area |
| Lift + winter | ~1,600 | ~3,800 | crane and keel supports |
| Antifouling + hull | ~800 | ~2,200 | materials and labour |
| Engine | ~800 | ~2,500 | Volvo packages by year |
| Mast-wire reserve | ~1,100 | ~2,900 | wire age from this boat’s invoices |
| Deck / structure | ~1,300 | ~4,400 | teak, joints, windows |
| Year total | ~10,000 | ~25,500 | planned band; major repair outside |
The figures are not a price promise. Keep teak and rigging reserves separate from the berth line.
Pre-purchase survey checklist
Survey checklist: Hallberg-Rassy 43 (Frers, 2001–2016)
Name and plate
- Year and length on the plate: 2001–2016 and 13.57 × 4.08 m? A card saying 1995 / 13.05 m is already not this boat.
- Which factory finish generation (early, middle, or late from 2013)?
- Does a neighbouring card with a similar number (42F, 412, 44) match this boat’s plate?
- Which keel depth: 2.00 m or 30 cm shallower?
- Which sails on this boat: early 92.9 / 108 m² or, from model year 2008, already 95.1 / 110.2? Sails from a neighbouring card need not fit.
Deck and teak
- Are screw heads visible in the teak (early lay) or is the deck already screw-free (yard line from model year 2011)?
- After winter, soft spots or stains at the chainplates and stanchion bases? If the deck core is wet inside, that shows after drying, not from shiny varnish.
- Does the teak story match the hull year, not a pretty photo.
- On a late boat, do the salon coachroof windows open? If not: hatches and low mushroom vents on deck, not only light in photos.
Ironwork and motion
- Invoices for mast wires (wire as yard standard; rod instead of wire only if paper exists for this boat).
- Rudder play and bearings after a haul-out.
- Which diesel badge on this boat’s engine plate (TMD22, D2-55, or D2-75)? Late yard sheets list only D2-75. Hours from this hull, not from the neighbouring ad.
- If a late generation with a centre berth: did the aft-deck lockers become narrower and deeper than on the twin-berth layout?
- On an early boat, battery terminals and copper cable without protective coating (untinned) as in the 2003 test? Look at this boat’s terminals, not the title.
Expert verdict
FairHelm rating: 8.2/10: Three data sheets on the table still land on one Frers plate (13.57 × 4.08). The HR 43 (2001–2016, 199 hulls, Mk I–III) is one family: two sailplans, later finish light and glass, not three masts or three strangers. Size helps only when maintenance matches the LOA.
- Pros
- Room for longer Baltic and North Sea legs, HR service familiarity, and resale that still tracks the badge when invoices exist.
- Cons
- Rudder bearings, deck-joint moisture, and rigging age scale with LOA. Heating, electrics, and canvas refits can dominate a season budget.
- Who it suits
- Families or couples planning longer Nordic legs who accept higher haul-out and spare costs. Unknown: bearing and terminal state until hauled; confirm Mark I/II/III finish and sailplan on the listing plate.
Vadim Nareyko, FairHelm Editorial, Last reviewed: 2026-09-10
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Owner story
Real ownership experience from a moderated FairHelm community member.
North Sea passage★★★★★HR 43 carried us through a rough Skagerrak passage with two reefs and confidence. Previous owner left incomplete rigging invoices — replacing early was cheaper than an offshore surprise.
- Skagerrak cruiser★★★★☆
HR 43 handles North Sea swell better than our previous 38-footer. Budget for deck hardware rebedding — we found minor core moisture at stanchion bases during purchase survey.