This New 43-Foot Italian Cruiser Blends Stylish Looks With Beastly Speed
Though Campania, Italy-based Fiart Mare is well established in its home country, the builder of express cruisers and dayboats has been a relative unknown to Americans, despite launching its first boat in 1960.
That is about to change. Last week, at the 2023 Miami International Boat Show, the brand dipped its toe into the US market by introducing the Seawalker 43, as part of a model lineup that extends to 60 feet. The Seawalker line is comprised of weekenders (also including a 35 and a 39) drawn up to appeal to those with a taste for modern aesthetics.
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It’s not surprising that the builder chose to debut this boat, with its flat and elegant shearline and high level of fit and finish, in Miami through its local dealer YachtCreators. It seems well suited for a day out cruising the sandbars and waterside eateries that dot Biscayne Bay and surrounding waterways. It could also handle a few days away in the Bahamas quite capably.
The boat at the Miami show was powered by twin 435 horsepower Volvo Penta IPS600s that offer a respectable top speed of 36 knots, with a cruise right around the 30-knot range. Other propulsion options include an IPS650 upgrade as well as various Mercury outboard configurations. When the outboards are chosen, the boat’s large hydraulic swim platform is sacrificed for a smaller, but very functional wraparound Opacmare transformer.
As one might expect on a boat in this class, the main deck has the requisite sunpad for three aft, as well as some thoughtful convertible seating that relies on moveable headrests to change lounging configurations. Diamond-patterned stitching in the upholstery was tight and of yacht caliber, while blue piping offset against an off-white background lent the 43 a pleasingly cool Mediterranean vibe.
A similar level of fit and finish was seen on the foredeck, where a sunpad is shaded by carbon-fiber poles that weigh just a pound and a half, and that stow in the boat’s garage. One nice touch in this space that speaks to Fiart’s history and nautical know-how were the drainwells forward and to port and starboard, of use when it gets rough, and also when a guest decides to rinse off using the hot/cold shower that stows in the anchor locker.
The real trick up the 43’s sleeve, however, is interior volume. The boat makes good use of its plumb bow, an amidships step on the main deck, and those compact IPS engines to offer a proper master stateroom forward as well as a second stateroom aft with standing headroom in its forward section—no easy feat for a boat of this design type.
A small lounge to port at amidships is a good place to hide from inclement weather, and can also convert into a third sleeping area. The after stateroom can be optioned as a lounge, turning the Fiart 43 into an excellent choice for a cruising couple who is ready to say ciao, bella!, albeit with a noticeable American accent.
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