Targa 32, the Finnish Pilothouse That Defines Targa Boats

What Targa boats are, and why the 32 is the one to know

Targa boats are built by Botnia Marin, a family company founded in 1976 by Johan and Britt-Marie Carpelan in Ostrobothnia, Finland, and still building in Malax and Nykarleby. The first Targa appeared in 1984, and the formula has barely changed: a deep, high-bulwarked planing hull, a flat walkaround deck, and a tall rectangular pilothouse in the middle with doors on both sides. The result is known as the 4x4 of the sea, and its boxy wheelhouse also earned it the less flattering nickname the flying potting shed, as Motor Boat & Yachting recalls.

The Targa 32 replaced the much-loved Targa 31 in 2011 and quickly became the range's best seller. It is big enough for a couple to cruise for weeks, small enough to handle alone, and fast enough to treat 30 knots as a cruising speed in weather that keeps most boats tied up. In 2026 the Targa 32 Coupe earned a YachtBuyer five-star trophy and a place in its Hall of Fame.

One naming note for US shoppers: Fairline used Targa for its sport cruisers and Protector for some of its RIBs. Those boats have nothing to do with Botnia Marin's Targa, so check the builder before you trust a listing.

A hull and deck built for the Finnish archipelago

Finnish owners use these boats as transport as much as recreation, running through tight archipelago channels at speed in spring and autumn. That shapes everything. The 32's hull is a deep-V with interceptor trim tabs, and the bulwarks are high, topped with teak rails and stainless guardrails, so moving forward along the side decks feels secure. A ladder at the aft deck leads to the roof, which many owners fit with racks for paddleboards and gear.

Aft, a fixed swim platform with a heavy rubber bumper carries a hatch for reaching the sterndrives to clear a fouled prop. Boarding gates, a built-in fender rack, lockers with line cut-outs and a cooler set into the deck show how practical the design is. Engine access is through a split hatch that lets you open either side, and YachtBuyer found the engine space unusually tidy and well organized.

Aft Door, Flybridge, Coupe and CFC explained

Targa 32 buyers face more choices than the length suggests. The Flybridge (FB) version keeps a small upper helm on the pilothouse roof for visibility. The Aft Door (AD) version adds a single door from the pilothouse to the aft deck with double transom gates, favored for fishing and commuting; on the 32 you cannot combine the aft door with a flybridge. The Coupe drops the upper helm for a big sunroof and a sliding aft door and window, which brightens the teak interior considerably.

Below, the standard fore cabin has a U-shaped berth under a flat foredeck cockpit. The Comfort Fore Cabin (CFC) option raises the foredeck to give more headroom and five possible bed layouts, at the cost of the forward cockpit. The aft cabin, reached by its own steps, spans the full beam with a double berth and a single pipe berth, and the wet-room head has more headroom than you would expect.

• FB: flybridge with second helm
• AD: aft door to the cockpit, double transom gates
• Coupe: no flybridge, sunroof and sliding aft door
• CFC: raised Comfort Fore Cabin with island-bed options
• OB: outboard version available since 2023

Engine choices, from twin D4s to twin 400 hp outboards

Botnia lists an unusually wide engine menu: a single Volvo Penta D6 of 400, 440 or 480 hp; twin D4s from 230 to 320 hp each; twin D6s from 340 to 440 hp each; and, since 2023, twin 350 or 400 hp outboards. The builder quotes top speeds from 34 to 49 knots across that range and a cruise of 22 to 34 knots with twin 320s, burning about 2.2 liters per nautical mile at 27 knots.

YachtBuyer's test boat had twin D4 320 sterndrives, which it called the popular choice. It reached about 40 knots, cruised happily between 25 and 32 knots at around 2 to 2.5 liters per mile, and offered a range of roughly 340 nautical miles from the 800-liter (211-gallon) tank. Fuel burn barely changed between 25 and 30 knots, so there is little penalty for running fast. YachtBuyer estimated close to 50 knots with the larger D6s and with twin 400 hp outboards.

What the numbers do not capture is the handling. Testers consistently describe light, immediate steering, a planted feel and a hull that holds its line like it is on rails, with interceptors and optional auto trim keeping it level. A joystick system for the sterndrives is optional and can be duplicated at an aft deck station.

Inside the teak pilothouse

Step up into the pilothouse and the first impression is the smell of oiled teak. There is a dedicated spot for wet gear by the door, battery switches just inside and fiddled shelving and chart storage that feel like a working boat. The helm has a suspension seat that slides fore and aft, an adjustable wheel and throttles that move with the helm pod. Visibility is excellent, with thin windscreen mullions and a high seat.

The galley is forward and compact, with two burners, a sink and lots of small fiddled compartments rather than big lockers. An L-shaped dinette with an extending table sits opposite a two-way bench that faces the table at anchor and flips to become a forward-facing passenger seat with an adjustable footrest underway. Targa-branded crockery and glassware live in their own slots, a small detail owners love.

Buying and owning a Targa 32 in the US

Targas are rare in American waters, and most used boats on the market are in Scandinavia and the UK. East Coast Yacht Sales in Mystic, Connecticut, is the Targa dealer for the eastern United States and says it can specify American components such as air conditioning and through-hulls for easier US service. Importing a used European boat is possible but adds shipping, duty and CE-to-US compliance work.

Running costs look like any twin-diesel 35-footer: a 35 to 40-foot slip, insurance, Volvo sterndrive service including bellows and outdrive maintenance, bottom paint and canvas. Expect about $25,000 to $50,000 a year. Targas hold value well in Europe because supply is limited and owners keep them a long time.