Roberts 43 (Mauritius 43)

Description

The Bruce Roberts Mauritius 43, designed in 1969 by Australian naval architect Bruce Roberts, is one of the most prolific and beloved bluewater cruising sailboats ever penned—with nearly 2,000 examples built worldwide to basic plans. It's a center-cockpit cruiser renowned for its spacious accommodations, seaworthiness, and versatility for long-distance voyaging, coastal hopping, or liveaboard life. The design draws from traditional lines with a moderate overhang, full bow and stern for a buoyant ride in swells, and a long fin keel for stability. Early builds (especially shallow-draft ketches) had minor downwind steering quirks, but these were addressed with free or low-cost modification drawings from Roberts. A flush-deck variant, the Norfolk 43, offers a sleeker profile while sharing the same hull and rig options. Construction appeals to owner-builders: round-bilge fiberglass or wood/epoxy for smooth hulls, or multi-chine steel/aluminum for rugged, low-maintenance strength. Interiors are highly customizable, often featuring teak joinery, with layouts supporting 6–8 berths across three cabins (forward V-berth, saloon settees, large aft master). Rig options include cutter (most common for balanced sail handling), ketch (for easier short-handed reefing), or sloop (simpler for racing/light cruising).