W43, a Day Boat class motor yacht, was one of the biggest discoveries of this year’s edition of the Boot Düsseldorf fair. Its premiere on the first day of the event attracted huge crowds of visitors, both ordinary fans and professionals, industry experts and even influencers. The premiere ended with a spectacular image success, but now it’s time to present its advantages in practice.
The Polish yachting industry, although it enjoys the well-deserved title of European leader in the production of yachts up to 12 meters in length, has so far been known for producing laminate boats for well-known foreign companies such as Brunswick Marine, Beneteau Group or numerous Scandinavian shipyards. Only a few in our country promoted themselves under their own brand.
Owners of one of the largest Polish yacht shipyards “Ślepsk” from Augustów, decided to break this image of a subcontractor. The production facilities already existed, so they planned to further develop the company by creating their own brand. And since they are true experts in the industry, they decided to build a new offer into the market. To create a unique, high-class, comfortable Day Boat.
This segment is currently one of the fastest growing and popular directions in the construction of recreational yachts.
Most motorboat enthusiasts, who constitute over 80 percent of water sports fans, use their watercraft as a way to spend their free time comfortably. For real fun and pleasure of navigating waters with family or friends. On yachts of this class, the most important thing is comfort and good nautical parameters.
We are proud that the Yachtsmen.eu editorial team was entrusted with the role of the first testers, people checking its nautical qualities in practice. In mid-April this year, we were invited by Wiszniewski Yachts to Augustów to perform tests assessing the nautical qualities of the newest “Star” (link) of the Polish industry, the W43 yacht.
W43 – appearance and design
The W43 motor yacht was designed on the boards of the famous J&J Design, design studio from Slovenia. This is an extremely well-known and respected company in the industry. It has been successfully operating on the market for over 30 years. It has created many excellent floating structures. It won numerous awards for them in international nautical competitions.
The authors of the W43 design, at the request of the owners of Wiszniewski Yachts, designed a 13.8-meter-long Day Boat class motor yacht, in which the main emphasis was placed on ensuring comfortable sailing for the entire crew and achieving good nautical parameters. And the purpose of the yacht was subordinated primarily to these features.
To achieve all this, it was necessary to develop an appropriate and functional interior design, but also a modern line to obtain the best possible hydrodynamic coefficients of the hull.
In our opinion, the designers fulfilled this role perfectly. The yacht has a very beautiful silhouette and arouses interest of potential users from a distance. However, despite the clearly marked modernity of the lines, the yacht does not raise any image objections, even among traditionalists. I think that over time this line will be a benchmark for many design studios in creating new models of floating structures intended for tourism and fun on the water.
W43 – convenience and comfort of installation
The most convenient way to access the yacht is from the stern, through the rear platform. This is a very interesting element of the yacht. It was developed by Opacmare. Despite the use of an outboard drive system on the boat, it creates a large, comfortable and safe place to use at the stern. The platform has a hydraulically lifting structure surrounding the engines. While riding, we raise it up so that it does not create any resistance. However, when parked, after leaving, we have a wonderful space to play. It is functionally integrated with the rest of the interior and the central cockpit, where the crew’s aquatic life takes place while swimming and when stationary.
The passages to individual segments of the yacht are flat, comfortable and safe. Of course, there were opening sides, an almost obligatory element in modern motor yachts. Large hinged side doors at the height of the mess hall in the central cockpit greatly enlarge the deck area, but above all they serve to provide greater access to bathing and playing on the water while at anchor.
The yacht can be divided into several living zones:
- The aft cockpit, i.e. the above-mentioned platform around the engines
- Central cockpit – a wardroom with comfortable sofas, an elegant table, a wetbar with the function of a galley on the open deck and a wheelhouse located in its front part. From the wheelhouse there is a companionway to the lower deck leading to the sleeping cabin.
- The bow deck, accessed by two convenient passages on both sides of the wheelhouse. This place is intended for comfortable relaxation, both for sunbathing and for sitting in its front part on sofas at a special table.
The entire central cockpit is hidden under a designer canopy with an opening sunroof and an element that extends far back to protect against the sun or rain.
W43 – high quality materials and finishing
W43, it is made of high-quality materials and impeccably finished. The Augustów shipyard is famous for the excellent quality of boatbuilding, which it has proven many times during its over 35 years of operation. Already during the January premiere of the yacht in Düsseldorf, these features were noticed and emphasized by visitors.
During our rigorous tests on the water, we were able to see this for ourselves in the conditions of use, during dynamic driving on the water.
During the tests, we dealt with yacht number 1, practically a prototype, so we were amazed to find that we did not notice any problems with any of the yacht’s elements. We tried to find any faults in this respect on the yacht, but nothing caught our eye. Every detail was developed and made according to the excellent, professional knowledge of the designers and the shipyard.
Each fixed and movable element is characterized by a high quality standard, the W43 hull structure is solid and stiff.
W43 – drive system
The tested W43 was equipped with a standard system of two Mercury Verado engines, 400 HP each. As an option, we can order it with 3 units with a power of 300 HP each. In our opinion, after testing, the standard configuration gives enough reasons to be satisfied, but of course we could have more power in the stern. The idea with 3 outboards results somewhat from the requirements of the American market, which the W43 is intended for. But this is a matter of individual needs.
Despite the fact that the yacht has a large mass of approximately 9 tons, 2 engines of 400 HP each are good at accelerating it and maintaining good speeds during every ride, both cruising and at full throttle.
Of course, high power also means high fuel consumption. At maximum speed, we must take into account fuel consumption of 260 l/h (both engines).
W43 – on the main deck, central cockpit
This is the main place for the entire crew. Functionally, it is connected to the aft cockpit, or rather to the stern platform, which is its essential part.
We have comfortable sofas beautifully made of high-quality materials, surrounding an elegant table on all sides. It is unfolded and lowered depending on demand. But it is also equipped with interesting gadgets. A steel plate is mounted in the countertop and special magnets in the tableware. Thanks to this, there is no fear of them falling, breaking or otherwise getting damaged, which can easily happen on the water. After all, it is not a perfectly even trail, even when stopped.
In the front part of the mess hall there is a wetbar, a kind of galley on a wide pedestal across the cockpit. The whole thing was made very elegantly, with great care for the quality of finishing. We can equip it optionally depending on our preferences. There may be a stove or grill, a sink, of course a refrigerator and other kitchen accessories. The elegantly finished top covering the entire wetbar from above is impressive.
Right behind the living area we have the wheelhouse, designed centrally in the middle of the yacht under the roof. It is covered with large panes of glass on the front and sides, which, together with the canopy, create comfortable conditions for operating the yacht even in bad weather.
The richly equipped control console on which all control elements are mounted is impressive. The tested unit had two large, perfectly readable Simrad displays, a joystick, a zipwake controller, a modern audio system, of course a shift lever and several other control and control devices for comfort systems. The ergonomics of the installed control and control devices are impeccable.
Virtually nothing was forgotten. The crew should feel comfortable and safe, which is ensured by numerous handholds located in critical places. Safety on board is ensured even when swimming with small children. In this respect, we rate the yacht very highly.
In 43 – on the lower deck
To the left of the control console there is a companionway to the lower deck. There is one sleeping cabin and a full bathroom with a separate shower. Both rooms have full standing height. They are bright and airy, and sleeping will satisfy every lover of night comfort. Brightness in the room is provided by Shark-style windows, and the interior is finished with top-class finishing materials in a wide range of options.
Although the yacht belongs to the Day Boat class, so it is intended mainly for daytime relaxation on the water, there is no need to worry about luxurious conditions for spending the night on it.
W43 – our impressions from the test
Initially, water tests were scheduled for March in Alicante, Spain. However, the plans were quickly verified due to the need to carry out buoyancy tests necessary for the official certification of the yacht.
As already mentioned, we were the first journalists who had the pleasure of testing and assessing the W43. As it happens with prototypes and first production units, we were all curious about the impressions. They exceeded our wildest expectations. The yacht practically met all production and design assumptions.
We performed our tests on Lake Necko in Augustów and although the conditions were rather mild (virtually without waves), we were able to test it in the most dynamic tests. We didn’t disturb anyone on the lake at that time.
It’s time to move on to the driving experience. They were more than positive.
W43 is a quite dynamic yacht. We needed about 7.5 seconds to start planing, but after all, it weighs almost 9 tons, so it won’t behave like a small motorboat with large outboards. Nevertheless, we needed only 33 seconds to reach a maximum speed of almost 45 knots. This is a more than good result!
The maximum speed was achieved at 6,400 rpm, and the noise level was approximately 85 dB. This is quite a lot, but remember that the yacht is equipped with outboard engines, which make more noise, and besides, fast driving means more noise from the water flowing around the hull and propellers.
W43, it glided through the water like a train on rails, and its large mass definitely suppressed any possible irregularities in the short lake waves.
It is definitely best to cruise at a cruising speed of about 26-28 knots, achieved at about 4800 rpm. The noise level then drops below 80 dB and fuel consumption is halved to approximately 65 l/h (per engine).
The yacht drove impeccably and was easy to maneuver, although remember its large mass, which causes some delays in reaction. A good solution is to use zipwake, flaps that perfectly and automatically correct the positioning of the yacht.
The W43 behaves fantastically when performing the most dynamic and violent maneuvers. The turning radius in a sharp 360-degree turn was about 3, and at a cruising speed of 26-28 degrees it did not exceed 1-2 boat lengths!
It drives easily and pleasantly, and maneuvering in the port is very easy thanks to the effective joystick.
Therefore, maneuverability and excellent nautical parameters are the very strong points of the latest design from Wiszniewski Yachts.
W43 – summary
W43 was submitted for evaluation in a prestigious international competition Best of Boats Award 2024. In our opinion, it may be one of the stronger contenders in the Best for Fun category. However, whether this will happen will depend on the remaining jurors, and there are 15 of them from different countries around the world. Their first impressions from the premiere in Düsseldorf were more than positive, and this is also very important. However, the decisive factor will be the water tests, which we hope to organize for them during the POLBOAT Yachting Festival in July in Gdynia.
For our part, we are confident about the assessment of design and quality of workmanship. In Augustów, they know well how to build high-class yachts. I think that the water tests will not disappoint the rest of the jurors.
We can vote for the W43 yacht with a clear conscience today! Both the comfort of swimming and the yacht’s nautical parameters deserve great recognition.
Moreover, congratulations to Wiszniewski Yachts for a professionally developed project and approach to promoting your own brand!
W43
Technical data:
| total length | 13.85 m |
| hull length | 8.99 m |
| total width | 3.76 m |
| boat weight (with engines) | 8800 kg |
| draught | 0.94 |
| maximum engine power standard | 2 x 400 HP/2 x 300 kW |
| maximum engine power | 3 x 300 HP/3 x 222 kW |
| fuel tank | 1125 litres |
| water tank | 150 litres |
| gray water tank | 100 litres |
| CE design category | B – 8 |
| maximum number of people | 8 |
| producer | Wiszniewski Yachts |
| more: | https://www.w-yachts.com.pl/w43/ |
| net price of the yacht (plus VAT) | From approx. euro 650.000,00 |
Power unit (in the tested yacht) – 2 x Mercury Verado 400
| Mercury Verado 400 V8 – 400 HP, outboard, petrol, DOHC, SmartCraft®, computer controlled fuel injection with ARO (Advanced Range Optimization) combustion optimization system, with joystick |
| displacement | 5700 cm3 |
| engine weight | 316 kg |
| maximum power | 400 HP/300 kW |
| maximum rpm | 5800 – 6400 rpm |
| number of cylinders | V10 |
| AlternatorA/W | 150 A/1890 W |
Text by Stanisław Iwiński, photos by Arek Rejs/Stanisław Iwiński.
