Written By Don Logay
Total Marine is a leading seller of European crafted luxury motor yachts. Founded in 1971, by John Caruso – and later joined by his son Tom – together they have built the company into a leading seller of European crafted motor yachts.
Today, Total Marine has three East Coast locations – in Norwalk, Connecticut; Annapolis, Maryland; and Fort Lauderdale, Florida – all specializing in high-end quality boats and yachts. Since 2002, they have also been the largest dealer in the United States exclusively representing Fairline, the renown British builder of luxury motor yachts.
European Craftsmanship
Fairline has built class-leading, iconic luxury motor yachts for over 56 years. Founded on hand-built British craftsmanship, Fairline yachts encompass power and performance with amazing elegance and comfort.
Melding fresh ideas with respected classic concepts, Fairline’s recent collaboration with famed Italian yacht designer Alberto Mancini artfully blends contemporary European styling with the builder’s long-standing heritage and commitment to creating and introducing outstanding models with uniquely refined detail, substantial volume and unparalleled savoir faire paired with the security of outstanding seakeeping.
Simply put, Fairline is where understated elegance meets performance and adventure. To date, Total Marine has personalized, uniquely configured and successfully delivered over 100 beautiful Fairline yachts ranging in size from 33- to 78-feet.
Fairline Targa 65 GT
The sleek Targa series of sports-type luxury motor yachts was first launched in 1985. With new models designed and introduced over the years, sizes today range from a fast and compact 38-feet to a sleek and luxurious 65-feet.
The Fairline Targa 65 GT is the culmination of over a half century of boat building history. When it was first introduced at the 2017 Cannes Yachting Festival in the South of France, where all of the world’s top Internationally-known builders display their boats, this latest Targa model – the 65-foot GT (Gran Tourismo) designed by the acclaimed young Italian designer, Alberto Mancini, was awarded the prestigious “Design of the Year.”
To put this into better perspective, of the 600-plus yachts on display at the 40th Annual 2017 Cannes Yachting Festival, 214 were new boats and yachts presented for the first time – with 108 on view for the first time in the world (which included Fairline’s latest introduction) – and the sleek new Targa 65 GT outshone them all to win this coveted award.
A crowning achievement for a master boat maker, when weighed against the best designs of the top yacht builders in the world.
Total Marine Signature Yachts
Planning and configuring a Fairline Targa 65 GT – from ordering to delivery – is a truly unique and highly personalized process that Total Marine tailors to each and every one of its discriminating customers.
While most are experienced yachtsmen, all – even those stepping up to a sophisticated large luxury yacht for the first time – recognize the superior quality and prestige of owning a Fairline Yacht.
Total Marine serves as an experienced liaison, working closely with customers stateside to ensure every detail mirrors their wants and needs. They then meld that into the boat builder’s European design and craftsmanship, including any and all unique specifications for delivery in the United States.
Total Marine President, Tom Caruso states, “This particular Targa 65 is a GT model. There is also a GTO and the ‘O’ stands for ‘Open’… with a smaller salon and interior and more deck area.”
“We tailored this particular delivery for the American market,” he continues, “with a nice large galley in the back of the salon that opens into the cockpit. Europeans often have staff that prepare meals, so their galley is more isolated and out of sight. Americans however like to cook themselves and consider the galley as part of the entertainment experience.”
The beautiful $3.6 million Targa 65 GT just delivered to Total Marine in Fort Lauderdale took about one year from the initial order date to delivery in May of 2019, which included eight months of extremely detailed hand-built construction in England.
Welcome Aboard
Only four of these spectacular new Targa 65 models have been built to date and this one by Total Marine is only the second to be delivered in the United States.
“We differentiate ourselves from our competition by first offering superior products and then backing up the delivery with superior after-sale support and service,” notes Tom Caruso.
“We fully recognize that we provide luxury products that people want but absolutely do not need,” he adds, “so our emphasis is on the pleasure side of the sale, not the practical side. Our ‘value added’ is our superior after sale service and support, for which we are well known.”
One could consider the hand-built elegance, craftsmanship and attention to detail of the Fairline Targa 65 GT as the seagoing equivalent of the famed British automotive dynasties such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin.
Sporting a majestic profile and sculpted lines, the stunning Fairline Targa 65 GT, custom ordered by Total Marine, just arrived aboard a massive cargo ship sailing eight weeks out of Southampton, England.
It has been fully commissioned and is scheduled for its first sea trial in the shimmering waters off of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Welcome aboard.
To learn more visit www.TotalMarine.com.
