Beneteau 42 CC Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 42 CC was originally intended as a replacement for the more conventional 40CC and entered production with a new hull and some innovative deck features that set her apart from her predecessor. Beneteau planned a build rate of 80 boats a year. The hull carries a high counter stern, a detail that Yachting World noted makes her look retro but which delivers practical dividend in the form of extra locker space aft. Safety is built into the deck plan through the centre-cockpit layout and small bulwarks that make moving forward safer underfoot. Below, the high-volume hull gives plenty of space, and iron ballast of 5,556 pounds puts her displacement around 19,621 pounds lightship — a ballast-to-displacement ratio near 28 percent that anchors her steadiness without making her taut.

Rig and Handling

Her twin-spreader rig sits noticeably far forward, as does the centre cockpit itself, and the standard sail plan carries roughly 793 square feet on the 100 percent foretriangle for a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of about 17.4. Under sail in a steady 10-knot breeze, test sailors found her easy to handle on all points, with her best speed — around 6.5 knots — shown on a shy reach and a shade over 5 knots punched to windward given the hull's size and relative heaviness. Writing in Yachting World, the tester flagged some concerns about manoeuvrability at lower speeds with lifeless and imprecise hydraulic steering, and noted there is no option for cable steering because of the complexity of running lines through to the quadrant. Under power, the standard 55hp Volvo pushed 8.8 knots at 3,000 rpm and cruised happily just under 8 knots above 2,000 rpm, pleasantly quiet below even at speed; a 75hp Yanmar was offered but judged unnecessary.

Accommodations

The saloon reads as a small square with plenty of headroom, more a passage between cabins than a grand living space, but the truncated central area is compensated by two large cabins in the tested layout. The aft cabin holds a spacious berth, good cupboard stowage, a dressing table and an ensuite head along the starboard side, while the forward cabin is offset to starboard with a good-size berth and a centreline head in the bows offering brace points either side. The port side of the cockpit moulding carries a competent longitudinal galley with family-scale stowage, and the chart table forward of the settee on the port side is lit by a long hull port. Stowage throughout is good, the galley decent, and the aftercabin spacious — a layout clearly aimed at couples or small families spending extended time aboard.

Deck and Equipment

On deck she boasts a fold-down boarding platform and steps, and the central part of the aft deck slides back to reveal steps while a remote handset linked to a hydraulic powerpack folds the transom down to form a bathing platform. A hard windscreen sits over the companionway, and the steering wheel is mounted on the bulkhead — a placement the tester found strange. The large aft deck itself would accommodate a couple of sunworshippers and provides deep locker space either side, reinforcing the boat's practical cruising brief.

Engine Access and Ownership

A large access panel at the back of the engine compartment opens from the aft cabin, and crawling in on all fours reveals crouching headroom with nearly enough room to swing a cat. That compartment has space for every add-on you could think of — watermaker, generator, air-con would all fit without a problem — which makes the 42 CC a forgiving platform for refits that add off-grid capability. The 53hp Volvo D2-55 is the standard installation, with a documented 128-gallon water and 53-gallon fuel capacity supporting long stretches away from the dock.

The Verdict

The Beneteau 42 CC is a considered answer to the centre-cockpit cruising brief: she gives up sparkling performance for volume, quiet motoring, and a layout that shelters a small crew in comfort. Her handling under sail is undemanding, her engine access exceptional for the class, and her deck gear — particularly the hydraulic transom — blurs the line between cruiser and private float. The compromises are real but predictable, centred on steering feel and a saloon that serves circulation more than lounging.

Pros