Design and Construction
The 42 CC sits on a new hull introduced when production began, and its high-volume shape gives plenty of interior and deck space without pretending to be a performance racer. Beneteau planned to build around 80 of these a year, and the boat was tested by Yachting Monthly in a July 2002 report before the production run settled in. The centre cockpit itself is of unremarkable layout but surprisingly deep, capped by a hard windscreen over the companionway, while small bulwarks make moving around the deck safer than on a low-freeboard alternative. The high counter stern is easy to mistake for retro styling, yet it earns its keep through the extra locker space it provides along with the deep side lockers on the aft deck.
Rig and Handling
She carries a twin-spreader cutter rig set well forward, which matches the forward-shifted centre cockpit and keeps her easily handled by a small crew. Under sail in a steady 10-knot breeze, test sailors found her easy to manage on all points, with her best pace — around 6.5 knots — shown on a shy reach and a shade over 5 knots to windward given her relative heaviness. The standard Volvo D2-55 (53hp) pushed 8.8 knots at 3,000 rpm and cruised quietly below decks at just over 2,000 rpm, though writing in Yachting World, testers noted lifeless and imprecise hydraulic steering at lower speeds; cable steering was not offered because routing lines to the quadrant was too complex. With the wheel mounted on the bulkhead, the steering position felt unusual to reviewers, and the helm's forward placement trades traditional sightlines for freed cockpit space.
Accommodations
Below, the boat is described by the builder as bright, functional, and luscious, and by reviewers as a small-square saloon with good headroom that serves more as a passage between cabins than a lounge. The test layout held two large cabins: an aft stateroom with a spacious berth, cupboard stowage, dressing table, and an ensuite head to starboard, and a forward cabin offset to starboard with a good-size berth if compact overall. A centreline forward head in the bows offers brace points either side, a sensible detail for use when heeled. The port side of the saloon houses a forward-facing chart table with a long hull port for light, and the cockpit moulding carries a competent longitudinal galley with family-scale stowage. Good stowage and a decent galley mark her as a practical cruiser, and the large aft deck easily hosts a couple of sunbathers.
Deck and Equipment
On deck, the central aft section slides back to reveal steps, and a remote handset linked to a hydraulic powerpack folds the transom down into a bathing platform — a fold-down boarding arrangement Yachting Monthly also noted as a deck feature. The hard windscreen, deep cockpit, and bulwarks round out a deck plan built for safe, comfortable coastal and offshore living rather than race-duty tweaking.
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. Reviewers noted space for every add-on you could think of — watermaker, generator, air-con — all fitting without trouble, which makes the 42 CC unusually friendly for owner-fit systems on a boat this size.
The Verdict
The Oceanis 42 CC is a volume-driven centre-cockpit cruiser that succeeds as a comfortable, practical home for a couple or small family, with easy handling under a small crew and a standout engine bay for upgrades. Her sailing performance is competent rather than sparkling, and the hydraulic steering's low-speed feel plus the bulkhead wheel will divide traditionalists.
Pros
- High-volume hull with deep aft-deck lockers and a large aft deck for lounging
- Spacious aft cabin with ensuite and a centreline forward head with brace points
- Exceptional engine-compartment access for a 42-footer, ready for generator or watermaker
- Easily handled cutter rig; quiet, competent powering with the standard Volvo
Cons
- Hydraulic steering felt lifeless and imprecise at low speed; no cable option
- Saloon reads as a small square rather than a true living space
- Under-sail performance not outstanding for the displacement and rig
