Design and Construction
Frers' hull is a solid fiberglass monohull with an iron fin keel and spade rudder, the sort of straightforward structure that defined the early-1980s Beneteau performance line. At 18,600 pounds displacement with 8,700 pounds of ballast, her 47% ballast ratio and 174 displacement-length ratio mark her as a light racer by the standard classification anchor. The beam of 13 feet 2 inches against a 36-foot 3-inch waterline gives a length-to-beam ratio of 3.32, a proportion that favors interior volume and downwind stability over narrow-helmed reserve. A capsize screening value of 1.99 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 24.0 round out a performance profile that is quick in form but not extreme.
Rig and Handling
The R/C 42 is built with a masthead rig carrying 735 square feet of sail area, returning a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.75 — enough canvas to keep her lively in modest breeze without demanding a full race crew. Her theoretical hull speed is 8.1 knots, the figure expected of a displacement hull at this length. The standing and running control dimensions are generous: jib and genoa sheets run 43.7 feet at 5/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet is 109.2 feet of the same diameter, and the spinnaker sheet is 96.1 feet, all sized for the long leads a masthead rig requires anchor. She draws between 7.25 and 7.55 feet depending on load, which restricts her to deeper major marinas, and her immersion rate of 1,662 pounds per inch means she sits heavily once provisioned.
Accommodations
Headroom aboard is above average for a yacht of this length and era, a point yachtdatabase.com singles out anchor. The 105.7-gallon water capacity and 39.6-gallon diesel tank give reasonable cruising range for a boat of her displacement, paired with a Perkins 4108 diesel of 50 horsepower as the sole propulsion. The 57-foot 3-inch mast height from the waterline sets the vertical envelope a buyer must clear at fixed bridges.
The Verdict
The R/C 42 is a Frers-designed light racer with the volume and rig scale of a serious cruiser. She rewards an owner who wants performance without a custom deck, but her draft and immersion demand careful marina planning.
Pros
- Light-racer displacement profile with a 16.75 SA/D ratio for lively performance
- Above-average headroom for the length
- Solid fiberglass hull with fin keel and spade rudder
Cons
- 7.25–7.55 ft draft limits her to major marinas
- 1,662 lb/in immersion rate means she loads deeply when provisioned
- 39.6-gallon fuel capacity is modest for extended cruising
