Design and Construction
The Landfall 42 is a solid-fiberglass monohull with wood trim, a rounded, raked stem, and a raised transom. Her fixed fin keel draws five feet, while a skeg-mounted rudder is controlled by wheel steering.
She displaces 21,000 pounds and carries 8,800 pounds of lead ballast, giving her a ballast-to-displacement ratio of roughly 42 percent. The displacement and ballast figures contribute to a settled, seakindly posture rather than the profile of a featherweight racer.
The design traces to George Cuthbertson and George Cassian, the founding design partnership behind the marque’s early years. Alongside the standard aft-cockpit model, C&C offered a centre-cockpit variant. On that version, a second companionway led directly into the aft cabin; the aft-cockpit model lacked this direct access.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Landfall 42 carries a cutter rig with about 658 square feet of sail, a 48-foot foretriangle, and a mainsail luff of 41 feet. The cutter arrangement suits offshore work on a boat of this size, where reduced headsail size matters.
Period assessments described her as less than ideal for coastal sailing but in her element on an offshore passage in testing conditions. That assessment of her offshore strengths is consistent with her charter-derived hull form and moderate 7.34-knot hull speed.
The skeg-hung rudder and fin keel favor predictable tracking over twitchy responsiveness. Her 12-foot-6-inch beam provides the interior volume required by her cruising brief without compromising the 30-foot waterline.
Accommodations
The Landfall 42 was arranged to cruise comfortably with up to six people. The forward cabin has a double berth. In the main salon, an L-shaped dinette converts to a double, while the opposite settee can serve as a single berth. The aft cabin provides another double.
The galley includes a stove, oven, sink, and refrigerator. The head is to starboard, opposite the galley, and the navigation station is on the same side at the foot of the companionway steps.
The centre-cockpit version rearranged the interior so that the galley and head sat more or less under the cockpit. This layout suited crews who wanted the aft cabin isolated behind a second companionway.
Machinery and Tankage
Power comes from a British Perkins 4-108 diesel rated at 50 horsepower. The boat carries 55 gallons of diesel and 200 gallons of fresh water—generous tankage for extended cruising.
Known Issues
The principal cautions for a buyer are generic to the boat’s era and construction type rather than unique to the design.
Production and Later Development
C&C built the Landfall 42 from 1976 to 1984. It was then succeeded by the Landfall 43, a modified version with a longer transom. The change added about a foot of overall length and provided more space in the aft cabin.
The Landfall 43 also had its mast stepped farther aft, along with a shorter boom, taller masthead, and a slightly larger, higher-aspect sail plan. The Landfall 42 is now out of production.
The Verdict
The Landfall 42 is a purposeful cruiser derived from the charter trade, and she rewards offshore use more than weekend coast-hopping. Her accommodations are generous for six, her tankage is substantial, and her cutter rig suits the original brief. The centre-cockpit alternative broadens her appeal for private owners who want an isolated aft stateroom.
Pros
- Purpose-built for charter and offshore cruising, with a settled ballast ratio
- Spacious six-berth interior with separate forward and aft double berths
- Large 200-gallon water capacity and 55-gallon fuel capacity
- Cutter rig suited to heavy-weather sail handling
Cons
- Period reviews found her less suited to coastal sailing
- Production ended decades ago, so only used examples remain
- The centre-cockpit version has a different, less common layout to evaluate
