Cabo Rico built each 42 Pilot on a semi-custom basis in Costa Rica. Owner input shaped every boat, so no two are exactly alike.
Design and Construction
The 42 Pilot is robustly built and laid up to massive scantlings. Its hull has a layer of Core-Cell foam sandwiched between numerous layers of fiberglass, producing a strong yet moderately light shell. The composite deck uses a Baltek balsa core.
Through-deck fittings are mounted in a radius of solid laminate, so their fasteners never puncture the core, eliminating the risk of delamination. The hull and deck meet in a classic box joint with inward and outward flanges; this joint also incorporates the raised bulwark and teak toerail. It is bonded both chemically and mechanically and will not leak. The raised bulwarks also provide secure vertical mounting surfaces for the stanchion bases.
Structural bulkheads are tabbed to the hull around their full perimeter, and there are no molded liners. Beneath the cabin sole, a solid-fiberglass subfloor and stringers remove any chance of bilge rot.
Internal lead ballast is poured into the integral keel cavity and fiberglassed over. This arrangement eliminates keel bolts and allows the weight of the fuel and water to sit low in the hull. A beefy fiberglass bridge supports the keel-stepped mast and keeps the mast end clear of bilge water.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The cutter rig is a moderately proportioned, double-spreader arrangement carrying about 1,100 square feet of sail. Its sail-area/displacement ratio is 16.88, marking the boat as built for bluewater sailing.
The standard sailplan combines a high-cut, roller-furling yankee with a staysail, avoiding the need for an overlapping genoa. Heavy-duty standing rigging includes both fore and aft lowers, while mechanical terminals and a solid vang are standard. All sail controls lead aft, and the mainsheet traveler sits forward of the companionway, leaving the cockpit clear.
An optional self-tacking staysail boom simplifies work on the foredeck. Hull No. 2 carried a Schaeffer roller boom with an articulating luff track for off-wind reefing.
Test sailors found the helm light on a gentle reach, and the boat came through the wind efficiently for a long-keeled cutter. In about 12 knots of true wind, she sailed at 7-plus knots while close-reaching and capably sailed to 35 degrees apparent with very little helm. On a broad reach, she maintained speed and control as the apparent wind dropped into single digits. In a confused swell that would have bounced a lighter, flatter-bottomed boat, the 42 Pilot barely noticed the chop, delivering a seakindly, soft ride.
Accommodations
Natural light from the pilothouse brightens an interior finished in almost honey-colored Costa Rican teak, with striking joinerwork throughout. Given the modest beam and real turn to the bilge, the layout makes innovative use of the available space.
The inside steering station is to starboard and offers surprisingly good visibility. Its comfortable helm chair allows the crew to sail the boat from below—something not every pilothouse design manages. Opposite the helm, a table and shallow C-shaped settee lift to reveal a workshop. A surprisingly large double aft cabin is tucked to starboard.
The galley is down and to starboard, with Corian counters and ample locker space. A separate pantry sits opposite. Depending on the owner's specifications, this space can serve as a third cabin, an office, or something else. On the test boat, it held a washer-dryer behind teak cabinetry and a small, easily accessed freezer.
Forward, the owner's stateroom has an island queen berth, dressing seats, and storage below. A large overhead hatch and opening ports provide ventilation. The en suite head includes a separate shower stall and a tile floor.
Deck, Machinery, and Equipment
Stainless-steel handrails on the pilothouse, tall and well-supported lifelines, and the raised bulwark provide real security when going forward in heavy weather. The deck hardware is oversized. Double stainless-steel anchor rollers and a well-designed stemhead fitting are paired with a standard electric windlass.
Two aft lazarettes and a port cockpit locker provide more than adequate deck storage. The cockpit seats are nicely sculpted and offer excellent lower-back support.
Systems and fittings throughout—from lights to latches—are top quality. The comprehensive standard-equipment list ranges from a large inverter to an SSB counterpoise laid into the hull.
A 56-horsepower, naturally aspirated Yanmar diesel is standard and provides plenty of push for the roughly 27,000-pound hull. Primary engine access is through the pilothouse sole, with most routine maintenance items readily at hand. The sound insulation is so effective that, from the cockpit, it was difficult to tell whether the engine was running.
Known Issue
Every pilothouse brings some loss of visibility from the outside helm, and the 42 Pilot is no exception. Paine's low-profile house limits that compromise.
The Verdict
The Cabo Rico 42 Pilot is a proven bluewater passagemaker, capable of contending with notorious headlands in comfort and style. Its disciplined construction—including internal lead ballast without keel bolts, deck fittings isolated from the core, and a chemically and mechanically bonded hull-to-deck joint—shows a boat intended for long-distance sailing.
The semi-custom approach lets a buyer choose layout details, while the underlying structure remains consistent.
Pros
- Internal lead ballast in an integral cavity removes keel-bolt failure points
- Core-protected through-deck fittings and a bonded box joint eliminate common paths for leaks and delamination
- Standard cutter rig, fore-and-aft lowers, and controls led aft suit short-handed bluewater sailing
- Comfortable inside helm provides good visibility and allows the boat to be sailed from below
- Seakindly motion and a soft ride in confused swell
Cons
- Outside helm has less visibility than those of the open-deck sisterships
- Modest beam and pronounced turn to the bilge limit interior volume despite the clever layout
