Carter 42 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Carter 42 means looking at a 1977-launched Dick Carter design built by Maryola Shipyards — a 42-foot masthead sloop of solid fiberglass construction with lead ballast and a fin keel. These boats turn up in the Netherlands and France, and the typical buyer is someone who values a traditionally built, moderately rigged offshore cruiser over a modern light-displacement performer.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Carter 42 is a monohull with a skeg-hung rudder and a 31.5-foot waterline inside a 42-foot overall length. Her solid fiberglass deck and hull, lead ballast of roughly 9,000 pounds, and 53-gallon water and 45-gallon diesel capacity describe a boat laid out for coastal and offshore cruising rather than minimalist racing. The 12.76-foot beam gives a period-appropriate interior width, and the deep 7.2–7.5-foot draft should be weighed against the moorings and marinas available in your cruising grounds.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, Carter 42s commonly carry a watermaker, which extends independent cruising range beyond the modest factory tankage. Sail-handling gear frequently includes a spinnaker and asymmetric spinnaker plus electric winches, reducing crew workload on the slightly underrigged masthead rig. Navigation and safety equipment commonly fitted includes AIS, autopilot, chartplotter, and a life raft, while teak decks and dinghy davits appear as comfort and utility additions. A buyer should verify that any teak deck is sound, as it adds maintenance overhead absent from the original fiberglass structure.
What to Inspect
Yachtdatabase's review describes her as a large sailboat built by Maryola with a fibreglass hull and fin keel anchor, and notes an immersion rate of about 1,909 pounds per inch — a figure that tells a surveyor how heavily she will sit with added gear. A standard hull, rig, and systems survey is appropriate for this design.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Carter 42s are found in the Netherlands and France. For a shopper, the checklist is straightforward: confirm the solid fiberglass hull and deck are free of osmotic or impact damage; check the lead ballast keel joint and skeg rudder bearing; verify the masthead rig and 861 sq ft sail plan are complete; test the commonly fitted watermaker, autopilot, and electric winches; and budget for teak deck upkeep if fitted. She is a heavy, stable cruiser best suited to deepwater use rather than shallow drafting.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Carter 42. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $28,650 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $247,181 | +762.8% |
Where they're listed
Carter 42 listings appear across 1 country. France has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | $247,181 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
9 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First First 42 | 42.92' | $ 49,500 | 27 | 9 |
| Palmer Johnson J/42 | 42' | $ 144,900 | 19 | 4 |
| Tartan 42 | 42' | $ 89,000 | 14 | 3 |
| Camper & Nicholsons 42 | 41.83' | $ 20,000 | 11 | 6 |
| Morgan 42-2 | 42' | $ 23,000 | 8 | 3 |
| Swan 42 | 42' | $ 111,793 | 8 | 6 |
| Oyster Yachts 42 | 41.83' | $ 189,938 | 6 | 0 |
| Baltic 42 | 42.43' | $ 72,895 | 4 | 1 |
| Carter 42You are here | — | $ 247,181 | 1 | 0 |