Cascade 42 HS Buyer's Guide
The Cascade 42 HS is the high-side variant of Robert A. Smith’s Cascade 42, introduced in 1987 with a wider 12-foot beam and 12 to 14 inches more freeboard than the original 1964 design. Built by Yacht Constructors, Inc. as solid-fiberglass hulls, these late-eighties cruisers now surface on the used market as straightforward coastal and offshore candidates.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 42 HS boats trace to the late-eighties production at Yacht Constructors, with the high-side variant defined by raised freeboard and beam that yield a roomier salon and berths than the earlier 42, within the same 42.5-foot length and 6-foot-plus fin-keel footprint.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the brokerage market, the 42 HS commonly carries a practical cruising suite: heating, inverter, hot water, cockpit shower, radar, autopilot, AIS, and chartplotter are typically fitted, with solar often seen as a later addition. For a buyer, that means a boat already wired for extended anchoring and navigation, but verify the autopilot and radar drives against the skeg-hung rudder to confirm matching capacity. Less commonly, owners add items beyond this core set, so treat any extra as a bonus rather than a baseline.
What to Inspect
The solid fiberglass hull and deck avoid cored-panel rot, yet the 462-square-foot wetted surface demands close antifouling and osmotic-blister review anchor. Draft of 6 to 6.3 feet dependent on load should be confirmed against the stated 1,422 pounds-per-inch immersion rate so you know how trim affects marina access anchor. Check the cutter rig’s 14 mm sheets — jib, genoa, mainsheet, and spinnaker — for age, since the listed lengths (up to 106 feet for the mainsheet) are exact replacements the rig needs anchor.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Cascade 42 HS appears in the United States market. For a shopper, the short checklist is: confirm the hull completion standard; test the commonly fitted heating, inverter, and navigation electronics; inspect the solid hull for blistering across the full wetted area; and verify rigging dimensions before re-spars or re-rigging. A 42-foot Smith-designed cruiser with lead ballast and a high-volume interior, the 42 HS rewards the buyer who checks completion quality and rig wear over showroom polish.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Cascade 42 HS. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 2 | $98,800 | — |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $98,800 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $98,800 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Cascade 42 HS listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $98,800 | 2 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tayana Vancouver 42 | 41.75' | $ 119,948 | 50 | 12 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 42 | 42.62' | $ 115,390 | 37 | 10 |
| Moody 42 | 41.79' | $ 62,053 | 12 | 1 |
| Rustler 42 | 42' | $ 475,215 | 9 | 3 |
| Cascade 42 HSYou are here | — | $ 98,800 | 2 | 1 |