Catana 42 Sailboats for Sale

The Catana 42 Carbon was conceived as what the brand itself effectively called a sports car among cruising catamarans. That means the daggerboards, the carbon laminate, the Harken electric winch pedestal, and the fractional rig with its square-top main are central to the experience — not optional extras. Buyers who plan to cruise under power between anchorages and motor down channels will find the boat capable of that, but they will be underusing what makes it distinctive. The buyers who get the most from these hulls are those who want the boat upwind and reaching, daggerboards deployed, making ground at speeds that larger, heavier cats cannot match.

Layouts on the Used Market

The Catana 42 was offered in both a three-cabin owner's layout and a four-cabin variant, and used examples of both surface on the brokerage market. The three-cabin owner's layout is the more commonly encountered configuration, with the starboard hull typically given over to two cabins — a larger aft double and a smaller forward — sharing a head, while the port hull houses the owner's stateroom with a full double and ensuite head forward. The four-cabin layout maximizes the platform's liveaboard or charter utility, and ex-charter examples are not uncommon on the brokerage market. Buyers who encounter an ex-charter boat should weigh the additional wear on soft goods, sail inventory, and mechanical systems against what is typically a well-maintained and often well-equipped vessel.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Used Catana 42s are frequently upgraded well beyond their original specification, and the fitout is often extensive. Lithium battery banks are now commonly fitted on boats that have passed through one or more owner upgrades, often paired with substantial solar arrays that keep the cats self-sufficient at anchor for extended periods. Watermakers and inverters are broadly present, as are autopilot systems, chartplotters, and electric winches — the latter either factory-installed or added by subsequent owners who wanted to manage the sail plan shorthanded. A bimini is a near-universal feature.

The sail inventory on used examples is frequently expanded well beyond the standard working canvas. Gennakers are commonly found aboard, and code zeros and asymmetric spinnakers are often carried by owners who bought these boats specifically to exploit their downwind reaching performance. Radar and AIS are widely seen across the fleet, and life rafts are a standard inclusion for bluewater examples.

Some owners have taken fitout further, adding self-tacking jibs, furling mains, hardtops, cockpit showers, dinghy davits, and washing machines. Teak decks appear on a meaningful share of boats. Freezers are an occasional upgrade, particularly on examples configured for longer offshore passages. Some of these hulls have completed circumnavigations or extensive blue-water passages, and the cruising gear on those boats often reflects that experience directly.

What to Inspect

The Catana 42 Carbon is an infused carbon and foam construction, which delivers exceptional stiffness-to-weight ratio but demands careful inspection of areas where the laminate may have been compromised. Moisture intrusion into the foam core — particularly around deck hardware, chainplates, and any penetration through the hull — is the primary structural concern. A competent surveyor should conduct a thorough moisture survey using both impedance meters and percussion testing, paying particular attention to the deck panels and the coach roof where the embedded solar panels create additional penetration points.

The daggerboard system deserves close attention. Catana's daggerboards lower to nearly nine feet when fully deployed and provide the lateral resistance that makes the boat effective upwind; any wear in the trunks, damage to the boards themselves from grounding, or play in the lifting mechanisms should be assessed carefully. These are not inexpensive components to repair or replace, and a board that has been struck hard may have concealed damage that is not visible on a casual inspection.

The rig warrants scrutiny that matches its performance ambitions. The fractional rig uses Diamond rod rigging and Kevlar cap shrouds, and Kevlar standing rigging has a finite service life that is less intuitive to assess than wire. If rigging age is uncertain, replacement should be budgeted. The electric winch pedestal and its wiring harness should be tested under load. On boats that have done ocean miles, check the sprit and its attachment point for any signs of fatigue or repair.

Engine service records are worth examining closely. The twin Volvo installations are relatively modest in power for the size of boat, and they are worked hard in maneuvers and in sloppy upwind chop where the cat's narrow hulls give a lively motion. Outdrive or saildrive seals, impellers, heat exchangers, and raw-water systems should all be inspected. On boats where the engines are original and have significant hours, a full service prior to purchase is a reasonable expectation.

Interior joinery on the Catana 42 uses the same infused foam and carbon construction as the hull and deck, which keeps weight low but means any water intrusion into the saloon or cabin spaces can cause more extensive damage than in a traditional wood-cored boat. Check bilges, sump areas, and any through-hull fittings for signs of weeping or staining.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

Used Catana 42s circulate primarily through the Mediterranean brokerage markets, with France and Spain among the most active trading grounds. Caribbean islands — particularly Guadeloupe and Martinique — are natural transit points for boats that have crossed the Atlantic or are returning from extended passages. The United States market carries examples as well, and Thailand occasionally hosts boats that have found their way east.

Because these are specialist, high-performance French cats rather than mass-market production catamarans, the global fleet is more focused than many comparable size classes. That means buyers need to be prepared to travel to view the right boat rather than waiting for one to arrive in a local market. Brokers who specialize in performance multihulls or French builders are the most useful contacts.

Before making an offer on a used Catana 42 Carbon, work through this checklist:

• Confirm daggerboard condition, trunk wear, and lifting-system function
• Have a qualified surveyor conduct a full moisture survey of deck, hulls, and coach roof
• Inspect standing rigging age and material — Kevlar cap shrouds have a service life; budget for replacement if undocumented
• Test electric winch pedestal and all deck electrical systems under working loads
• Review engine service records and inspect drives, seals, impellers, and cooling systems
• Examine all laminate penetrations — hardware through-bolts, solar panel mounts, chainplate areas
• Survey the sail inventory: note age, condition, and what is included versus what the boat was originally supplied with
• Verify battery bank type and age; assess solar output relative to the boat's electrical load
• Request any offshore passage logs or circumnavigation documentation — these boats often have histories worth knowing