Design and Construction
The 42 LC is built from GRP sandwich using hand lay-up and vinyl ester resin, with an L-keel fin carrying a lead bulb that keeps the centre of gravity low. That keel is available in two draught options — a 2.25-metre standard and a 1.80-metre shoal — the latter adding a touch of payload as compensation for reduced righting moment. Topsides flare generously aft in the Grand Soleil manner, but here the soft chines come down much closer to the water, converting what would be a rakish racing form into something that delivers real volume. The bow retains the knuckle just above the waterline that gives the family its sportive identity, but the forefoot is deeper and there is more hull rocker, hinting at a forgiving motion offshore. Lostuzzi pushed the mast slightly further aft than on the larger LC models, lengthening the J dimension and giving the headsail disproportionate area for the boat's waterline. Structurally, the split chainplate arrangement sends cap shrouds to the outer hull and lowers to the coachroof, a configuration that keeps side decks unusually clear.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The versatility of the spec options carries directly into how the 42 LC moves through the water. In its most approachable guise it wears a self-tacking jib of 43.5 square metres and an in-mast furling main; the Sport version lifts that to a taller aluminium mast and rod rig carrying almost fifteen per cent more sail area upwind. In the standard configuration, YACHT magazine measured around 5.5 knots in moderate air, rising to roughly 8 knots downwind under Code Zero. Yachting Monthly found the boat making 4.6 knots in barely 7–8 knots of true wind, which is a useful marker of how easily she fills her sails before a breeze has properly developed. With 5 Beaufort pressed on, test speeds reached 7.5 knots on a reach with brief surfs between 9 and 11 knots. The polars suggest that 9 to 10 knots should be achievable off the breeze for anyone willing to fly an asymmetric. Reviewers consistently noted a light, taut helm that responds quickly even at low speeds, and a steering geometry that lets the helmsman brace comfortably at either outboard wheel position with a foot against the coaming pillar.
Deck Layout and Handling
All control lines travel aft below the coaming to clutches, served by a pair of winches on each side, with the outboard winch powered as standard — an arrangement that makes singlehanding genuinely practical. The optional cockpit arch, which also acts as the mainsheet attachment point, keeps the sheet entirely clear of the cockpit sole, a detail that reviewers considered a significant safety improvement. The bimini and sprayhood can be attached to keder rails on the same carbon structure, giving crew excellent protection on passage. Side decks are wide and unobstructed thanks to the split chainplate arrangement, and the bow locker is divided into a watertight aft section for fenders plus a forward chain-drop compartment, saving repeated foredeck runs. The YACHT tester did flag that the run from the rope clutches to the aft winch drums is slightly long, requiring a stretch that becomes noticeable when reefing or changing headsails; electric winches are recommended as an upgrade for those who sail short-handed frequently. Cockpit coamings slope slightly toward the winches and do not lend themselves to comfortable leaning underway unless you sit facing aft against the cabin wall — a minor but genuine ergonomic compromise.
Accommodations and Interior Quality
The two-cabin layout is the 42 LC's standout configuration. By pressing a section of what would have been a port aft cabin into a full-height galley bulkhead, the boat gains a galley stowage capacity that Yachting Monthly rated as unlike anything they had seen on a boat this size. Ample lockers, drawers against the hull, worktop extensions for appliances, and a split-top fridge give the cook a proper working environment rather than the usual compromise. Headroom runs from 1.87 to 1.93 metres, and aft cabin stowage hits around 400 litres per compartment with over 800 litres in the forward owner's cabin. The island forward cabin places the double berth on centreline with steps either side and generous wardrobe space below; there is room to walk around the bed rather than clamber over it. The Whisper decorative textile ceiling panels — fabric stretched taut over frames — set the interior tone apart from budget competitors; combined with solid wood edges, rounded joinery corners, and fine lacquer work, the finish standard reads appreciably warmer than the geometric interiors of most volume-production rivals. Tank capacity comes in at 300 litres of water and 200 litres of diesel, adequate for moderate offshore passages. The Volvo D2-50 is easily accessed, well lit, and force-ventilated to keep odours out of the saloon.
Known Irritations
Neither test was without complaint. YACHT noted that a Corian cooker cover rattled audibly in rough water, and that engine noise under motor was harsher than the otherwise refined comfort level would suggest acceptable. The bathing platform was judged too low for its purpose, particularly when returning from a dinghy. Yachting Monthly pointed out that in the two-cabin layout the large port aft locker is only accessible through the starboard aft cabin, which reduces its day-to-day usefulness. The liferaft stows in a dedicated bin accessed via the hydraulic bathing platform, which means a power failure would require a manual override before the raft can be deployed — a detail worth noting for offshore passages. The furling headsail system on the standard mast was described as requiring a hearty tug when cranking the sail home, particularly pronounced with a genoa, gennaker, or Code Zero.
The Verdict
The Grand Soleil 42 LC does something genuinely difficult: it delivers a recognisably Italian performance profile — pointed upwind, willing off the breeze, with a helm that communicates rather than filters — while packaging enough volume, stowage, and layout flexibility to support serious cruising. The configurability that Cantiere del Pardo built into the model from the outset means that a buyer can dial the boat toward comfort or toward performance without accepting a factory compromise. The Yachting Monthly boat showed virtually no signs of wear after three years of use, suggesting that the build quality holds in service. It is not cheap at any specification level, and the option list climbs quickly, but both independent test programmes concluded that the boat justifies its position in the premium tier.
Pros
- Broad factory option range from self-tacking furling cruiser to Sport rig with near-racing sail area
- Genuinely impressive light-air performance for a displacement cruiser of this size
- Two-cabin galley stowage rivals boats many feet longer
- Clean, uncluttered deck with all lines led aft and powered winches as standard
- Interior finish and joinery quality noticeably above segment norms
- Split chainplates keep side decks fully clear
Cons
- Cockpit coaming geometry makes comfortable side-leaning underway difficult
- Distance from clutches to aft winch drums is slightly long for comfortable short-handed reefing
- Liferaft access requires hydraulic platform override in a power-failure scenario
- Engine noise under motor is inconsistent with the otherwise high comfort rating
- Bathing platform sits too low for easy boarding from the water
- Option list accumulates cost quickly; well-equipped examples sit firmly in the premium bracket
