A clean flush deck and high freeboards give the 42E its distinctive profile. The teak-topped bulwark adds considerably to safety on deck. Numerous examples have sailed around the globe, including Mahina Tiare II, Solveig IV, and Albatross.
Design and Construction
The 42E has a very strong, single-skin hull laminate stiffened by powerful fiberglass stringers running from bow to aft. Its deck is cored with 25 mm PVC foam, and the hull-deck joint is glassed over rather than relying on fasteners.
Practical Sailor notes that an old brochure claimed the hull was built according to Lloyd’s specifications for a Certificate of Hull Construction. The iron keel was widened to match the tank volume and encapsulated in the hull laminate to protect it against corrosion.
Below, the yard’s hallmark khaya mahogany interior was built entirely without GRP inner modules. Solid wood berth fronts and cabinets, along with grain-filled varnish, contribute to comfort aboard.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
Initially, the 42E was offered only with a fairly low-aspect ketch rig. It used a masthead rig with straight spreaders and forward and aft lowers for stability at sea. A sloop option appeared later, and by the end of production almost all boats were sloops. The sloop had a taller mast and larger genoa sheet winches than the ketch.
The mast is deck-stepped to avoid leakage and supported by the main structural bulkhead. Jiffy mainsail reefing was standard. The ketch also allows the boat to proceed under jib and jigger with the mainsail struck.
Sailing characteristics were adapted for long-distance voyages and vary with the choice of keel and rig. The most common deep keel provides fully satisfactory speed and pointing, with a good turn of reach. Owners rate upwind and downwind speed as merely average, however, while judging seaworthiness and stability above average. Under power, the yacht makes about 8 knots.
Accommodation
The center-cockpit arrangement divides the boat into three separate sections: saloon, forepeak, and aft cabin. There’s considerably more elbow room than in the smaller Hallberg-Rassy models, and the saloon has 6 foot 1 inch of headroom.
In the aft cabin, a narrower berth lies to port and a double to starboard. Its head is entered through an outward-opening longitudinal door, while a second toilet is positioned just forward of the mast. Off-watch crew can rest in a sea berth fitted with leecloths.
The galley is set at an angle to starboard. Its sink faces aft, the oven has a longitudinal bar, and an opening hull portlight gives the cook light and air. By the chart table and galley, curved laminated edge mouldings incorporate built-in handles.
Machinery and Equipment
The center cockpit leaves room for a soundproofed engine room large enough to enter. It houses the generator, heaters, and pumps and provides easy access for servicing aboard. Fitted engine options included the 62 hp Volvo Penta MD 31A.
Freshwater is carried beneath the motor, while diesel is stored beneath the saloon sole. A fuel-sludge pump was also provided—a feature Practical Sailor praises as one often neglected by lesser builders.
Early boats had Lewmar 48 three-speed sheet winches and genoa cars. Some were also equipped with reel winches for wire halyards. The yacht was sold well fitted, with equipment including an electric windlass, a 45-lb CQR, and a Baby Blake toilet.
Verdict
The Hallberg-Rassy 42E is a well-built ocean cruiser. Enderlein’s design scaled up the yard’s proven formula to create a roomy, three-zone passage-maker with a rugged encapsulated keel and a mahogany interior that has become a hallmark of the marque.
Traditionalists have criticized both the flush deck and the deck-stepped mast, and owners report limited light below. Even so, the model’s global circumnavigations and above-average owner ratings for stability support its long-distance cruising brief.
Pros
- Large, strong single-skin hull with an encapsulated, corrosion-protected keel
- Three-section center-cockpit layout with generous headroom and elbow room
- Enterable, soundproofed engine room with easy servicing access and a sludge pump
- Above-average owner ratings for seaworthiness and stability offshore
Cons
- Some criticize the deck-stepped mast for offshore use
- Owners report merely average speed and too little light below
- According to one owner, the teak decks require a sun awning in the tropics
