Design and Construction
Le Quément and VPLP traded hard angles for soft curves, giving the 42-2 a gullwing bridgedeck whose underside is shaped to minimize pounding in rough seas anchor, an expansive coachroof that forms a compound curve all around the cabinhouse, and glazed vertical windows that bend around the corners to cut heat inside the hulls. The composite bimini angles upward to suggest suspension, while infused injection-molded construction keeps weight down without sacrificing the structural center beam that secures the forestay fitting, Code 0 sprit, anchor roller, and anchor chain well. Nauta's interior work lends an elegant touch to a layout built around a same-level flow from cockpit to saloon.
Rig and Handling
The VMG Soromap mast sits well aft, opening the foretriangle for more downwind options while centering weight to reduce pitching, and the shorter boom with taller mast yields an efficient high-aspect sailplan. A self-tacking jib on a track forward of the mast makes shorthanded work straightforward, and the optional square-top mainsail by Incidence Sails adds 40 square feet over the standard main. Testers found the boat tacked smoothly without hesitation in light air, reaching 6.1 knots in 11.6 knots of true breeze at 50 degrees; under a 732-square-foot Code 0 she made nearly 7 knots at 75 degrees apparent in 10 knots, dropping to 5.3 when borne away to 110 degrees. Under the optional twin 57 hp Yanmars with saildrives and Flexofold props, she cruised at 7.8 knots at 2,000 rpm and 8.7 wide open, while standard power is twin 45 hp Yanmars. Owners have reported a later 15-knot dash in 22 knots of true wind off Bimini.
Accommodations
Wide transoms and just two low steps up to the single-level cockpit remove any awkwardness boarding from dock or dinghy, and the cockpit itself carries a starboard dinette for eight, a port lounge for two, and a small seat ahead of the davits. The raised helm to port leaves room for two to work the pair of Harken winches with a third able to stand or pass behind the seat, and a window cut into the hardtop keeps the mainsail in view. All controls sit within reach of the wheel, so the boat can be single-handed. Inside, a three-panel glass door opens to the saloon where the center compression post doubles as a handhold and the athwartships settee backs the outboard nav station with its own B&G instruments. The split U-galley places a three-burner Eno stove and single sink to starboard, refrigeration to port. The owner's layout gives the whole starboard hull over to a private master suite with a low island bed, desk, large hull windows, and a forward head occupying a third of the hull with a huge shower; the port hull holds an aft cabin with private head and a forward cabin with combined head and bow storage. A charter version offers two cabins and two heads per hull.
Known Issues
The Goiot 49.42 escape hatch fitted to some 42-2s carries a defect where the acrylic lens can pop out near the waterline, traced to silicone that fails to adhere to the lens anchor. On deck, the coachroof's smoothly finished fiberglass edge lacks antiskid and is slippery when wet, with no handholds mounted on the coachroof itself; access to the mainsail bag for less agile crew is only via the helm steps. Testers noted the top-loading fridge at the port stair edge is awkward to reach into while balancing, and the saloon has no overhead hatch, relying on two forward windows and the glass door for ventilation.
The Verdict
The 42-2 is a thoughtfully engineered mid-size cruiser whose aft-mast rig, soft-curve structure, and same-level social spaces make it an easy boat to live with and sail short-handed, though a few detailing gaps in ventilation and topside grip deserve a buyer's attention.
Pros
- Aft-mast high-aspect rig centers weight and simplifies shorthanded sailing
- Infused construction and structural beam keep displacement low without sacrificing stiffness
- Wide transoms and level cockpit-to-saloon flow ease movement aboard
- Owner's hull delivers a genuinely private master suite with large hull windows
Cons
- Coachroof edge is slick fiberglass with no antiskid or mounted handholds
- Saloon lacks an overhead hatch for ventilation
- Some units carry a Goiot escape hatch with a lens-pop-out defect
- Top-loading fridge is awkward from the stair edge
