Design and Construction
The 42-2 is a solid-fiberglass monohull with a lead-ballasted fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder. It displaces 18,500 pounds, including 8,700 pounds of ballast, for a 47 percent ballast ratio. Heavier than the Cal 40, it uses that high ballast ratio to advantage.
A beam of 11.5 feet, a waterline length of 30.5 feet, and a draft of 6 feet give the boat a heavy, seakindly profile.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
Morgan rigged the 42-2 as a masthead sloop with 767 square feet of sail. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is about 17.5, and its calculated hull speed is 7.4 knots.
It proved a strong CCA competitor. When the breeze rises, the boat beats to weather with the rail down and plunges through the seas. Its capsize figure is reassuring, and its comfort ratio is good for a boat of this size, with motion like that of the Valiant 40 and Whitby 42. It’s no longer competitive with modern light-displacement racers, but it remains fun in club races.
Accommodations and Intended Use
The Morgan 42-2 carries 70 gallons of water and 30 gallons of gasoline. Its engine is a 30-horsepower Universal-Atomic Atomic 4. With these capacities and its engine, the boat suits coastal or bluewater voyages without disappointing on stability or comfort.
Its 1.74 capsize screen reflects its offshore capability.
History, Refits, and Ownership
Charley Morgan left Morgan Yachts in 1972. Beatrice Foods then owned the company, and Catalina acquired the brand in 1984. The 42-2 predates those changes.
The gasoline Atomic 4 is period-correct; survivors may have seen conversion consideration.
The Verdict
The Morgan 42-2 earned its stripes under the CCA rule and across oceans. It’s a heavy, high-ballast fin-keeler with a reassuring capsize screen, though modern racers will outpace it.
Pros
- High ballast ratio and heavy displacement provide weatherly performance
- Proven across oceans over decades
- Solid-fiberglass hull, lead fin keel, and skeg-hung rudder
Cons
- No longer competitive with light-displacement racers
- Gasoline Atomic 4 rather than a modern diesel
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio
