Design and Construction
Gustafsson’s mid-1990s design came from a Finnish yard with a history of hand-building solid hulls, and the 42 reflects that lineage below the sheerline. The hull is solid fiberglass, with no coring in the laminate below the deck joint. Siltala built the boat in Finland, although the record also notes that the design was produced at other yards.
Displacement is near 35,000 pounds, with just over 10,000 pounds of lead ballast. Her displacement-length ratio is 331, which Yachtdatabase’s review used to place her in the “heavy cruisers” category. A length-to-beam ratio of 3.21 and a capsize screening value of 1.68 indicate a stable, weighty hull rather than a lithe racer. The manufacturer described the boat as strong and safe.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Nauticat 42 carries a masthead-sloop rig and has a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 14.29, a moderate figure cited by Yachtdatabase in its survey of the boat. Her theoretical hull speed is 7.8 knots, while the wetted surface of about 516 square feet sets the hydrodynamic footprint for that pace.
The builder noted that she can easily be sailed by two persons. Her rig dimensions suggest a workable control scheme: the jib and genoa sheets are 41.9 feet long and 14 mm in diameter; the mainsheet is 104.7 feet; and the spinnaker sheets are 92.1 feet. All are 14 mm in diameter.
Draft varies from about 6.9 to 7.2 feet depending on load, limiting her to major marinas and restricting anchorage choices. An immersion rate of roughly 1,555 pounds per inch speaks to the weight carried low in the hull. The review recorded a motion comfort ratio of 41.0, placing her squarely at the seakindly end of the cruising spectrum.
Accommodations and Options
The 42 is a two-cabin deck-saloon yacht that the manufacturer called spacious. The deck saloon gives the boat her distinctive profile and living volume. As a cruising sailboat conceived for distance, the saloon and cabin arrangement formed part of what made her an immediate success after introduction.
Original buyers could choose from a wide range of options covering the interior type, sails, rig, navigation equipment and hull colour. Those layout and equipment choices mean that no two fit-outs are necessarily alike.
Production, Refits, and Ownership
The boat’s long production run extended from the mid-1990s onward under Gustafsson’s design stewardship, with options proliferating throughout the build period. Because the builder offered so many choices, anyone shopping for a Nauticat 42 must treat each hull as individually specified rather than assume it follows a single standard plan.
The Verdict
The Nauticat 42 is a heavy-displacement blue-water cruiser with a solid fiberglass hull and a deck saloon. She earned early market success, while her builder promoted her strength, safety, and spacious accommodations.
She’s manageable by two and carries a moderate rig better suited to comfortable passages than speed records. Her heavy displacement and comfort ratio favor offshore steadiness, although her deep draft narrows the choice of marinas and anchorages.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull, lead ballast, and a heavy-cruiser displacement profile
- Described by the builder as strong, safe, and spacious, with blue-water intent
- Easily handled by two persons under a masthead-sloop rig
- Extensive original options list allowed tailored fit-outs
Cons
- Draft of 6.9–7.2 feet restricts anchorage and marina choice
- Moderate sail-area ratio and heavy displacement favor passage comfort over light-air pace
