Design and Construction
The hull is fiberglass, with a solid laminate, and the keel is lead on a fin configuration. At 22,400 pounds displacement with 8,818 pounds of lead ballast, the boat sits at a 39 percent ballast ratio and a displacement-to-length ratio of about 403, which classifies her among ultra heavy cruisers. The beam of 12.17 feet gives a length-to-beam ratio of 3.44. The wetted surface runs about 387 square feet, and the immersion rate is roughly 1,237 pounds per inch. A skeg-hung rudder and fin keel with 5.5 feet draft keep her able to use most marinas.
Rig and Handling
The Nicholson 42 is built with a masthead sloop rig carrying 897 square feet of sail area, returning a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 18.06. Period specification of sheet gear shows the mainsheet at about 105 feet with 14 mm diameter, while jib and genoa sheets run about 42 feet at the same diameter, and spinnaker sheets about 92 feet. The capsize screening value of 1.73 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 37.4 place her in the reassuring band for bluewater passage-making, and the theoretical hull speed of 7.2 knots matches the figure for a displacement hull of her length.
Accommodations
The heavy displacement and generous beam suggest volume below, but no berth count, galley plan, or head layout is published for the design, and nothing about materials or finish survives in available material.
Known Issues
The Nicholson 42 shows no construction defects, structural weaknesses, or systemic failures. The only cautions a buyer inherits are those generic to a 1970s solid-fiberglass hull of low production count.
Refits and Ownership
With only a few boats built and no stated end to production, the Nicholson 42 remains a low-volume design whose owners are a small circle. The simplicity of the masthead rig and the robust lead-fin underwater profile mean that systems rather than structure are the usual refit focus.
The Verdict
The Nicholson 42 is a quietly serious offshore cruiser from the mid-1970s Camper & Nicholson drawing board, built in tiny numbers with a solid glass hull and lead fin. Her numbers describe a stiff, comfortable, heavy-displacement passage-maker rather than a light-air performer. She is a collector’s rarity more than a fleet boat.
Pros
- Ultra-heavy-cruiser displacement and 39 percent ballast ratio for offshore stability
- Solid fiberglass hull and lead fin keel, skeg-hung rudder
- Comfort and capsize ratios in the bluewater-suitable range
- Marinas accessible at 5.5 foot draft
Cons
- Low sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air pace
- Only a few built, so spares and comparative survey data are scarce
- No published interior or systems detail
