Nicholson 42 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Nicholson 42 means chasing a scarce 1970s Camper & Nicholson cruiser built in tiny numbers. She is a 42-foot masthead sloop with a solid fiberglass hull and lead fin keel, and the few that change hands do so quietly rather than in volume.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Nicholson 42 is a large sailboat with a masthead rig and fin keel; no interior plan, berth count, or accommodation drawing is published. Buyers should expect a heavy-displacement cruiser footprint below — about 12 feet of beam and 22,400 pounds displacement — but treat any specific layout claim from a listing as the seller’s description, not a documented standard.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Boats of this era on the used market often carry an inverter, hot water, autopilot, and a life raft as part of their cruising fit. For a buyer, the energy cluster — inverter and autopilot — speaks to whether the hull has been wired for sustained off-grid use or is still on a barebones setup; hot water indicates a pressurized system was added, and a life raft is a safety item whose service date must be checked independently of the boat’s age.
What to Inspect
The Nicholson 42 carries no construction defects, structural failures, or systemic problems in the available material. There are no cited drainage paths, chainplate rot, or osmosis reports to chase, so the survey should follow normal practice for a 1970s solid-glass hull rather than any design-specific fault list.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Nicholson 42s typically appear in the United States, France, and Italy. Before committing:
- Confirm the lead fin keel and skeg rudder for grounding damage
- Verify autopilot and inverter wiring age
- Check life raft certification status
- Survey solid hull for osmosis
- Inspect masthead rigging for 1970s fatigue
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Nicholson 42. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 1 | $64,010 | — |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $25,000 | -60.9% |
| May 26 | 1 | $20,000 | -20.0% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $20,000 | 0.0% |
| Sep 26 | 5 | $20,000 | 0.0% |
| Oct 26 | 1 | $20,000 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Nicholson 42 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 10 (90.9%), followed by France.
Country view
11 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $20,000 | 10 | 6 | 90.9% |
| France | $64,010 | 1 | 0 | 9.1% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
9 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siltala 42 | 42.65' | $ 268,829 | 19 | 5 |
| Whitby Yachts 42 | 42' | $ 52,000 | 17 | 4 |
| Moody 42 | 41.79' | $ 64,961 | 14 | 3 |
| Camper & Nicholsons 42You are here | — | $ 20,000 | 11 | 6 |
| Rustler 42 | 42' | $ 463,341 | 11 | 4 |
| Nicholson Nicholson 35 | 35.25' | $ 38,162 | 10 | 1 |
| Swan 42 | 42' | $ 111,452 | 8 | 6 |
| Camper & Nicholsons 35-2 | 35.25' | $ 40,781 | 8 | 2 |
| Oyster Yachts 42 | 41.83' | $ 189,658 | 6 | 0 |