Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the keel is lead — a straightforward, repairable construction path with no core to waterlog. The 6.42-foot maximum draft (about 1.96 to 2.06 meters depending on load) keeps her out of all but major marinas, a real constraint for the gunkholer but a fair trade for the hydrodynamic profile of a fin keel under a 12.92-foot beam. The length-to-beam ratio of 3.25 and a displacement-length ratio of 219 place her among "moderate racers" in the standard classification, while a wetted surface of roughly 473 square feet and an immersion rate of 1,475 pounds per inch describe a hull that settles predictably under stores and crew.
Rig and Handling
The masthead rig carries a 720-square-foot sail plan, and the running rigging follows a consistent 14 mm diameter across jib, genoa, mainsheet, and spinnaker sheets — the mainsheet alone runs 105 feet, the genoa and jib sheets 42 feet, and the spinnaker sheet just over 92 feet. Those dimensions are useful for a buyer re-cutting or replacing worn lines to original spec. The theoretical displacement-boat maximum is 7.7 knots, with a calculated top speed around 7.3; the Motion Comfort Ratio of 24.6 is higher than only 21 percent of comparable designs, so she is no sofa afloat, but the 1.99 capsize screening value from the database record frames a boat built for lively coastal work rather than offshore passage-making.
Performance Envelope
The capsize screening value of 2.00 is the line that matters most for offshore ambition: that figure excludes her from ocean-race acceptance under the usual rule of thumb, and it is worth stating plainly to any reader dreaming of a bluewater crossing. Within her intended range, the DL-ratio of 219 describes a vessel that accelerates readily in a breeze yet asks for attentive helm work when the gusts build. She is a Peterson late-eighties shape — quick, lean, and unsentimental.
The Verdict
The Olympic Sea 42 is a late-eighties Peterson performance cruiser with an honest solid-fiberglass shell and a lead fin keel, built by Olympic Greece from 1989 onward. Her numbers describe a moderate-racer that is handy and quick but screened out of ocean racing by her capsize value, and her draft limits her to major marinas.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with lead fin keel — simple, repairable construction.
- Masthead rig with full published running-rig dimensions for easy replacement.
- Moderate-racer DL-ratio and 7.3-knot calculated speed indicate lively coastal performance.
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.00 excludes her from ocean-race acceptance.
- 6.4-foot draft restricts her to major-marina access.
- Motion Comfort Ratio betters only 21% of similar designs — firm underfoot.
