Design and Construction
The Salona 42 is a performance cruiser by intent, not by afterthought, with proportions that favor both passage speed and composure. Her 37-foot-7-inch waterline gives her the theoretical reach of a larger boat, while the 12-foot-6-inch beam supports volume without sacrificing the hull's reasoned handling. Salona Yachts builds its hulls and decks using vacuum resin infusion with vinyl ester resin, tri-axial laminates, and closed-cell PVC foam cores, and bonds a structural stainless steel internal frame inside the hull to distribute loads from the keel, mast, and shrouds. Below the waterline the yard applies a transparent gel coat so the underlying laminate can be visually inspected for quality. These are background facts of the builder's method rather than claims about this specific hull, but they frame how the 42 was produced in its era.
Rig and Handling
The J&J-designed envelope is explicitly calculated for handling and speed, and the 838-square-foot sail plan on a 15,870-pound hull places her in performance-cruiser territory rather than lazy coastal motoring. Cruising World's testers judged her capable of holding her own in regattas while still filling cruising needs on the continent. In her home Adriatic waters, period reviewers described her as an ideal vehicle for exploring the many ports within a quick day's sail of each other. Draft options of 6 feet 6 inches, 7 feet 5 inches, or 5 feet 9 inches let an owner tune the trade between ultimate stability and shoal-water access without changing the fundamental hull envelope calculated for handling and speed.
Accommodations
Below, the boat presents a warmly finished interior that respects the needs and facts of being at sea rather than a showroom fantasy. The layout serves the practicalities of liveaboard cruising and short-handed coast hopping alike, with the finish level matched to the boat's stated performance-cruiser role. The design intent is clear: a sea-kindly interior for people who actually use the boat.
The Verdict
The Salona 42 is a J&J Design performance cruiser that earns her label through calculation rather than styling. She is quick enough for regatta fleets and composed enough for two-coast cruising, with a builder construction story rooted in infused laminate and an internal steel frame. Her Adriatic pedigree shows in a layout built around real sea-going needs.
Pros
- J&J-designed envelope calculated for handling and speed
- Tested as regatta-competitive yet cruising-capable on the continent
- Infused vinylester construction with internal steel load frame and inspectable underwater gel coat
Cons
- Shoal 5-foot-9-inch draft option limits shoal-water versatility versus dedicated shoal-draft cruisers
