Tartan 42 Buyer's Guide
The Tartan 42 — built by Tartan Marine from 1980 to 1984 with 34 hulls completed — is a Sparkman & Stephens–designed 42-foot masthead sloop that comes to the brokerage market as a narrow-production bluewater cruiser with racer roots. Shoppers encounter a boat of 22,000 pounds displacement, 9,000 pounds of lead ballast, and a solid fiberglass hull, most often with a Scheel shoal draft keel for coastal access among the different keel alternatives recorded.
Layouts on the Used Market
Below decks the T-42 sleeps six to seven in a spacious teak interior, with 165 gallons of water capacity and 79 gallons of diesel supporting extended cruising. The 12.25-foot beam and 32-foot waterline shape a cabin geared to liveaboard use rather than racing minimalism, and the masthead rig above drives a powerful sail plan with a 757.8-square-foot mainsail-and-jib combination. Because the model was built with different keel alternatives, prospective owners should confirm whether a given boat carries the shoal Scheel draft or a deeper fin configuration, as that alters both draft and handling character.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, solar, watermaker, AIS, autopilot, and chartplotter are commonly fitted to used Tartan 42s. Wind generator, freezer, bimini, radar, and short-handed setup are often seen, while inverter, electric winches, hot water, and dodger appear as sometimes-or-owner upgrades rather than standard or prevalent equipment. Some boats may be equipped with an inboard Westerbeke diesel engine, consistent with the original auxiliary provision.
What to Inspect
The documented known issues for the Tartan 42 are limited to inherent design characteristics rather than recorded structural defects. The boat is slightly overrigged — carrying more rig than 66% of similar sailboats — which places elevated loads on deck hardware and standing rigging; inspect mainsheet runs of 105 feet at 14 mm diameter and genoa sheets of 42 feet at 14 mm for wear. Verify the specific keel alternative on each hull, since the Scheel shoal draft on most for coastal access differs from deeper fin examples in draft and ballast behavior. No flooding paths, drainage failures, or quantified construction defects are documented in the authority record.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Tartan 42 boats typically appear in the United States and Mexico. With only 34 hulls built, the model is a scarce S&S classic whose value rests on pedigree and seaworthiness rather than fleet ubiquity.
- Confirm keel type (Scheel shoal vs. fin) and resulting draft
- Inspect overrigged sail-plan hardware and rigging for load wear
- Verify original auxiliary (some Westerbeke diesel) and tank condition
- Expect commonly fitted electronics; treat dodger/hot water as owner upgrades
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Tartan 42. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $ 49,900 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $ 72,000 | +44.3% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $ 72,000 | 0.0% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $ 26,500 | -63.2% |
| Jul 26 | 9 | $ 89,000 | +235.8% |
Where they're listed
Tartan 42 listings appear across 3 countries. United States has the most listings with 9 (75.0%), followed by Mexico and countries.Florida.
Country view
12 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 89,000 | 9 | 7 | 75.0% |
| Mexico | $ 72,000 | 2 | 0 | 16.7% |
| countries.Florida | $ 89,000 | 1 | 1 | 8.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tartan 37 | 37.29' | $ 47,900 | 71 | 25 |
| Tartan 33 | 33.67' | $ 23,750 | 24 | 6 |
| Palmer Johnson J/42 | 42' | $ 151,950 | 18 | 4 |
| Valiant 42 | 42' | $ 299,999 | 17 | 3 |
| Sabre 42 | 41.75' | $ 99,900 | 15 | 3 |
| Tartan 34-2 | 34.42' | $ 29,900 | 15 | 4 |
| Tartan 42You are here | — | $ 89,000 | 13 | 9 |
| Tartan 40 | 40.25' | $ 89,900 | 13 | 1 |
| Tartan 41 | 40.63' | $ 74,500 | 7 | 0 |