Ta Yang, one of Taiwan’s top yards, began production in 1979 and built roughly 200 hulls using solid fiberglass and polyester laminate. Period reviewers described the construction as verging on overbuilt. Cruising World’s editors characterized Harris’ Vancouver designs as reasonably performing, comfortable, and extremely seaworthy cutters, and the 42 stands among the most successful of them.
Design and Construction
The Vancouver 42 reflects Ta Yang’s semicustom approach. Owners had unusual freedom to arrange the accommodations, and even the bulkheads were movable. The yard’s construction techniques have been considered among the best in the industry.
Below the waterline, the hull is solid fiberglass. The deck is cored with wood-block squares isolated with resin to minimize moisture retention, and the laminate is reinforced at hardware-mounting points. Ballast consists of a single 11,800-pound iron casting encapsulated within the keel’s thick walls rather than bolted on externally.
Construction materials changed during the production run. After 1985, the yard switched to isophthalic gelcoat to improve blister resistance. After 1992, hulls were laminated with vinylester resin. Cruising World’s survey found that hull/deck joints and serious blistering haven’t typically been issues on these boats.
Rig, Underbody, and Handling
Harris paired a tall mast and generous sail plan with a slippery underbody, giving the Vancouver 42 respectable passagemaking times for a boat of its displacement. Most boats were delivered with sturdy, deck-stepped, double-spreader Isomat spars and heavy standing rigging.
At the upper spreaders, the distinctive Harris diamond stay is supported by an aluminum arc that some sailors call the cowcatcher. This arrangement eliminates the need for running backstays, a useful simplification for a short-handed crew.
The boat has a ballast-to-displacement ratio near 0.40 and a displacement-length ratio of 362. Its canoe stern and long fin keel provide steady tracking while keeping wetted surface manageable for a 42-foot cruiser.
Cockpit and Interior Layouts
Because each Ta Yang boat was semicustom, there’s no single standard Vancouver 42 layout. About 130 were built as aft-cockpit cruisers, with two different house designs, while roughly 70 have center cockpits. One buyer commissioned a factory-built pilothouse version, and the yard subsequently built four more.
Most interiors were finished with vertical spruce staving and teak trim, giving them a warm, durable cruising character. The boat has a 12-foot-6 beam. Water capacity is 150 gallons in two stainless-steel tanks, supporting extended liveaboard range.
The Cruising World review noted that the boat offers a cruising range, load-carrying capacity, and comfortable motion seldom found today in boats under 45 feet.
Machinery and Tankage
The most common engine was the 50-horsepower Perkins 4-108, a robust diesel that has provided long service across the fleet.
Fuel capacity is 120 gallons in two black-iron tanks. These tanks can rust if their external paint is chipped, so the integrity of the surface coating deserves close inspection.
Known Issues
Most Vancouver 42s were built with teak decks. If the seams fail, water can reach the deck core, creating a known route to hidden rot that a survey should investigate.
Some older boats have also suffered corrosion of the chainplates and their attachment bolts belowdecks. This problem has been traced to the damp interior environment rather than a structural deficiency in the hull.
Build year also matters when assessing the hull materials. Pre-1985 boats used polyester laminate, while boats built after 1992 gained vinylester protection below the waterline.
Refits and Ownership
The Vancouver 42’s semicustom heritage means no two interiors are identical. A buyer or owner planning to rework the accommodations inherits the flexibility of Ta Yang’s movable-bulkhead approach.
A survey should account for the gelcoat and resin changes made during production, along with the condition of the teak deck, chainplates, attachment bolts, and black-iron fuel tanks.
The Verdict
The Tayana Vancouver 42 is a well-built offshore cruiser. Its seaworthy Harris pedigree, encapsulated iron ballast, and semicustom flexibility place it among the more capable bluewater cutters of its era.
The canoe stern and long fin keel favor patient passagemaking rather than sprint racing, while the diamond-stay rig removes a common nuisance for short-handed crews. Teak decks and belowdecks chainplate corrosion are the principal watch items, but neither undermines the design’s fundamental soundness as described by Cruising World.
Pros
- Extremely seaworthy cutter, with comfortable motion and load capacity rarely found in boats under 45 feet
- Encapsulated iron ballast within thick keel walls
- Hull/deck joints typically sound
- Diamond stay eliminates running backstays, simplifying short-handed rig handling
- Semicustom construction, with movable bulkheads and several cockpit configurations
Cons
- Black-iron fuel tanks can rust if their paint is chipped
- Teak decks can allow water into the core
- Some older boats have corrosion on the chainplates and attachment bolts belowdecks
