US 42 Buyer's Guide
The US Yachts US 42 is a Stan Huntingford-designed cruiser built by US Yachts from 1982 to 1986, using the same molds as the Cooper 416 after Bayliner acquired them from Cooper Yachts. On the used market, these are fiberglass boats with wood trim, a masthead sloop rig, and a 60-horsepower BMC diesel, offered as out-of-production cruisers with a six-berth interior and aft-cabin layout.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 42 carries sleeping accommodation for six, arranged as an angled double berth forward, an L-shaped and straight settee in the main cabin, and an aft double berth to starboard anchor. The head is just aft of the bow cabin on the starboard side with a shower, and the U-shaped galley sits port-side forward of the companionway with a three-burner stove and double sink. Cabin headroom is 76 inches. Buyers should confirm the aft-cabin berth is intact and the galley plumbing functions, as these define the liveaboard value.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
No equipment-tier or upgrade brief is available for this model, so buyers should evaluate each boat on its own fitted gear. A symmetrical spinnaker may have been added for downwind sailing; the standard rig is a masthead sloop with about 773 square feet of sail. The 60 hp BMC diesel, 70-gallon fuel tank, and 150-gallon water tank are factory specifications worth verifying against the actual installed hardware.
What to Inspect
A 1980s fiberglass cruiser such as the US 42 should be surveyed for impact damage at the skeg-mounted rudder and fin keel, with chainplate beds examined where the masthead rig loads the deck anchor. Confirm the BMC diesel starts and holds cooling temperature. Verify the 6.58-foot keel draft against any claimed shoal option, and inspect the U-shaped galley for sink and stove condition.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Availability follows general brokerage channels for out-of-production 1980s cruisers.
- Confirm the aft-cabin berth and head shower are intact
- Inspect the skeg rudder and fin keel for damage
- Verify the BMC diesel starts and cools properly
- Check chainplate bedding at the masthead rig
- Test the three-burner galley stove and double sink
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
10 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 42 | 41.86' | $ 79,000 | 113 | 29 |
| Endeavour Yachts 42 | 42.25' | $ 79,500 | 43 | 15 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 42 | 42.62' | $ 115,392 | 37 | 10 |
| First First 42 | 42.92' | $ 49,500 | 24 | 7 |
| Sabre 42 | 41.75' | $ 89,000 | 21 | 7 |
| Palmer Johnson J/42 | 42' | $ 151,950 | 18 | 4 |
| Tartan 42 | 42' | $ 89,000 | 13 | 11 |
| Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 | 41.01' | $ 89,749 | 11 | 4 |
| Comfortina 42 | 42.19' | $ 196,982 | 11 | 4 |
| Oyster Yachts 42 | 41.83' | $ 201,644 | 7 | 2 |