Vagabond 42 Buyer's Guide
The Vagabond 42 on the brokerage market is a 42-foot center-cockpit ketch from George H. Stadel III, built in Taiwan by Blue Water Yacht Builders between 1978 and 1990. She is a heavy-displacement cruiser with a solid fiberglass hull and encapsulated lead ballast, and a used-boat shopper will find her a substantial, traditional offshore boat rather than a modern performance cruiser.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts appear more often on the used market, though two-cabin versions are also available, and ex-charter boats are a common sight. The standard two-cabin, five-berth arrangement places the main stateroom aft under the center cockpit, with a second cabin forward and a generous 140-gallon fresh water capacity. Three-cabin owner layouts subdivide the forward or saloon space for additional separate sleeping areas. Either way, the center-cockpit configuration and teak interior define the boat's liveaboard character.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most Vagabond 42s on the market carry a practical cruising inventory. Commonly fitted are inverter, hot water, dinghy davits, radar, autopilot, chartplotter, EPIRB, and bimini—the essentials for self-sufficient navigation and deck comfort. Often seen upgrades include watermaker and heating for extended living aboard, plus solar, a self-tacking jib, furling main, and a short-handed setup that simplifies sail handling for a couple. AIS, life raft, freezer, and cockpit shower also turn up frequently. Less common owner additions include air conditioning, electric winches, dodger, and teak decks.
What to Inspect
The Vagabond 42 uses a solid hand-laid fiberglass hull with a plywood-cored deck, so a buyer should examine the deck core for softening or delamination around winches, stanchions, and hatch penetrations where water intrusion is most likely. The encapsulated lead ballast means no external keel bolts to survey, but the skeg-hung rudder and its post should be checked for play or previous repair. The Ford Lehman diesel and its 110-gallon tank are straightforward, though any history of fuel contamination should be traced. As with any boat of this era, vigilance around the cored deck is warranted.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Vagabond 42 is typically found in the United States market. For a shopper, the priorities are confirming the deck-core condition, verifying the rudder integrity, and matching the layout—two-cabin or three-cabin—to intended use.
- Inspect plywood-cored deck for soft spots at penetrations
- Check skeg-hung rudder and post for play or repair
- Confirm layout: owner three-cabin more common, two-cabin also available
- Review equipment tier: inverter, autopilot, radar commonly fitted; watermaker, solar often seen
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Vagabond 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26 | 3 | $40,000 | — |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $45,000 | +12.5% |
| May 26 | 3 | $75,000 | +66.7% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $75 | -99.9% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $32,427 | +43136.0% |
Where they're listed
Vagabond 42 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 8 (88.9%), followed by Germany.
Country view
9 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $45,000 | 8 | 1 | 88.9% |
| Germany | $32,434 | 1 | 1 | 11.1% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tayana Vancouver 42 | 41.75' | $ 119,948 | 50 | 12 |
| Velmare 47 | 46.58' | $ 90,000 | 30 | 5 |
| Valiant 42 | 42' | $ 299,999 | 18 | 3 |
| Whitby Yachts 42 | 42' | $ 63,061 | 18 | 0 |
| Formosa 47 | 46.42' | $ 110,802 | 14 | 7 |
| Moody 42 | 41.79' | $ 61,847 | 12 | 1 |
| Vagabond 42You are here | — | $ 42,500 | 10 | 3 |