Valiant 42 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Perry's hand shows in the 42's hull form: a fine entry, relatively long waterline, and full sections aft, with a detached, separated keel and rudder that minimize wetted surface anchor. The keel itself is in its third iteration, shaped with input from specialist Dave Vacanti into a foil with a larger leading edge and smaller trailing edge for improved lift and efficiency. An additional 1,800 pounds of ballast over the 40 further enhanced stability, and the deck was rebuilt without hatch bosses for a cleaner, lower-maintenance top side. Teak is almost entirely absent from the deck, limited to a pair of optional bowsprit planks, an eyebrow near the traveler, companionway trim, and swim-ladder steps.

Rig and Handling

The rig evolved from the 40's single-spreader rig to a taller, double-spreader spar that added 77 square feet of sail area and boosted light-air performance anchor. A beefy stainless-steel bowsprit addressed overall balance under sail and carries a Schaeffer System 3100 roller furler with dual bow rollers working alongside the standard Lighthouse windlass. Genoa tracks are recessed for barefoot comfort, and a rugged traveler sits just forward of the hard dodger/bimini, with its controls and mid-boom Lewmar mainsheet led aft to a pair of winches. The standard Lewmar 58CST primaries are reassuringly oversized. The boat lacks a dedicated boom vang, but off the wind a pair of preventers led port and starboard control the spar. Testers found the halyard winch tucked under the dodger made grinding the last few inches of the main difficult. Under sail, the 42 tacked through 105 degrees in flat water and turned in a boat length or less under power with the standard 3-blade prop, backing down nicely.

Performance Under Sail and Power

Practical Sailor's test crew logged the 42 in a range of conditions. In 7 to 8 knots of true wind with a full Dacron main and high-cut 130 percent genoa, she made 3.9 to 4.2 knots; at 12 knots she recorded 5.2 knots close-hauled, and 6 knots upwind in 14 knots. On a beam reach in 10 knots true she made 6.4 to 6.6 knots, and eased to 4.5 to 4.7 knots on a broad reach as breeze faded. Under power at 2,500 RPM in a slight chop she made 6.6 knots. With over 24,000 pounds of displacement, these numbers reflect a stiff, steady cruiser rather than a featherweight racer.

Accommodations

Valiant offered five basic interior layouts from which owners could customize details, a semi-custom approach that let buyers tweak the fundamentals anchor. The Center Entry Queen and Center Entry Pullman share one head aft; the Queen/Two Heads variant places a second head forward. Two Side Entry models shift the companionway to starboard and omit the separate showers of the Center versions—the Traditional follows the 40 with a forward head and V-berth, while the Pullman has an offset forward berth and aft head. The test boat, a Center Entry Queen, showed 6'5" headroom throughout. The main cabin has opposing settees around a drop-leaf table, just forward of a U-shaped port galley with a 3-burner stainless oven, twin sinks, and Seafrost 12-volt fridge. The forward-facing nav station is to starboard, with the head and a wet locker behind the navigator's seat. The aft berth to port measures 6'8" by 4'8", with a bulkhead opening for ventilation or privacy. Cockpit seats run over seven feet for sleeping underway, and higher coamings encircle the space.

Equipment and Systems

The standard 42 came with a freshwater-cooled 44-hp Westerbeke diesel, 2.13:1 reduction, and V-drive with dripless shaft, with a 55-hp Westerbeke as an option. Engine access is good via fold-up companionway ladders. A single Racor filter is standard, and all tinned copper wiring meets ABYC specs. The two-bank battery system uses four house gel cells and one start cell under the aft berth, fed by a 100-amp alternator and 110-volt charger. Split alloy fuel tanks sit either side of the lazarette and removable stainless water tanks beneath the settees. A 32-inch destroyer wheel on an Edson radial-drive pedestal proved more than adequate at the helm.

The Verdict

The Valiant 42 refines a proven Perry cruiser into a semi-custom bluewater platform with a taller rig, efficient keel, and thoughtful deck. She sails predictably across a wind range and offers layout flexibility rare in a 42-footer, though the under-dodger halyard winch and absent boom vang are minor workflow caveats.

Pros