Design and Construction
The hull is laminated with alternating layers of fibreglass mat and woven roving set in polyester resin, with a balsa-wood core introduced between the sheer and a point roughly a foot below the static waterline. Decks follow a similar composite recipe and are fastened to the hull on an inward flange. One well-documented quirk is Whitby’s liberal use of pop-rivets to secure structural components; even the deck-to-hull joint on most boats relies on pop-rivets bedded with fibreglass and resin, though a fully through-bolted joint was offered as an extra-cost option. While the fastenings can work loose over time, the reviewer notes that a catastrophic structural failure has never been reported. All in all, the construction is generally sound for a coastal cruiser, and the long, fixed keel makes for a robust underbody.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The ketch rig spreads a generous 875 square feet of sail area. Under sail, the boat reveals a personality that owners quickly learn to manage. In light air she can be a bit sluggish through tacks and windward work is acceptable rather than sparkling, yet the design comes alive on a reach. Owners routinely report speeds of 7.5 to 8 knots on a close reach, and the Whitby 42 Revelation collected a string of firsts racing PHRF in California during the 1970s. More broadly, the design is regarded as comfortable, seaworthy, and forgiving of a novice sailor. That forgiveness comes with a caveat: the boat is somewhat tender and will ask for a reef sooner than her robust profile suggests. Adding a mizzen staysail and a spinnaker noticeably helps downwind performance in light air, and some boats were built with an optional bowsprit; owners who have retrofitted this feature report a marked improvement in balance and weatherliness. Under power, the engine room beneath the cockpit deck houses a 67-hp Ford Lehman diesel (or alternatively a Perkins 4-236) and the 210-gallon fuel capacity delivers a cruising range of more than 1,200 miles without refuelling.
Accommodations
If the sailing manners demand a few concessions, the interior repays them in full. This is widely considered one of the most livable production cruisers in its size bracket. One of the two available layouts features a pair of swivelling armchairs, while both configurations offer generous staterooms forward and aft, each with a large adjoining head and shower. The U-shaped galley is spacious and perfectly positioned to keep the cook out of the way of guests moving through the boat. A comfortable navigation station, a workbench in the passageway aft, a cavernous refrigerator/freezer, and a wet-oilskin locker abutting the companionway ladder all underline the living-aboard brief. Even the engine room is easy to access for service, large enough to accommodate a small auxiliary generator, and reached via a removable cockpit sole for major work. The one shortcoming is that the Whitby 42 lacks good sea berths for offshore passages, and extra handholds are strongly recommended if you plan to stray far from the coast.
Known Issues and Common Upgrades
A survey of the fleet reveals several areas that demand attention. The pop-riveted fastenings already mentioned are prone to working loose, and compression failures can appear under the mizzen mast step where the balsa core and original structural support prove inadequate — three boats are known to have lost their mizzen masts overboard. A robust fix typically includes a taller, more substantial heel-fitting with a through-pin, additional standing rigging, and reinforcement of the floor support beneath the aft bulkhead. In the steering department, there have been incidents of bronze rudder stocks shearing where the stock enters the hull, especially after the recommended addition to the rudder area; owners planning extended ocean work should consider new stocks fabricated from Aquamet 22. On the systems front, most owners report that original tank vents required replumbing to cure persistent air locks, and the forward water tank can develop leaks around the lid. The boat's three separate fuel tanks add redundancy, though at least one owner found water intrusion in the keel tank enough of a problem to remove it entirely.
Evolution and Ownership
Ted Brewer’s venerable design sprouted several variants. In later years a centreboard version with four-foot draft was introduced and named the Brewer 12.8, and in 1987 the hull was further modified into the Brewer 44, which stayed in production until 1991. Across all iterations, the Whitby 42 has earned a reputation as a very popular choice for liveaboard cruisers of moderate means. Properly outfitted, sailed, and maintained, she remains capable of carrying her crew to great cruising destinations — a fact borne out by the many boats that have completed significant offshore passages.
The Verdict
The Whitby 42 doesn’t pretend to be a race boat, but for the cruising sailor who prizes space, comfort, and self-sufficiency, few vintage designs deliver so much for so long. Her robust tankage, cavernous interior, and thoughtful liveaboard details make her a compelling home afloat, while the known structural issues are well catalogued and fixable by a diligent owner. She requires early reefing and rewards a skipper who understands her tender spots, but once settled in the groove on a reach she shows a genuinely respectable turn of speed.
Pros
- Exceptionally livable interior with two generous staterooms, large heads, and a sea-going workbench
- Massive water (290 gallons) and fuel (210 gallons) tankage for extended cruising
- Spacious, accessible engine room with removable cockpit sole facilitates major service
- Forgiving, seakindly motion that invites novice skippers to build confidence
- Impressive speed on a reach, with documented passages in the 7.5–8-knot range
- Proven trans-ocean capability when properly upgraded and maintained
Cons
- Tender in a breeze and demands an early reef, which can surprise new owners
- Sluggish through tacks in light air and only acceptable windward performance
- Pop-riveted deck-to-hull joint and structural fastenings are maintenance items
- Mizzen mast step is vulnerable to compression; documented mast losses require a proper fix
- Bronze rudder stocks are known to fail after a rudder-area increase; offshore boats should upgrade to Aquamet 22
- No dedicated sea berths; extra handholds are necessary for offshore work
- Original tank vents are prone to air locks, and the forward water tank can develop leaks around the lid
