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Unregistered(d)	Last Boat		Lead	[-]
Posts: 0 05/01/06 08:19:43	Tags : None I hope you dont mind my posting on your site.. I have been reading your posts and I have been looking with my broker at C42s for a while now. To date the largest boat I have sailed single handed was an Oday 31 so the size of the C42 is somewhat intimidating but not undaunting. Currently own a C27 and sail out of Annapolis. I was wondering what other C42s owners last boat was before the C42 and what I might expect taking that large of a jump in boat size ? Also do many of you singlehand?
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garrywillis	Re: Last Boat	#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 368 05/01/06 09:51:10 Moderator	I think it would be wise to sail the 42 a few times with crew to see what the boat is all about before purchasing and using it for singlehanding by yourself. It can be intimidating going from your size to a 42 initially and if that is your sole intent on using the boat (gunkholing around the Chesapeake) it might be more satisfying to get a mid-thirties cruiser. That being said, the 42 is a simple but powerful boat to sail and I believe most folks have worked their way up. Personally, I came from a 36' Catalina but worked up from a 22' initially and I'm fortunate in that my wife is very active on the boat so I rarely singlehand the boat. As long as you have a good autopilot crew available, the 42 is singlehanded all the time. There is one guy who regularly singlehands his 42 from the Chesapeake to Florida "outside" and enjoys it quite a bit. The primary winches are located a bit too far forward from the helm to efficently trim the jib and drive at the same time and the mainsheet is located on the cabin top which really requires a good autopilot. So, it really depends on what your primary usage of the boat will be and what fires your rockets. Good luck. Garry Willis "Breezn" #502
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lakandjc	Re: Last Boat	#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 151 05/01/06 10:42:18	Tak: Our last boat was an Ericson 35-III which we sailed for several years along the SoCal coast and took to mainland Mexico one winter. We had experience sailing larger boats on charters and deliveries. Even with two persons sailing, a powerful and dependable autopilot is a must on a C42 in our opinion. Docking in marina settings becomes interesting as the boats are high and long. Loads are high and gear must be sized for them, and things take more time when you are shorthanded. Also, as length goes up arithmetically, cost goes up logrithmically; lines, haul outs, wax, parts, sails, slips, ground tackle, everything. Just some observations. Good luck in your search... James s/v White Star, #450 Puerto Vallarta
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melelana	Re: Last Boat	#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 391 05/01/06 11:19:49	TAK, My last boat was an O'Day 31 and the step up is pretty easy. That said, I've skippered up to 54' and crewed up to 73' over years of racing OPBs. It's twice the weight, but a more stable platform. I've singlehanded both boats extensively. I'm probably a little more conservative with the 42 as the forces are much larger and things can get out of hand if you let it. I have an Autohelm 6001G with a wireless remote. As mentioned by others, you have to have an autopilot you can trust to drive when you have to trim, reef, set, douse, etc. Larry Melelana Catalina 42 #175 1990 3cbn, wk Solomons MD
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bob776	Re: Last Boat	#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 131 05/01/06 12:48:19	Got to echo Garry Willis. That's a big jump. In 27 years I've had 4 sailboats; 25, 30, 36 and now 42. Each time I was amazed at the increase in volume, weight and handling difference. The jump's not impossible, but it's a big learning curve. Bob 776
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Unregistered(d)	Last Boat	#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 0 05/01/06 12:48:51	Thanks for all the responses thus far.. As to my plans for the boat ..I plan on retiring in about six years and move on the boat full time to cruise. I would like the boat now to begin to become comfortable with it and outfit it accordingly. As for single handing.. I dont nesessarly plan on being alone but would like a boat that can be handled by one if necessary. As for experience I would love some time on other C42s if there are people in the Maryland area that need crew or dont mind a guy asking a lot of questions.. Tom
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melelana	Maryland 42	#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 391 05/01/06 14:24:42	Tom, E-mail me off forum if you are near Solomons. llhwd"at"gmpexpress.net Larry Melelana Catalina 42 #175 1990 3cbn, wk Solomons, MD
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azure42	re: Last Boat	#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 391 05/01/06 14:36:28	Tom, Our sailboat progression: Prindle 16, a second Prindle 16, Nacra 5.7, Islander 30, Catalina 42. We started boating in flat-bottom, drag race boats....sailors hated us and we hated them. Sigh...those were wasted years...... On our second sail after buying the C42, my wife turned to me and said, "This is smooth, not much different to handle than the Islander." Like Larry says, the added power, draft, windage, costs, etc. of the bigger boat can ramp up problems faster, but on average, with care, we've found ours to be no more trouble to handle than the 30 footer. Rod Williams Azure, #343, 2-cabin Alameda/San Francisco Bay, CA.
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seaair	It's not what you've owned, it's what you sailed	#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 67 05/01/06 16:04:46	Tom - The last couple of boats we owned before we bought our 42 were McGregor 26's. However, almost every year we would charter a 36, 38, 40, 45, etc. The McGregor was for local sailing and the larger boats were for two week cruises. Having tried a number of boats from a variety of manufacturers gave us a better idea of what we were looking for in a big boat of our own. The larger boats all sailed much the same, with minor variations, but all were wildly different than the McGregor. As you have decided, trying different boats is the best plan. If you have the opportunity, spend a couple of week vacations on different types and you will quickly learn what you like and don't like about various designs. Warren Sutlej, #920, 3-cabin pullman
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peterw	Last Boat	#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 105 05/01/06 16:35:34	The 42 is a fairly easy boat to sail single handed, especially with furling sails as C'est la Vie is equipped with. The problems that I have experienced (I moved up from a 36) is that the prop walk is very noticiable and therefore you need lots of room to start the backing maneuver. I first sailed the 42 from Des Moines (WA) to Sidney BC (Canada) a distance of about 100 miles. Although I had another person with me (he was not much help since he had just undergone back surgery), it was not at all difficult - we experienced all types of conditions and the 42 came through it all with flying colors. You may want to read the article on it www.48north.com its under "archived articles" for march 2006. The article is called "Good Bye Marianna - Hello C'est la Vie". The 42 is very fast compared to all the other Catalina Models and accelerates quickly. We saw speeds of 8 knots and more. You will also love the headroom and the comfort. Peter C'est la Vie
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hunteronli	Re: Last Boat	#10	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2 05/03/06 03:09:53	prior to owning our 1990 c-42 fin/tri cabin i owned a catalina 30 which i single handled on many occaisions in many different conditions. after five years i am extremely confortable on our 42. the addition of the #6001 auot pilot with hsb connections to all other electronics is my best mate. i also have every line run back to the cockpit as so there is no need to go foward in a nasty sea. i even have the second reef run aft and have set up that system with many turning blocks to make the job of reefing even less stressful. i feel the fin keel is also an asset when going to windward alone. the rudder is still the stock one and if it does ot sell this season i might go for the upgraded rudder. if your still looking check it out @coneys.com
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470catalina42	Moving UP	#11	[url]	[-]
Posts: 59 05/03/06 18:28:48	we made the jump up from our Catalina 30 to the 42. We were looking for something with a little more room, and got to the 42 because everything in between wasn't that much bigger down below than the 30. We chartered a 42 in the BVI's to see if it was too big a boat to handle (mostly single-handed as my wife is not that much of a sailor). What we found was the added displacement gave me a lot more time to react. Things don't happen as fast with a bigger boat. I got the 7000 autopilot and an electric winch to take the workload. What I have found while sailing short-handed is that you want things to happen when they are supposed to, so I had Harken Battcars put on the main (to get it down in a hurry), a single-line reef for the second reef (although I have never used it) , the manual Lewmar 40 we replaced with the electric I installed on the coming behind the port side Lewmar 52 so I can furl the genoa in a blow, a RAM mike at the pedestal, a cruising chute with a sock, Garhauer ball bearing sheaves at the top of the mast for all of the halyards, and the newer Garhauer traveler. Atkins and Hoyle davits allow us to carry the dinghy with the 15hp outboard installed so I don't have to take it on and off all the time. Since the loads are so much greater on a bigger boat, you want to anticipate what might go wrong and plan ahead. I have had both a jib halyard and spinnaker halyard break on me while racing. At the top of the mast where they get the most load. So I got one of Brian Toss's magic splicing wands and learned to make new eye splices in double-braid. I cut the top two feet off the halyards every couple of years and resplice a new eye for the shackle. I removed the core from the main halyard except for the working area ahead of the clutch when the main is up. Makes it go through the clutch much faster both up and down. (If you do take out the core, make sure you allow for the lower hoist if the main is reefed ) I reverse the jib sheets when they show signs of wear, and figure that UV will take its toll on them so they get replaced after 5 or 6 years. You might think that that is expensive insurance, but consider it the fuel that moves your boat and it is a bargain compared with what a power boater spends on one fill up nowadays. Norman Duford Fortune Cookie Mark I, 3-cabin Fin
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peter	same	#12	[url]	[-]
Posts: 313 05/04/06 03:16:24	Moved from a 30 to a 42. I single hand alot and found the only problem was docking, although I back into the slip with a cross wind , but little current. on real windy days I just dock bow in and turn the boat around when the wind dies. You will love the 42 !!!!!!!!!!
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Unregistered(d)	Impressed ..	#13	[url]	[-]
Posts: 0 05/04/06 08:36:58	Wow.. Thanks for all the responses .. they are all great and I am enjoying learning about the boat .. I have been on about 1/2 a dozen and am focused on things I want and things I think I need. My evolution over the years of what is desirable has taken many turns .. from Albergs, Westsails and Tayanas to Shannons and Bristols.. I see this in the middle and while I dont see my self rounding any Horns this boat seems to fit best what I need and want and within my budget. Keep the responses coming .. I would think for anybody new to the C42 this should be interesting..
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kenfischer	Another C30	#14	[url]	[-]
Posts: 225 05/13/06 22:02:44 Moderator	I'll add my name to the list of C30 to C42 movers. This seems to be a very common jump. I consider it to be "the same, only bigger". Momentum is a big deal when docking and manuvering. You have to unwind the wheel to roll out on a the right heading, and they don't stop as fast. Ken Fischer 2005 C42 #906 "Solaria", 3 Cabin Pullman, Fin Keel, Mast Furling Main, 155% Genoa
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gary	Re: Another C30	#15	[url]	[-]
Posts: 38 05/14/06 05:50:46	We are also moving up to a C42MKII hull #947 will be in L.L.M. N.J. Great postings on this site. Gary
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yorkrose	Re: Last Boat	#16	[url]	[-]
Posts: 357 05/15/06 06:46:40	One thing that has not been mentioned in conjunction with the move to a larger boat is the handling stability. Yes, the larger boat is not as nimble. It is necessary to plan ahead, and a larger boat can feel a bit more ponderous. However, at the same time the maneuvering is much more stable and predictable. The larger boat does exactly what it is supposed to do when you turn the wheel or adjust the propulsion. It is much less affected by a sudden gust or by a wake. One sometimes hears that a boat is too large for reasons of cost and manual strength requirements, but it is uncommon to hear of anyone complain about the handling once they have become familiar with the characteristics. (From a Catalina 25 to a Catalina 42 in 4 easy steps.) Regards, Gene Fuller Yorkshire Rose, C42 #870
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