Built as an extension of the renowned Westsail 32 design philosophy, this 42-foot cruising sailboat embodies the heavy-displacement, blue-water sailing tradition that made Westsail famous among serious ocean voyagers. Following the company's commitment to seaworthy vessels capable of handling the world's most challenging waters, the Westsail 42 represents a scaled-up approach to long-distance cruising. The design maintains the characteristic full keel configuration and robust construction that became synonymous with the Westsail brand during the 1970s cruising boom. These vessels were engineered for sailors planning extended offshore passages rather than coastal day sailing, with an emphasis on stability, structural integrity, and self-sufficiency over speed or racing performance. Like other Westsail designs, the 42 attracts sailors who prioritize safety and comfort during long ocean crossings. The boat's reputation centers around its ability to handle heavy weather conditions while providing adequate living space for extended cruising. While not designed for racing or performance sailing, the Westsail 42 appeals to traditionalists who appreciate conservative design principles and proven seaworthiness over modern light-displacement alternatives.
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How many Westsail 42s were actually built, and why was production so limited compared to the Westsail 32?
Production of the Westsail 42 was extremely limited — most estimates place the total hull count in the low dozens, a stark contrast to the several hundred Westsail 32s that were completed during the 1970s cruising boom. The disparity comes down to economics and timing. Westsail Corp. was already under financial strain by the mid-1970s, and the 42 required substantially more materials, labor, and mold investment than the smaller 32. The company's business model had depended heavily on owner-finish kits, and the scale of a 42-footer made that approach less accessible to amateur builders. Some hulls were completed under the Jomarco name after Westsail Corp. ran into difficulties, which complicates tracking the precise hull count. Buyers researching a specific Westsail 42 should verify whether the vessel was factory-finished or completed by a subsequent builder, as outfitting quality can vary significantly between the two.
Does the Westsail 42's full keel and 31,500 lb displacement make it genuinely capable of offshore and bluewater passage-making, or is it just marketed that way?
The Westsail 42 is one of the more credibly offshore-capable production cruisers of its era, and the numbers back that up rather than contradict it. Its capsize screening formula of 1.65 falls comfortably below the 2.0 threshold that offshore rating systems use as a rough ceiling for open-ocean safety. The comfort ratio of 44.16 is firmly in the 'offshore passagemaker' range, meaning crew fatigue in sustained rough weather is meaningfully lower than on lighter fin-keel designs. The full long keel provides directional stability that reduces the helmsman's workload on long passages, and the 12,000 lb ballast-to-displacement ratio of roughly 38 percent gives the boat meaningful self-righting ability. William Crealock designed the Westsail 42 explicitly for bluewater work, continuing the philosophy he established with the 32. The trade-off is real: a hull speed of 7.74 knots and an SA/Disp ratio of just 15.27 mean this boat is slow in light air, and passages that take a faster cruiser 20 days may take the Westsail 42 considerably longer.
What are the most common structural problems found on used Westsail 42s, particularly around the keel and chainplates?
The Westsail 42 shares several inspection concerns with other heavy fiberglass cruisers of the mid-1970s. The most consistently reported issue is chainplate failure or water intrusion at the chainplate-to-deck junction. Because the Westsail 42 relies on a cutter-style rig with significant shroud loads spread across multiple chainplate locations, any chainplate that has been allowed to work against its backing plate can open a pathway for water into the core of the deck. Prospective buyers should probe the fiberglass around every chainplate for softness. The full keel-to-hull joint is a second priority: at 31,500 lb displacement, the keel exerts enormous cyclical stress on that bond during offshore passages, and hairline cracking at the garboard seam or the keel-hull fillet should be investigated by a surveyor experienced with heavy-displacement long-keel vessels. Osmotic blistering below the waterline is also common in hulls that have spent decades in the water without barrier-coat maintenance. Finally, check the condition of any through-hulls, as original bronze fittings from the 1974 era may be dezincified and dangerously soft.
What is the Westsail 42's PHRF rating and how does it actually perform in club racing compared to lighter cruisers from the same era?
The Westsail 42 does not have a widely published or consistently assigned PHRF rating because it was never intended as a racing vessel and relatively few have participated in club racing programs. Where ratings have been assigned, they tend to fall in the range of 210 to 240 seconds per mile, which places the Westsail 42 among the slowest-rated offshore cruisers on any typical club fleet sheet. For context, its calculated hull speed of 7.74 knots is respectable for a 33.33-foot waterline, but the SA/Disp ratio of 15.27 means the boat simply cannot develop the power-to-weight needed to approach that speed in anything less than a fresh breeze. In a 12-knot breeze, a contemporary light-displacement 42-footer might be doing 7 knots while the Westsail 42 is doing 5.5. Owners who have raced the boat report it becomes more competitive in heavy air above 20 knots, where the displacement and stability work in its favor and lighter boats begin to reduce sail. For most Westsail 42 owners, however, racing performance is irrelevant — the boat was purchased for its bluewater capability and comfort at sea, not podium finishes.
How does the Westsail 42's interior layout and accommodation compare to the Westsail 32 it was scaled up from?
The Westsail 42 offers substantially more livable accommodation than the 32, though the design philosophy — prioritizing structural mass and seakeeping over interior volume — means the space gain is not as dramatic as the 10-foot length increase might suggest. The 42's 13-foot beam, compared to the 32's narrower hull, opens up the main saloon considerably and allows for a proper nav station rather than the compromised arrangement in the smaller boat. Most Westsail 42 interiors were fitted with a double quarter berth or aft cabin, a feature the 32 could not accommodate, giving the 42 genuine separation between sleeping and social areas. The galley is typically positioned amidships on the port side and is large enough for serious offshore cooking, with fiddles, strap-in positions, and substantial storage that the 32's more compressed galley lacked. Because Westsail offered some degree of owner customization and some hulls were finished by Jomarco rather than the factory, individual layouts do vary — buyers should not assume any two Westsail 42 interiors are identical without physically inspecting the boat.