BoatsCatalina Yachts 42 MK II

Catalina Yachts 42 MK II

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1995

One of the most popular sailboats in its size range, this masthead sloop features a fin keel and spade rudder

Designed by Gerry Douglas.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Catalina Yachts 42 MK II, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Lady K Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 25 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 25
CoastalBluewater

2.03 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.03
LightHeavy

196 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 196
EasygoingPowered-up

17.1 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 17.1
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

  • Beamier than ~85% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2658 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Catalina Yachts 42 MK II, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Catalina Yachts 42 MK II is a Masthead Sloop designed by Gerry Douglas and built by Catalina Yachts from 1995 to the present, forming part of a line with over 1000 units produced.9:36 It features a fin keel with a spade rudder, measures 12.8 m LOA, has a 4.2 m beam, a 2.0 m draft, and displaces 9298 kg.2:39 The Catalina 42 Mark II is recommended for its balanced performance and ease of handling for couples, making it suitable for Caribbean cruising.11:03 A shallow draft wing keel version is available with a 1.5m draft.2:39 Practical Sailor notes that its larger keel-to-hull mating surface offers better energy distribution during impacts compared to high-aspect keels.5:24 Aboard Lady K Sailing, a 1990 Catalina 42 Mark I, an earlier variant, showed desirable upgrades like a 65-pound Mantis anchor and a Max-Prop folding propeller, but also highlighted common issues in older boats such as potential deck core delamination and aging refrigeration systems.2:27 The Catalina 426 is a modern successor, maintaining a 63-foot mast height for ICW compatibility and featuring twin Edson helms and a three-cabin configuration.7:31

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 2 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Catalina Yachts 42 MK II on video

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen for sale
1channel looked into buying
$75,000Median asking

  • A 1990 Catalina 42 Mark I listed for $75,000 that the creator is reviewing for potential purchase

    from Lady K Sailingseen September 20243:08

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.1
Displacement / length
196.2
Comfort ratio
25.4
Capsize screening
2.03
Hull speed
8.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1779
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1995
Units built
300
Designer
Gerry Douglas
Builder
Catalina Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Catalina Yachts 4212.76 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-volume cruiser built on a Nelson/Marek racing hull, featuring a masthead rig and a 1.83-metre fin keel
Why the Catalina 42 Took Over the Caribbeanfrom Practical Sailor
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/4212.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.8-metre cruiser featuring a fin keel with bulb and spade rudder, designed for offshore stability and speed
Back on land after nearly 3 years - nasty surprise?? Shipyard part 1/20:47from Eternal Sailing
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 43 DS12.84 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA deck saloon cruiser with a 4.19-metre beam and a 2.0-metre bulb keel, built for volume and stability
BEST Bluewater Are NOT What You Think! Ep 325 - Lady K Sailing3:57from Lady K Sailing
Baltic Yachts 42 DP12.78 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Doug Peterson design with a 2.41-metre draft, available in tall mast and keel-centerboard configurations.
We Finally Called It | Looking Back Before Sailing Again 2026 Ep 55from Sailing Northern Brees
Sabre Yachts 4212.73 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA short-run production cruiser from the late eighties, featuring a 41% ballast ratio for stability in a 12.7-metre hull
The Cape Horn of the Pacific? Point Conception and the Channel Islandsfrom Sailing Palomita
Hylas 4212.83 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio, built for offshore performance and stability
A taste of testing in Kiel for EYOTY 252:21from SEILmagasinet

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Catalina Yachts 42A high-volume cruiser built on a Nelson/Marek racing hull, featuring a masthead rig and a 1.83-metre fin keelCatalina Yachts 36 MK IIA refined 1994 update to the classic 36-foot platform, featuring an enlarged cockpit and modernized interior layoutCatalina Yachts 400 MK IIA 12.65-metre cruiser with a deep 2.11-metre bulb keel and a balanced displacement-to-length ratio for offshore stabilityCatalina Yachts 28 MKIIA 1995 redesign featuring a widened aft hull for an expanded cabin and a refined galley layoutCatalina Yachts 34 MKIIA redesigned hull with a widened aft deck that maintains the original waterline to ensure one-design racing compatibilityCatalina Yachts 30 MKIIFeaturing a redesigned T-shaped cockpit and updated deck, this masthead sloop offered optional wing keels and tall rigs

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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