Practical Sailorvideo
Finally Cheap Enough to Be Dangerous - This 42-Foot Jeanneau DS
June 8, 2026 · 13 min · 86K views
Sun Odyssey 42 DS sails calmly under cloudy sky
What this video covers
The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42DS, a 42-foot deck saloon monohull built from roughly 2006–2008, is examined as a used cruising boat proposition now priced around $175,000 for a well-maintained example.▶ 0:30 The DS designation means a raised cabin trunk, large bonded windows, and a bright interior that still feels contemporary despite the boat's age.▶ 2:57 The owner's aft cabin measures 77 inches wide — genuinely usable, not a brochure detail.▶ 5:17 Bob Perry's published assessment called it a handsome, well-balanced family cruiser with polished details and a wraparound windshield that makes an excellent dodger base.▶ 4:05 Under sail it performs best on a reach; the shallow keel and in-mast furling limit upwind pointing, and the design suits coastal cruising, island hopping, and liveaboard use rather than heavy offshore passages.▶ 6:45 At roughly 20 years old, the boat hits a major depreciation point, but deferred maintenance is the real risk.▶ 2:05 Standing rigging, sails (replacement cost around $15,000), engine hours and service history, layered electrical upgrades, and the bonded windows — known to degrade and leak with age — all require scrutiny before purchase.▶ 8:21 The keel-to-hull grid structure needs a surveyor's inspection, especially after any grounding.▶ 10:32 A cheaper, neglected example can cost more than a higher-priced, well-maintained one before leaving the dock.▶ 8:20
Boats in this video
More from Practical Sailor
From Practical Sailor — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.