The Beneteau Oceanis 42CC Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Beneteau Oceanis 42CC, a wing-keeled cutter, was designed by Groupe Finot and built in France by Groupe Finot.

A Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 42CC sailboat at anchor

'Ventolier 3', Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 42CC

Published Specification for the Beneteau Oceanis 42CC

Underwater Profile: Wing keel and spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 43'5" (13.2m)

Waterline Length: 36'4" (11.1m)

Beam: 12'10" (3.9m)

Draft: 5'11" (1.8m)

Rig Type: Cutter

Displacement: 19,845lb (9,002kg)

Designer: Groupe Finot

Builder: Beneteau (France)

Year First Built: 2003

Owners Association: Beneteau Owners Club

Published Design Ratios for the Beneteau Oceanis 42CC

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 20.9

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 28.0

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 185

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 26.7

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.9

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Beneteau Oceanis 42CC

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 20.9 suggests that, in the right hands, the Beneteau Oceanis 42CC will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 28.0 means that unless the bulk of the ballast is concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her keel, the Beneteau Oceanis 42CC will have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and she'll need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 185, tells us the Beneteau Oceanis 42CC is clearly a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer dramatically.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 26.7 suggests that crew comfort of a Beneteau Oceanis 42CC in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.9 tells us that a Beneteau Oceanis 42CC would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.