The Catalina 42 MkII Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Catalina 42 MkII, an aft-cockpit sloop, was designed by Gerry Douglas and built in the US by Catalina Yachts.

A Catalina 42 MkII

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Catalina 42 MkII

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.1 suggests that the Catalina 42 MkII will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 40.5 means that the Catalina 42 MkII will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves. 

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 196, tells us the Catalina 42 MkII is a light-to-moderate displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer to a degree.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 25.4 suggests that crew comfort of a Catalina 42 MkII 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 of 2.0 tells us that a Catalina 42 MkII would not be as good a choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

The Catalina 42 MkII Sailboat: A Spacious and Versatile Cruiser

Are you looking for a sailboat that can accommodate your family and friends, offer good performance and comfort, and fit your budget? If so, you might want to consider the Catalina 42 MkII sailboat, one of the most popular and successful models from the American builder Catalina Yachts.

The Catalina 42 MkII is a 42-foot monohull that was designed by Gerry Douglas and introduced in 1995 as an upgrade of the original Catalina 42 that was launched in 1989. The MkII version features a more modern and rounded stern, a redesigned cockpit, and some interior improvements. However, the hull, deck, rig, and engine are essentially the same as the MkI version.

The Catalina 42 MkII is available in two or three cabin layouts, with different options for the keel, mast, and rigging. Whether you are looking for a spacious owner's version, a practical charter version, or a customized version to suit your preferences, you can find a Catalina 42 MkII that meets your needs.

Overview
The Catalina 42 MkII is a cruising sailboat that combines good looks, comfortable accommodations, and decent sailing ability at a low price. It is one of the most successful large boats ever built by Catalina Yachts, with more than 670 units sold since its introduction.

The Catalina 42 MkII is designed to be easy to handle by a couple or a small crew, with all lines led aft to the cockpit. It has a moderate displacement of 20,500 lbs and a beam of 13.83 ft, which gives it stability and spaciousness. It has a draft of either 4.83 ft or 6 ft, depending on the keel option. It has a mast height of either 58.67 ft or 63 ft, depending on the rig option.

The Catalina 42 MkII has a sloop rig with a deck-stepped mast and double spreaders. It has a total sail area of 797 sq ft, which can be increased with optional sails such as a spinnaker or a gennaker. It has either in-mast or in-boom reefing for the mainsail, and roller furling for the genoa. The standard rig has an aluminum mast and boom, but carbon fiber spars are available as an option.

The Catalina 42 MkII has a fin keel with either a lead or iron bulb at the bottom. The keel is bolted to the hull with stainless steel bolts. The rudder is a spade rudder that is balanced and supported by a partial skeg. The steering system is either a single wheel or twin wheels, depending on the cockpit layout.

The Catalina 42 MkII has a 56hp Yanmar diesel engine. It has a fuel capacity of 46 gallons and a water capacity of 111 gallons. 

Accommodation
The Catalina 42 MkII yacht has an inviting and spacious interior that can sleep up to seven people in two or three cabins. The interior is finished in teak woodwork and has plenty of natural light and ventilation from the numerous ports and hatches.

The two-cabin version has an owner's stateroom forward with a centerline queen berth, hanging lockers, drawers, shelves, and an ensuite head with shower. The guest cabin aft has a double berth, hanging locker, shelf, and access to the second head with shower. The second head can also be accessed from the main salon.

The three-cabin version has two identical cabins aft with double berths, hanging lockers, shelves, and access to the second head with shower. The forward cabin has either a pullman berth or a v-berth, depending on the option chosen. The forward cabin also has hanging lockers, drawers, shelves, and an ensuite head with shower.

The main salon is spacious and comfortable, with an L-shaped settee to port that can convert to a double berth if needed. There is also a large dining table that can fold down to create more space when not in use. To starboard, there is another settee that can serve as a single berth or as additional seating for guests.

The galley is located to port of the companionway and is well-equipped with a three-burner stove with oven, a double sink with hot and cold water, a top-loading refrigerator/freezer, ample counter space, and plenty of storage for dishes, utensils, and provisions.

The navigation station is located to starboard of the companionway and has a large chart table, a swivel seat, and an instrument panel with VHF radio, GPS, autopilot, and other electronics. There is also a breaker panel and a battery monitor for the electrical systems.

The cockpit is large and comfortable, with either a single wheel or twin wheels for steering. There are also two cockpit tables that can fold down to create more space when not in use. The cockpit seats are long and wide enough to serve as sun lounges or sleeping berths. There are also two large lockers for storing sails, lines, fenders, and other gear.

The stern has a swim platform with a ladder and a shower. There is also a davit system for hoisting a dinghy or an outboard motor. The stern rail has a mount for a barbecue grill and a flag pole.

Hull and Deck
The hull of the Catalina 42 MkII is made of solid fiberglass with vinylester resin and gelcoat. The deck is made of fiberglass with balsa core and molded nonskid. The hull-to-deck joint is bonded with adhesive and secured with stainless steel bolts. The deck has an aluminum toe rail and stainless steel stanchions with double lifelines.

The deck has a wide and uncluttered foredeck with an anchor locker that can hold two anchors and a windlass. There is also a bow roller and a bow pulpit with an anchor light. The deck has six mooring cleats and four fairleads for docking lines, plus two dorade vents and eight opening hatches for ventilation. There are also 14 opening ports with screens for light and air. The deck has two handrails on the coachroof and two on the cabin sides for safety.

The deck has two genoa tracks with cars and two spinnaker tracks with blocks for sail trim. There are also two primary winches, two secondary winches, and two halyard winches on the coachroof. All the winches are self-tailing and can be operated from the cockpit.

The deck has a traveler for the mainsheet on the coachroof and a vang for the boom. There are also two reefing lines for the mainsail that run to the cockpit. The genoa has a furling drum on the forestay and a sheet lead to the cockpit.

Mast and Rigging
The mast is deck-stepped mast with double spreaders and jumper struts. The mast is made of aluminum or carbon fiber, depending on the option chosen. The mast has internal halyards for the mainsail, genoa, spinnaker, and topping lift.

The Catalina 42 MkII is a sloop-rigged with stainless steel wire shrouds and stays. The rigging has turnbuckles for tensioning and toggles for articulation. The rigging also has chainplates that are bolted to the hull.

Keel and Rudder
The bulb fin keel is a fin keel has either a deep draft of 6 ft or a shoal draft of 4.83 ft, depending on the option chosen.

The rudder is balanced and supported by a partial skeg. The rudder has a stainless steel stock that runs through a bearing at the hull bottom and connects to either a single wheel or twin wheels at the cockpit. The rudder also has an emergency tiller that can be attached to the rudder post in case of steering failure.

Conclusion

The Catalina 42 MkII sailboat is a versatile and spacious cruiser that can accommodate different needs and preferences. 

• It offers good performance and comfort at an affordable price. 
• It is easy to handle by a couple or a small crew, with all lines led aft to the cockpit. 
• It has two or three cabin layouts, with different options for the keel, mast, rigging, steering system, engine, generator, spars, sails, interior finish, electronics, and accessories.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

Other sailboats in the Catalina range include:

The Catalina 36

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The Catalina 400

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The Catalina Morgan 440

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The Catalina 445

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