The Rustler 42 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Rustler 42 cutter was designed by Stephen Jones and built in the UK by Rustler Yachts Ltd.

Designed by Stephen Jones, this cutter rigged Rustler 42 sailboat is designed and equipped for ocean cruising.

Note the hanked-on staysail on this Rustler 42 which enables a storm jib to be set when needed.

Published Specification for the Rustler 42

Underwater Profile: Fin and skeg-supported rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 42'0" (12.8m)

Waterline Length: 33'5" (10.2m)

Beam: 13'4" (4.1m)

Draft: 6'2" (1.9m)

Rig Type: Cutter

Displacement: 26,000lb (11,794kg)

Designer: Stephen Jones

Builder: Rustler Yachts Ltd (UK)

Year First Built: 1999

Published Design Ratios for the Rustler 42

Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 17.4

Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 40.0

Displacement/Length Ratio: 309

Comfort Ratio: 35.4

Capsize Screening Formula: 1.8

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Rustler 42

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.4 suggests that the Rustler 42 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 40.0 means that the Rustler 42 will initially stand up reasonably well to her canvas in a moderate breeze, but she'll need a reef in the main to avoid heeling excessively in a gust.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 309, tells us the Rustler 42 is clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline. Not an ideal choice for coastal sailing, but she'll come into her own on an offshore passage in testing conditions.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 35.4 suggests that crew comfort of a Rustler 42 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.8 tells us that a Rustler 42 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.

Rustler 42 Sailboat: A Classic Ocean Cruiser with Modern Style

Are you looking for a sailing boat that combines traditional elegance with modern performance? Do you want a yacht that can handle blue water cruising with comfort and safety? If so, you might want to check out the Rustler 42 sailboat, an iconic ocean cruiser with an encapsulated keel.

The Rustler 42 is a classic-looking yacht that was designed by Stephen Jones and built by Rustler Yachts Ltd. in the UK since 1999. It has a cutter rig, a long fin keel, a skeg-hung rudder and a spacious interior. It is a boat that can take you anywhere in the world, while looking after you and your crew along the way.

In this article, we will give you an overview of the Rustler 42 sailboat, its accommodation, hull and deck, mast and rigging, keel and rudder.

Overview
The Rustler 42 is a boat that has been constantly developed over the years, based on customer feedback and demand. It is a boat that has a loyal following among recreational sailors who appreciate its sea-kindly characteristics, its directional stability, its stiffness and its good load carrying ability.

The Rustler 42 has a length overall of 42 feet (12.81 m), a beam of 13 feet 4 inches (4.06 m) and a draft of 6 feet 2 inches (1.89 m). It has a displacement of 26,000 lbs (11,791 kg) and a ballast of 10,300 lbs (4,671 kg). It has a sail area of 1,135 sq ft (105.44 sq m) with a main sail of 440 sq ft (40.88 sq m), a yankee of 536 sq ft (49.80 sq m) and a staysail of 179 sq ft (16.63 sq m).

The Rustler 42 has a Nanni N4.50 diesel engine with 50 hp and a 100 amp alternator. It has a fuel capacity of 60 gallons (227 liters) and a water capacity of 120 gallons (454 liters). It has a stainless steel stemhead fitting with bronze rollers, a stainless steel pulpit and pushpit, Andersen winches and Furlex furling gear.

The Rustler 42 is available in different versions, such as an owner's version or a charter version. You can also choose from different mast height options, rig options, draft options and cockpit options. You can customize your interior layout, your woodwork, your upholstery and your electronics.

Accommodation
The Rustler 42 has a spacious and comfortable interior that can sleep up to six people in three separate cabins. The interior is finished in high quality teak woodwork with solid teak trims and fiddles. The cabin sole is made of teak and holly plywood with access panels to the bilge.

The forward cabin is the master cabin, with a large double V-berth with storage underneath. It has an ensuite head with shower, sink and marine toilet. It also has a hanging locker, shelves, drawers and a vanity unit with seat.

The main saloon is open plan and features a U-shaped settee to port that can convert into a double berth. It has a large saloon table that can seat eight people comfortably. It also has storage lockers behind the settee, bookcases, bottle storage and lee cloths.

To starboard, there is another settee that can be used as a single berth. There is also a forward facing chart table that can accommodate a folded admiralty chart plus the usual navigation instruments and switches.

The galley is located to port aft of the saloon. It has a gimballed three-burner stove with oven and grill, a top-loading refrigerator with freezer compartment, twin stainless steel sinks with pressurized hot and cold water, ample counter space and storage lockers for pots, pans and provisions.

The aft cabin is located to starboard aft of the chart table. It has standing headroom, a full-width double berth with storage underneath, hanging lockers, shelves and drawers. It also has an access hatch to the cockpit.

The aft head is located to port aft of the galley. It has a shower unit with electric pump out, sink with pressurized hot and cold water, marine toilet and a wet oilies locker.

The Rustler 42 has plenty of ventilation and natural light throughout the interior, thanks to the opening ports, hatches and dorade vents. It also has LED lighting, 12V sockets and 240V shore power outlets.

Hull and Deck
The hull of the Rustler 42 is made of hand-laid fiberglass reinforced polyester (GRP) with Lloyds approved materials. It has a white gelcoat finish with a blue cove line and boot top. It also has a teak rubbing strake with stainless steel capping.

The deck of the Rustler 42 is also made of hand-laid GRP with a balsa core for stiffness and insulation. It has a white gelcoat finish with molded non-slip areas. It also has a teak toe rail and teak laid decks.

The cockpit of the Rustler 42 is spacious and comfortable, with high coamings and good protection from the sprayhood and dodger. It has a single wheel steering system with a leather covered stainless steel wheel, a pedestal with compass, engine controls and instrument pod. It also has a folding cockpit table, cockpit cushions, cockpit lockers and a gas locker.

The deck gear of the Rustler 42 is well laid out and easy to use. It has stainless steel bow and stern cleats, midship cleats, fairleads and chocks. It has a stainless steel stemhead fitting with bronze rollers, an electric anchor windlass with remote control, a self-draining anchor locker with 45 lbs CQR anchor and 200 ft of chain. It also has a stainless steel pulpit and pushpit, stanchions and guardrails, boarding ladder and stern gate.

The Rustler 42 has a spacious foredeck with plenty of room for sunbathing or working on the sails. It has a self-tacking staysail track, two Andersen 28ST mast winches, two Andersen 46ST halyard winches on the coachroof, eight Spinlock clutches and two Lewmar hatches.

The Rustler 42 has a wide side deck with good handholds and easy access to the shrouds. It has two Andersen 58ST sheet winches in the cockpit, two genoa tracks with cars and blocks, two staysail tracks with cars and blocks, two Lewmar hatches and four opening ports.

The Rustler 42 has a large aft deck with an access hatch to the aft cabin, a lazarette locker, an outboard bracket, a stern light and an ensign staff socket.

Mast and Rigging
The mast of the Rustler 42 is made of aluminum alloy with double spreaders. It is keel-stepped for strength and stability. It has an internal conduit for wiring, an LED tricolor light at the masthead, an LED steaming light on the front of the mast, an LED deck light under the lower spreaders and an LED anchor light on the front of the mast.

The rigging of the Rustler 42 is made of stainless steel wire with swaged terminals. It includes a forestay, a cutter stay, forward and aft lowers, cap shrouds and a backstay. The backstay is adjustable with a hydraulic tensioner for fine tuning the sail shape.

The sails of the Rustler 42 are made of high quality Dacron fabric by Sanders Sails. They include a fully battened mainsail with three reefs and a Selden MDS car system, a yankee with UV protection and Furlex furling gear, and a hanked-on staysail with UV protection. The mainsail cover is also included.

The Rustler 42 has a cutter rig as standard, which gives it versatility and balance in different wind conditions. The cutter stay can be tensioned or released with a Highfield lever on the deck. The staysail can be used as a storm jib or as an extra sail when reaching or running.

The Rustler 42 also has options for different mast heights, rig types and sail materials. You can choose from a standard mast (58 ft), a short mast (54 ft) or a carbon fiber mast (56 ft). You can also choose from a sloop rig or a ketch rig. You can also choose from different sail materials such as HydraNet or Spectra.

Keel and Rudder
The keel of the Rustler 42 is a long fin keel with an encapsulated lead ballast. It gives the boat stability, performance and protection from grounding.
The rudder of the Rustler 42 is a skeg-hung rudder with a stainless steel stock. It gives the boat good directional stability and control in all sea states. The rudder is connected to the wheel by cables and pulleys.

The Rustler 42 also has options for different draft versions. You can choose from a standard draft (6 ft 2 in), a shallow draft (5 ft 3 in) or a lifting keel (3 ft 3 in to 7 ft 6 in). The lifting keel version has a hydraulic system that allows you to adjust the keel depth from the cockpit.

Conclusion
The Rustler 42 sailboat is a boat that has it all: classic looks, modern style, performance, comfort and safety. It is a boat that can take you on any adventure, from coastal cruising to ocean crossing. It is a boat that can be customized to suit your preferences and needs.

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.