Review of Hallberg-Rassy 42E

Both the hull and the deck is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season.

The deck is a sandwich construction which improves the indoor climate. Especially when the water is colder than the air in the cabin, then the double hull insulates against cold water and reduce the condense water in the cabin.

The interior is like many other boats made of mahogany. Mahogany belongs to the hardwood species, known for being water-repellent and resistant to decay. It has an attractive wood grain and holds wood polish and varnish well.
The boat is equipped with 2 cabins, 7-9 berths, a galley, 725.0 liter fresh water capacity and toilet facility.

Rig of Hallberg-Rassy 42E anno 1988.

The Hallberg-Rassy 42E is equipped with a ketch rig. A ketch rig is generally considered easier to handle, because the sails are smaller, and because it can sail on most points to the wind with one sail completely taken down for repair or while reefing. The sail configuration of a ketch allows for better comfort and stability when sailing downwind or on a broad reach.

Full keel

The Hallberg-Rassy 42E is equipped with a long keel. A full keel provide a better directional stability than a similar boat with a fin keel; on the other hand, better directional stability means also that the boat is more difficult to handle in a harbour with less space.

The keel is made of iron. Many people prefer lead keel in favour of iron. The main argument is that lead is much heavier than iron and a lead keel can therefore be made smaller which again result in less wet surface, i.e. less drag. In fact iron is quite heavy, just 30% less heavy than lead, so the advantage of a lead keel is often overstated.

The boat can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 2.05 - 2.15 meter (6.73 - 7.03 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

The Hallberg-Rassy 42E has been equipped with different engine alternatives.

Alternative 1:

Hallberg-Rassy 42E may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta TMD 31 diesel engine at 95 hp (70 kW).

The transmission is a shaft drive. A shaft drive will in the long run require less maintenance than other types of drive e.g. a sail drive.

Alternative 2:

The boat may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta MD31A diesel engine at 62 hp (46 kW). The speed is 8.1 knots.

The transmission is a shaft drive. A shaft drive will in the long run require less maintenance than other types of drive e.g. a sail drive.

Alternative 3:

The boat may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta MD21A diesel engine at 75 hp (55 kW).

The transmission is a shaft drive. A shaft drive will in the long run require less maintenance than other types of drive e.g. a sail drive.

The fuel tank, which is made of stainless steel, has a capacity of 395.0 liters (104 US gallons, 86 imperial gallons).

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 7.9 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Hallberg-Rassy 42E is about 265 kg/cm, alternatively 1489 lbs/inch.
Meaning: if you load 265 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1489 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

The l/b ratio for Hallberg-Rassy 42E is 3.42.

What is a Ballast Ratio?

The ballast ratio for Hallberg-Rassy 42E is 41%.

What is Relative Speed Performance?

The Relative Speed Performance for Hallberg-Rassy 42E is 14

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 46m² (495 ft²).
Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Note: If you use a paint roller you will need more paint than if you use a paintbrush.

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Hallberg-Rassy 42E it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us. Criticism helps us to improve.