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Valiant 42Rs
Designer: Robert Perry  ·  Builder: Valiant Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1992
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About the Valiant 42Rs

Robert Perry's design expertise shines through in this robust cutter-rigged cruiser that exemplifies Valiant's commitment to serious offshore sailing. Built by Valiant Yachts USA starting in 1992, the 42Rs represents a thoughtful evolution of the proven Valiant formula, combining seaworthiness with comfortable cruising accommodations. The hull features Perry's signature moderate displacement design with a fin keel and rudder mounted on a protective skeg, providing excellent directional stability while maintaining good performance. With a displacement of 25,000 pounds and 9,500 pounds of ballast, the 42Rs offers the substantial feel that serious cruisers demand for extended offshore passages. The cutter rig configuration provides exceptional sail handling versatility, allowing crews to easily adjust sail plan for varying conditions. This setup, combined with the boat's conservative sail area to displacement ratio of 14.9, makes the 42Rs particularly well-suited for shorthanded sailing and long-distance cruising. Valiant's reputation for building bullet-proof offshore cruisers is well-represented in the 42Rs, which features solid fiberglass construction throughout. The boat's comfort ratio of 35.44 and capsize screening value of 1.75 indicate a design optimized for safety and livability during extended ocean crossings rather than racing performance.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 42.00 ft / 12.80 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 34.50 ft / 10.52 m
Beam 12.75 ft / 3.89 m
Max Draft 6.00 ft / 1.83 m
Displacement 25,000.00 lb / 11,340 kg
Ballast 9,500.00 lb / 4,309 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 793.00 ft² / 73.67 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Robert Perry
Builder Valiant Yachts (USA)
First Built 1992
Related Sailboats Valiant 42 · Passport 42 · Swan 42 · Tartan 42 · Niagara 42
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Known Issues & What to Watch For

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 14.9
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 38
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 271.79
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 35.44
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.75
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.87 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.79
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,571.72 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 14.89
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 52.63 ft / 16.04 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 17.58 ft / 5.36 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 47.13 ft / 14.37 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
SA Fore 462.62 ft² / 42.98 m²
SA Main 329.91 ft² / 30.65 m²
SA Total (100%) 792.53 ft² / 73.63 m²
Est. Forestay Length 55.49 ft / 16.91 m
Mast Height (DWL) 57.70 ft / 17.59 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Westerbeke or Volvo
Engine Type Diesel
Fuel Capacity 85 gals / 322 L
Water Capacity 219 gals / 829 L
How It Compares

vs. Niagara 42, Passport 42, Swan 42, Tartan 42, Valiant 42

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Valiant 42Rs ★
42.0 ft
Niagara 42
42.0 ft
Passport 42
42.0 ft
Swan 42
42.0 ft
Tartan 42
42.0 ft
Valiant 42
42.0 ft
LWL
Valiant 42Rs ★
34.5 ft
Niagara 42
32.5 ft
Passport 42
34.8 ft
Swan 42
33.8 ft
Tartan 42
32.0 ft
Valiant 42
34.5 ft
Beam
Valiant 42Rs ★
12.8 ft
Niagara 42
12.8 ft
Passport 42
12.8 ft
Swan 42
13.0 ft
Tartan 42
12.3 ft
Valiant 42
12.8 ft
Displacement
Valiant 42Rs ★
25 lbs
Niagara 42
19 lbs
Passport 42
25 lbs
Swan 42
22 lbs
Tartan 42
22 lbs
Valiant 42
24 lbs
Ballast
Valiant 42Rs ★
9 lbs
Niagara 42
8 lbs
Passport 42
9 lbs
Swan 42
9 lbs
Tartan 42
9 lbs
Valiant 42
9 lbs
Sail Area
Valiant 42Rs ★
793 sq ft
Niagara 42
—
Passport 42
764 sq ft
Swan 42
802 sq ft
Tartan 42
758 sq ft
Valiant 42
849 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Valiant 42Rs ★
—
Niagara 42
111 s/nm
Passport 42
132 s/nm
Swan 42
78 s/nm
Tartan 42
114 s/nm
Valiant 42
138 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Valiant 42Rs ★
14.9
Niagara 42
—
Passport 42
14.2
Swan 42
16.4
Tartan 42
15.5
Valiant 42
16.1
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Valiant 42Rs ★
38.0 %
Niagara 42
40.9 %
Passport 42
35.3 %
Swan 42
41.8 %
Tartan 42
—
Valiant 42
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Valiant 42Rs ★
35.4
Niagara 42
—
Passport 42
35.6
Swan 42
30.9
Tartan 42
34.5
Valiant 42
34.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Valiant 42Rs ★
1.75
Niagara 42
—
Passport 42
1.75
Swan 42
1.85
Tartan 42
1.75
Valiant 42
1.76
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Valiant 42Rs ★
271
Niagara 42
257
Passport 42
269
Swan 42
253
Tartan 42
—
Valiant 42
—
Hull Speed
Valiant 42Rs ★
7.9 kts
Niagara 42
—
Passport 42
7.9 kts
Swan 42
7.8 kts
Tartan 42
7.6 kts
Valiant 42
7.9 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Valiant 42Rs ★
1.8
Niagara 42
—
Passport 42
1.7
Swan 42
2.1
Tartan 42
1.6
Valiant 42
1.9
Resources & Community
⚓ Class Association Valiant Owners Association
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