Could a Jeanneau 42DS take you round the world safely?

[Neil_Y]

I have to agree with boguing, it is how you drive the boat which decides safety in most cases, some boats you can push harder some you back off or heave to earlier. Some will run with a big sea on a broad reach others will get bogged down and waves will break over the stern.

We were in a nasty piece of wheather once where a Nich 55 got pooped and scared the crew enough for them to get off at the next port, we sat out two nights hove to in relative comfort in the same storm, we were in a 41' Bav.

The only reason I don't like the 42DS is we went faster upwind when sailing next to one in the Caribbean. For a world cruise much of the sailing is in light winds as well so have a boat with a good sized sail plan is one of my choices, you can always reef but you can't put up a bigger mast!

 

[jonic]

I have to agree with boguing, it is how you drive the boat which decides safety in most cases, some boats you can push harder some you back off or heave to earlier. Some will run with a big sea on a broad reach others will get bogged down and waves will break over the stern.

We were in a nasty piece of wheather once where a Nich 55 got pooped and scared the crew enough for them to get off at the next port, we sat out two nights hove to in relative comfort in the same storm, we were in a 41' Bav.

The only reason I don't like the 42DS is we went faster upwind when sailing next to one in the Caribbean. For a world cruise much of the sailing is in light winds as well so have a boat with a good sized sail plan is one of my choices, you can always reef but you can't put up a bigger mast!

I sailed in company with a 42DS in the Caribbean to Florida and outsailed it on every point of sail in my Moody 38.

 

[bbg]

What a load of tosh.

There are very few designs that couldn't safely circumnavigate - treated appropriately.

+1

 

[jonic]

+1

But some will do it better than others

 

[bbg]

But some will do it better than others

"Better" is subjective. For some, "better" will mean the ability to entertain half a dozen other cruisers three nights a week. For some it will mean the ability to accomodate another couple (or two) for long legs. For some it will mean the ability to cope with dirty weather for days on end.

The question in the title is whether the 42DS could circumnavigate safely. I have never sailed one, but if this is by the tradewinds route, the answer is almost certainly "yes". Almost any 40+ footer could, if managed properly. Even going into the Southern Ocean, the answer is still almost certainly "yes", if properly equipped and handled.

The OP asked three other questions:
However, how good would this be in a gale ? I don't know. I've never sailed one. But at 42 feet it is becoming a pretty substantial boat, so will probably cope better than a lot of (most?) 32 footers, whatever their provenance.
Are they well built? Again, I haven't sailed this particular model, but Jeanneau must be doing something right to sell the numbers they do. And "well built" is again subjective.
Would this make a good liveaboard? Judging by the pictures, I would hazard a guess that it would make an astoundingly good liveaboard.

I note with interest that a lot of people plumped for the HR instead of the 42DS without knowing how big the HR is ...

 

[Tigerboy]

Off topic , the 45.2 can be sailed offshore ?.