Beneteau 42CC, the Center Cockpit With a Convertible Stern

Why Beneteau drew a new 42CC

When the Beneteau 42CC (Oceanis 42 CC in Europe) went into production, Beneteau's center cockpit line already covered 36 to 44 ft. Yachting World's Tim Thomas reported that the boat began building in the November before his test and was originally meant to replace the more conventional Oceanis 40 CC. Demand for the 40 CC held up, so Beneteau kept both and said it would let the market decide, while planning to build about 80 of the 42s a year. Yachting Monthly's test report dates from July 2002, and sailboatdata records US boats from 2003 to 2007.

Beneteau USA sold it as the 42 Center Cockpit, a Groupe Finot design it described as a classy bluewater passagemaker with a striking classic transom. Beneteau's heritage site credits Jean-Marie Finot as naval architect. Do not confuse it with the 2026 Oceanis 42, a modern aft cockpit Marc Lombard design that shares only the number.

The counter stern and its hidden platform

Walk up to a 42CC and the first thing you notice is the tall counter stern and the long aft deck. It looks retro, but it hides the boat's big idea. The central section of the aft deck slides back to reveal steps, and the middle panel of the transom folds down to form a bathing platform. On Yachting World's test boat this was driven by a hydraulic power pack with a remote handset, and Beneteau USA listed the hydraulic boarding platform with remote control as an option over a standard unfolding transom with a teak-laid gangway.

The aft deck also provides deep lockers on each side for lines, fenders and gas bottles, and a sunbathing area. The drawback, in Yachting World's view, was aesthetic: the large stern makes the rig and the cockpit look set well forward and gives the hull rather chunky lines. Yachting Monthly called it a high-volume hull with plenty of space and good stowage.

Steering from the bulkhead

The standard steering position is unusual. Beneteau USA's equipment list specifies a hydraulic wheel mounted on the forward starboard cockpit bulkhead, with the engine controls beside it, and lists pedestal steering at the aft end of the cockpit as an option. Yachting World found the bulkhead wheel strange and said it would choose the aft helm, which also puts the mainsheet within reach. The magazine noted that the arrangement appeals to sailors converting from motor cruisers.

All 42CC boats have hydraulic steering, and Yachting World reported that cable steering was not available because of the difficulty of running cables to the quadrant. Its test boat was hard to hold in a straight line below 5 or 6 knots, which was later traced to air in the hydraulic lines. Any boat you consider should have its steering bled and serviced, and should be sea-trialed at low speed as well as at cruise.

Yachting World's numbers under power and sail

With the standard 55 hp Volvo, the test boat reached 8.8 knots at 3,000 rpm and cruised at just under 8 knots at a little over 2,000 rpm, quietly enough below decks. A 75 hp Yanmar was optional, which Yachting World thought unnecessary.

In a steady 10 knot breeze the 42CC was easy to handle on all points of sail. It made about 6.5 knots on a close reach, its best point, and pushed to windward at a shade over 5 knots, which the reviewer considered promising for a heavy, voluminous hull in light conditions. Yachting Monthly summed it up as a big, comfortable boat whose sailing performance is not outstanding but which a small crew can handle easily.

• 8.8 knots at 3,000 rpm with the 55 hp Volvo
• Just under 8 knots at about 2,000 rpm
• About 6.5 knots on a close reach in 10 knots of wind
• A shade over 5 knots to windward in the same breeze

Two suites and a head in the bow

Below, the layout is built around two private cabins, each with its own head. The aft owner's cabin has a large berth, good cupboard stowage, a dressing table and an ensuite head that runs along the starboard side under the cockpit molding, with a separate shower. The forward cabin is offset to starboard, which frees the bow for a second head on the centerline. Yachting World liked that, because a head on the centerline is easier to use when heeled on passage.

The saloon is the compromise. Yachting World called it small and square, with plenty of headroom and enough room for a family around the table, while the galley runs fore and aft in the passage beside the cockpit molding. The chart table faces forward and has a long hull port above it for light. Beneteau USA listed a convertible saloon double berth as an option.

An engine room you can crawl into

Lift the companionway steps, which ride on strong gas rams, and the engine looks hard to reach. The real access is through a large panel from the aft cabin, which opens into an engine space with crouching headroom. Yachting World said there was room for a watermaker, generator and air conditioning, and Beneteau USA listed space for a generator as standard. Few 42 footers offer access this good.

Fuel capacity is 63 gallons and water about 143 to 153 gallons depending on the year's spec sheet, with an 11 gallon water heater. Mast height above the water is listed at 52 ft 7 in, which is low for a boat this size and convenient on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Shopping for a Beneteau 42CC for sale

Expect most Beneteau 42CC for sale listings in the US to ask $120,000 to $185,000 in 2026, with later boats and those with pedestal steering, a generator and the hydraulic platform at the top. Budget $11,000 to $22,000 a year to run one, more if the boat carries a generator and air conditioning.

Because center cockpit buyers are a smaller pool, a well-priced boat sells, but an overpriced one can sit for a long time. Use that to your advantage, and spend part of the savings on servicing the hydraulic steering and transom systems.