Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS Buyer's Guide

Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS, the GLS idea at full size

When the Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS arrived it was the flagship of the builder's new day boat series, an expansion of the concept that started with the 38 GLS. The brief was to take everything owners liked about the smaller boat, the open single-level deck, the Beach Door and a real cabin, and scale it up to a hull with a 12 foot 11 inch beam. Cruisers has since added a 50 GLS above it, but the 42 remains the sweet spot of the range for many buyers.

It is aimed squarely at families and groups who spend their boating time at anchor, at the sandbar or running between waterfront restaurants. The cabin sleeps four, but the deck is the point. BoatTest counted three main gathering areas, all on the same level, which is what makes the boat feel so much bigger than a traditional 42 foot express.

Two Beach Doors instead of one

Where the 38 GLS has a single Beach Door, the 42 has two, one on each side of the stern. Each lowers hydraulically into a platform, and with both down BoatTest measured the cockpit growing by 35 inches. A stainless gate closes the passage from the stern into the cockpit on the port side.

The aft lounge is 7 feet 6 inches wide and split by backrests that let passengers face forward or aft at the same time. The backrests also pivot 90 degrees, so someone can sit and face the open door while children swim, which is the kind of small detail that makes a difference over a long summer.

Bow lounge, raised bar and a cockpit galley

The bow is a large U-shaped lounge with a table that converts to a sunpad, Rockford Fosgate speakers and plenty of cupholders. An optional foredeck shade keeps it usable at midday, and we would treat it as essential in southern waters.

Amidships, a U-shaped dinette faces a raised wet bar with two swivel bar stools. The galley has a fiberglass inlay sink, refrigerator, bottle storage and an optional grill and television. It is a layout built for hosting, with the cook facing the guests rather than standing with their back to them.

Under the hardtop the average headroom is 6 feet 11 inches, so tall guests are comfortable standing at the bar. An electrically operated Webasto Series 80 sunroof opens the center of the top at the push of a button.

A helm with room to grow

The test boat had two 12 inch Simrad multifunction displays set in a panel sized for 16 inch units, so upgrading later is straightforward. Radar is optional, there is a conductive phone charging pad, and an optional icemaker lives under the bolster helm chair. Joystick piloting is standard with the outboard packages.

As on the smaller GLS, BoatTest recommended swapping the joystick and the trim tab buttons for a more natural reach. The review also noted that the joystick on the delivery boat needed minor calibration, a reminder to have the dealer verify the system during commissioning or survey.

Belowdecks for four

A sliding hatch to port of the helm, with a bug screen behind it, opens to the cabin. A microwave and convection oven and a refrigerator come standard beside the companionway steps, with the television optional. Forward is a U-shaped dinette with good seated headroom whose table lowers to form a berth.

Aft, the stateroom has a berth set athwartships under the cockpit, with reading lights, storage and an inclined backrest for watching TV. Headroom there is seated only, which is typical of a mid-cabin on a boat with a flush cockpit above. The head has standing headroom, a sink and a shower, with storage behind the mirror and under the sink.

It is a cabin for a couple overnight or a family on a weekend, not for two couples on a week-long trip. Buyers who need two private cabins should look at a cabin-first design such as a Regal 38 XO or a Sea Ray Sundancer.

From triple Verados to twin V12s

Early 42 GLS OB boats were offered with triple Mercury Verados from 350 to 450 hp, and Cruisers quoted a top speed of 52 mph with the triple 400 hp package. The current specification lists twin Mercury Verado V12 600 hp outboards with Joystick Piloting and a top speed of 53 mph.

The twin V12 configuration is quieter at the transom, frees up swim platform space between the motors and benefits from the V12's two-speed transmission and steerable gearcase. Triple 400s are lighter to buy and service individually, and parts and technicians are easier to find. Either way the boat is fast enough, so choose on service support in your area and on how the stern will be used.

A sterndrive 42 GLS is also listed, at 41 feet 9 inches overall, about 24,000 pounds and with a 290 gallon tank. It suits fresh water owners who want a clean transom, but outboard boats are far more common on the market.

What testing did and did not show

BoatTest's 2021 test boat had triple 400 hp Verados and weighed about 24,710 pounds with roughly 197 gallons of fuel and no water. Poor weather stopped a full speed run, so Cruisers supplied its own numbers: 52.1 mph, about 45 knots, at 6,850 rpm, and a cruise of 38 mph, about 33 knots, at 5,000 rpm on 41 gph, for a range of around 336 statute miles.

The reviewers still got a feel for the hull in rough water. It showed some hull slap above cruise speed but settled into a comfortable ride when throttled back, and it stayed level in beam seas. Treat the builder's fuel figure as a best case, and expect real-world cruise burn somewhat higher with a full load.

Seakeeper 6 and the machinery bay

On the outboard boat, the compartment that would hold sterndrive engines opens on electro-hydraulic rams. BoatTest found an optional Seakeeper 6 mounted centrally, trim tab and triple power steering pumps to starboard, an automatic fire suppression system, three start batteries and two house batteries. A gyro is the most valuable option on this boat, because a beamy, flat-decked day boat rolls uncomfortably at anchor in a wake-heavy anchorage.

What a used 42 GLS costs to keep

Running costs are those of a small yacht. Budget roughly $55,000 to $100,000 a year before depreciation, covering a slip for a boat that needs about 44 feet with the motors tilted, insurance on a seven figure hull, outboard service, gyro maintenance, bottom paint and fuel. At 40 gph or more at cruise, fuel alone can top $15,000 for an active season.

Used boats from 2020 and 2021 now start around $600,000, while late boats with twin V12s and full options approach $1.2 million. MarineMax ownership of Cruisers keeps trade-in flow steady, which supports resale.