# JENNEAU 42ds,vs Catalina 42,vs Benneteu423,vsBavaria42



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I am in the process of looking at all these boats(new only). Looking to compare price,quality,resale value, sailing abilitites


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

[No message]


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Any opinions


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I THINK what you are saying is "I have $300k to spend and want a new 42 foot sailboat, what should I buy?" At least that is what it sounds like. These are all coastal production cruisers and I think are quite different. The Jeanneau DS42 is a new design and the Cat 42 is a very old design. The new Jeanneaus are simmilar in build quality to the Benneteau because they are owned by the same company. The Bennes are built in the US however as is the Cat. Bavaria is rather odd to me, sail drive (which I don''t really like) and a unique hull construction. i don''t see much difference in reasale vallue except the Jeanneau would probably be best if fitted out properly. The problem with Jeanneau and Benneteau are they tend to be fitted toward the charter trade, simple to sail but not very good at it. i.e. furling main sail and shoal draft. My impression of Catalina is that they fit out the boats nicely but are poorly built in other areas. Have you looked at Elan or Dufour?

It might help if you let us know what your experience is, why you want a 42 footer and how you intend to use the boat.


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

Everybody has their own opinion and nobodies opinion is the wrong one. 

The reason I say this is that for me, cruising short handed, I have absolutley no problem sacrificing sail shape for ease of sailing. I sail a boat with a furling mainsail and the ease of shorthanded sailing is worth the compromise. I find that if I move the traveler to windward and adjust the leach line I have nice sail shape. I love my set up. I don''t have a five man crew to help raise and trim sails. 

Also, depending on the waters where the boat will be used, shoal draft may be a very important concideration. Not everybody sails in deep waters, secluded anchorages may require a shallow draft boat. 

How the boat is to be used? That is the key.

These boats are all cruisers, thats what they were built for, not to set speed records.

On onother note: my philosophy was to find a slightly used boat. Me personaly, I would not buy new boat. (Thats just my opinion) 

I found a slightly used boat and saved thousands of dollars versus buying new. All the electronics were already installed and the boat is broken in, no new boat surprises.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thanks for the comments. The boat willl be used for weekend and weeklong sailing. I believe that the Jenneau DS will have a better resale than the CATALINA (15) year old model! Also the Jenneau has very good headroom in rear cabin . I will not be competing with 4000 boats when and if I sell the Jenneau! As far as new I have had enough with used boats that are loaded with electronics that are worth nothing if the boat is over three years old. Also new allows me to do it my way! Mabe not the best for saving money but it is just my own thing . So the new vs Old is not really part of my decision


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Can anybody give suggestions on battery and amp miminmum for a 42


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Let''s see if responded to the right posting this time... 

If you are serious about the boats you listed, then you definitely owe it to yourself to have a real close look at the Dufour 40.

I fell in love with this boat and hope to own one some day. It has the build quality, design, construction technique, interior layout (which is beautifully finished), safety and performance all in one nice package. There are also several layout options enabling you to semi-customize the boat. 

All lines on this boat don’t just go to the cockpit; they go to about a half arms reach of the helm. Look up single handed sailing in the dictionary and you should find this boat. 

There was one at the Chicago Sail show last week priced under 300K. They build a 44 as well that looks very attractive. 

Cheers,
Steve


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## h20ski (Jun 7, 2003)

*look closely*

be careful with the Jeanneau 42DS- they charge extra for things like the spring cleats, etc... (stuff you would normally have standard on other boats). Also the tankage seems very small and there is hardly any ease to "customize" your boat. I would indeed look closely at the Bavaria or the Elan- great boats. The Elan 434 and 384 seem particularly well built and loaded- very good value.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

*Drop keels*

Bavaria seems to have had some problems recently with keels dropping off. You may want to drop them from your list.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I looked at dufour,benneteau,catalina,hunter at the miami boat show. I think the Jenneau 42DS has them beat! Wanted to see Elan but no boat there to see. I dont even see a west coat dealer! So I guess service would be a problem. The people at Jenneau America were very nice even though this does not seem to be the opinion of most here


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

H2Oski,

"...they charge extra for things like the spring cleats, etc... (stuff you would normally have standard on other boats)..." If by spring cleat, you mean a cleat located amidships for securing spring lines, don't knock any builder for that ommission, my CS 36T is the only boat I've ever seen that has a factory-installed spring cleat, fabricated with a bale to prevent sheet fouling. Some other builder may have gotten to this sophistication, but not that I've noticed - who do you have in mind?

MDRSAILSMAN - Cat may be more common, but I'd also bet it'll be easier for re-sell based on buyer recognition. as to the Bene and Jennie, be sure they don't try to foist any steel keels onto you, they'll be a maintenance nightmare in no time. My advice is bend your rules a bit and for the same money, consider models a few years old, or a few feet shorter of better quality boats like Tartan, JBoat and Sabre You'll find a much more attractive product for your money.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

H20

Thanks for the info. I need to buy new for financial reasons but thanks for the suggestion.


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

MDRSAILMAN said:


> H20
> 
> Thanks for the info. I need to buy new for financial reasons but thanks for the suggestion.


MDRSailsman,

I guess you might take a look and see if you'd get "more" boat for your money with a Tartan 3700 or a Sabre 386 than you would with a Jenneau 42 ....There's a lot "more" to a boat than a couple of extra feet of at each end. Hey, those extra feet really arn't a very useable part of a boat anyway...

If you haven't I'd suggest you at least take a look, so you appreciate the differences...Buying a new boat is a wonderful opportunity, and I hope you don't limit your choices by a big is better perspective...This as close as I'll get to being the first owner of a boat...

Good luck.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

H20

tell my wife a few inches does not matter


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## David B (Feb 16, 2006)

*What about Hunter?*

Hi all,

I am in a similar situation - keep looking at the pro's and con's of the 'big name' boats that are in the affordable league. The Hunters (41/44) keep attracting our attention, so am wondering why this manufacturer seems to have been discounted. I am all ears in wanting to learn of others perspectives regarding a nice blue-water boat (definitely needs to be able to do some serious sailing - not just a 'coastal hopper'.

Regards,

David


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Most builders target a specific audience for their product. It seems, in my view at least, that the big name, high volume builders are more geared to the casual sailor, who spends more time at rest, than in motion. Particularly in a marina. Hence, their emphasis is on creature comforts, most of which require electricity.

Then you have boats such as Valiant and Pacific Seacraft, for example, that are targeted to bluewater passagemaking. The main thing is to determine what you are going to do, and buy a boat that will accomplish that. And that may just be the hardest part of buying a boat. Realistic expectations of use.

Also, don't forget....you are the one that has to live with your choice, not those who give opinions. By all means seek others opinion's, it can be a valuable help in deciding, but choose YOUR boat, not theirs.

John


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

In response to Hunter question I can only tell you what I see! At my marina there are 16 Hunters for sale. They have been for sale for a long time! Two of my friends own Hunters and the decision was made to buy them from the wife who liked the comforts. My concern is that the Hunter is not a good resale. I have sailed on them and was not impressed. That does not mean it will not work for you. Many Many Hunters are sold so they do attract a folllowing. You owe it to yourself to look on yachtword and see the high number of these boats for sale. But if the wife says Hunter or nothing its better than no boat at all. I agree with the above posting. Decide how you will use the boat!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

PBZEER good advice


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

David B said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am in a similar situation - keep looking at the pro's and con's of the 'big name' boats that are in the affordable league. The Hunters (41/44) keep attracting our attention, so am wondering why this manufacturer seems to have been discounted. I am all ears in wanting to learn of others perspectives regarding a nice blue-water boat (definitely needs to be able to do some serious sailing - not just a 'coastal hopper'.
> 
> ...


My father and I are looking at the same boats as the original poster, but also including Hunter and Delphia. However, Hunter dropped from our list after the Miami boat show. Their build quality is seriously lacking with regard to hatches and other external items. When tried to open a hatch on the swim platform and it would barely open because of scraping against the swim ladder. When we tried to open a hatch in the cockpit, even the saleswoman couldn't open it because of scraping against the next hatch. We also noticed the engine room cover (stairs) are not even latched down and were a pain to get back into the groove. We are not looking at Hunters anymore.


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

David B.

_Note: you asked, the following is my opinion_!
You hear disparaging of Hunters because in general while Hunter sells the lowest cost boats, they cutting enough corners to still make a good profit on them. The cut corners typically are things whose importance may only apparent over time or initially to an experienced eye. So Hunters float at the bottom of the boating food chain, providing starter boats for newbies who, as they learn from their ownership, either move onto better-made boats, or drop out of sailing altogether.

Now some people may say I'm blowing smoke, but I offer the following link as a good example of what I speak, read and see if you get the drift:
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatreviews/hunter28.htm

Good luck.


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## windship (May 4, 2002)

[.

On onother note: my philosophy was to find a slightly used boat. Me personaly, I would not buy new boat. (Thats just my opinion)

I found a slightly used boat and saved thousands of dollars versus buying new. All the electronics were already installed and the boat is broken in, no new boat surprises.[/quote]

And if you are concerned witrh resale, with a new boat, you will suffer upon resale so why not buy a quality boat 2 to 5 years old or even more and break even after owning. Do you HAVE to have a new boat and why? You could get away from the hunterbenelinas and get say a Sabre, Hallberg or another high quality boat be happy AND save ALOT of money.

Dennis


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

As far as Hunter bashing goes, this has been a favorite pastime for many sailors for years. And as far as resale goes I think you will find a ton of Beneteaus, Catalina's, O'days, etc as well as Hunters. Personally I think that has something to do with the numbers of boats made. They are all production boats and not custom or semi custom. The other aspect that enhances the image of inferior quality is as the previous poster said experience with one of the boats years ago. Times change and so do the conditions of the boats. I will say that after buying 2 Hunters I hold no such prejudices. I now have a Hunter deck salon and this is one impressive boat for many reasons with sailing being one of them. Equipment used in the build is top quality and the very few small warranty issues that we have had (like a draw not latching properly have been taken care of right away.) The reason I bring this up is that a friend of mine who bought a brand new Catalina 400 had the boat delivered and discovered that none of the hoses or plumbing had been installed properly. He had to go through quite a process to get the dealer and company to correct it. There is not one boat in the world that is perfect and so called "higher end" boats have problems also. It would be my suggestion to spend some time on each of the boats that you are considering and see how closely it meets your requirements and expectations. I am not saying that a Hunter is definitely for you but I also would not dismiss it on someone elses recommandation. I can only tell you that I own a beautiful boat that not only turns heads whereever she goes but sails like a demon! ;-)


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

jeanneau owners network - 42 DS - First Sailing Impressions

Click on this link! Interesting comments


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Pleased*

I know this may be hard to belive but so far Jenneau USA has been more responsive than Catalina that is 140 miles from my house!


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## max-on (Mar 30, 2004)

MDRSAIlMAN:

In my opinion I prefer high build quality and sailing performance over that offered by the mass production builders, which seem to treat those qualities as third or fourth priorities. Ask any sailor, build quality and performance equal safety, with my family on board, that's what matters.

I find it interesting to watch people at boat shows, everyone focuses on the interior and volume - comfort at the dock. However, under way, everyone stays in the cockpit or on deck b/c going below makes them sea sick. When choosing a boat, one needs to think about how the boat will feel and perform underway, is the cockpit and interior functional at 10-15 deg of heel, its a sail boat, after all.

In addition to considering the Tartan and Sabre, I would also consider the Dehler 39SQ, it's a sailor's sail boat, its a solid, perfectly balanced boat, easily handled by you and your wife, with comfortable performance and a spacious interior. I have looked at and sailed these boats in our boat search and I have been impressed, great sailing characteristics, amazingly comfortable and fuctional cockpit, and a beautiful interior. There is one in stock at www.dehler.us which you should check out.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Dehler 36 is a nice boat. I dont however have another $100,000. This boat is 400,000 after options and tax.


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## max-on (Mar 30, 2004)

MDRSAILMAN said:


> Dehler 36 is a nice boat. I dont however have another $100,000. This boat is 400,000 after options and tax.


I do not know from where you are getting you figures the Dehler 36 SQ and 39 SQ, in sail-away condition, including full options - sails, full raymarine electronics, electric halyard winch, cherry interior (their joinerwork is excellent, best I have see, even compared to a Swan), battery charger, dyform rigging, folding prop, furler, rigid vang, anchor rode/chain, even docklines and fenders, etc, is $225k and $292k, respectively, and I believe there is a promotion going on now, so it may be less.

MDRSAILMAN, I think you should give these a closer look, the D39SQ has a waterline length of those 'longer' boats, and if you sail one, you will instantly be impressed with the performance and the comfort above and below decks, at least I was. Give Jeff at dehler.us a call, he is a straight shooter, a sailor, and anything but a salesman, and he can give you more information and accurate numbers. Or, if you wish, contact me offline.


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## h20ski (Jun 7, 2003)

lok at new Elan 384- seems like a strong, great boat for a very good price.
www.elan-marine.com


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*H20*

Thanks. Elan has no dealer or service support in California


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

MAX ON

Sorry I was talking about the 41DS


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

MAX ON

Sorry I was talking about the 41DS


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## max-on (Mar 30, 2004)

MDRSAILMAN said:


> MAX ON
> 
> Sorry I was talking about the 41DS


No need, I have found that there is a lot of non-accurate information out there, and I just wanted to make sure you had all the facts and the rights prices.

If I may ask, is there a reason for a magic number of 41 ft? Many times boats of similar length overall are very different in fuctional size, longer does not necessarily mean 'better'. I would focus more on proposed use, and on waterline and displacement, although it is very difficult to learn accurate displacement numbers, as the published numbers are often 'design desplacement' or 'light displacement' which may be far off from the actual.


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## h20ski (Jun 7, 2003)

ah, try the master importer in CT- heard thru the grapevine (other chat boards) that there might be a new Elan delaer in California soon.


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## SailinJay (Dec 6, 2002)

*Mid-ship Cleats*

sailing fool--

Re your Feb. 22 posting regarding, Catalina provides midship cleats as standard equipment on the 350. No sheet fouling problems with them, but the sheets do occasionally catch on the windlass.

I am in a marina with similar sized Junneaus and Beneteaus in the slips adjacent to my 350. Catalina's winches, blocks, sheets, traveler, etc., are all larger and more heavy duty than those makes.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Could someone help me decide*

I am also considering a Benneteau 423 to a Jenneau 42DS. What would you buy?


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

MDR... if you will only consider the 4 models you started this thread with...then I think you are right that the Jeanneau is the best overall choice...but I like the Catalina interior better myself. How does your wife vote? How do you feel about supportig the French?? <grin> Can the hull withstand a head butt??


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I had a Catalina for 20 years. I looked at the 42 bur was not happy ith the layout or workmanship. Catalina is still using same tecnology ans style 15 years later. There are about 400 42s for sale so I dee no resale on this boat.Also no queensize berth and the 40 is so low you bang your head if you move. 

Why not support the country that makes the better quality boat. 

My wife loves the new Deck Salon 42. I actually hurt my head when I banged it on the Jenneau and my head made a dent in the Catalina


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

I have owned four Catalinas over the years. They have all been new. I have had warranty issues before and Frank Butler himself called me. Catalina ownership is a pretty tight nitch group and has a very faithful following. You will be enrolled in Mainsheet which is a monthly to bi-monthly magazine which has tech notes, owner discussions, regattas, etc. You will be given the names and contacts of the people who head this up (boat owners, not Catalina employees) where you can email and call for questions, etc. The reason Catalina is so popular is simple: It is a good boat, solid built, and maintains a good resale value.

As far as the 42s go, it has been in production for such a long time becuase it has been so popular. You don't produce boats that don't sell. They have been written up as "classic plastic" by Cruising World and other magazines. The fact that it is still in production today is not a negative... but should be represented as a positive.

I chose a 400 over the 42 because I like the layout and nav better, but there is nothing wrong with the boat. As far as the hoses not being connected (I think that was you), that should have been done in the mfg plant and caught at the dealer. Every manufacturer, including bene and J and Valiant have bad days.

Also, if you are not getting a good representation and friendly following from a Catalina dealer... it is the wrong dealer. You just PM me and I will give you a great person(s) to talk to. 

I am NOT a Catalina dealer and do NOT have anything to do with them. But they are great boats.

On the Bene and Jeauneau notes: They are good boats too. The only reason I did not/have not bought one of them is the way the galley is laid out and did not like the way their storage is laid out. I do think Beneteau in particulair is a very pretty boat on the inside (nicer than Catalina in general). Jeanueau is great too, but I never have really gotten into that whole Euro look. 

This may sound crazy, but let me tell you a great way to decide on a boat... go sit on them. Sit on them for hours. Go down below. Sit in the salon, lay in the bed (if they will let you), look in the cabinets and imagine a household full of crap in there, stand in the head and imagine manuvering in it (and see if you can up it to a household size), lay back in the cockpit and lean against the seats. Does that hurt your back after a while? Crawl down in the lazarette. Do you have a comfortable Nav station? Can you comfortably watch TV (if that is your thing)? Can you comfortably hide away and relax with a good book? Can you install an Air conditioner? Gererator? Water maker? What will that do to your lazarette? WHat about your cabinets inside? 

Those are some of my thoughts. Good luck in your search. It is a really exciting time, so have fun with it.

Fair winds.

PS I have sailed a 42 and it is an awesome boat at sea.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*which 40 ft plus monohull boat to buy*

we have had a jeanneau 1999 sun oddessey 45.2 since new, bought sight unseen in carib for charter then imported to us for private use after 3 yrs. it is a fabulous boat, easy peasy to single hand, sails itself reallu and with crappy sails at that, can even get fun scary downhill with a big asym up, pretty stiff and wonderful to sail, and a gorgeous thing, however i would prefer a racer/cruiser for more speed and more high performance gear and taller rig to really scare myself, also offshore galley instead of charter linear type which can not be safely used offshore. also the u galley gives tremendous amt of more room in cabin - can find these and older ones, which are better built for cheap in the carib- same year 50' wins the cruising division in the transpac

having said this we are going to go to a 55 ft cat for the spaciousness as a winter liveaboard, NOT for sailing ability, we do not intend to go offshore except for delivery purposes.happy now going port to port

have always found sloops to be to rolly in most anchorages unless flat, any swell makes it uncomfortable. Forget St Barts in a sloop. hope this helps


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Sailorgirl - I hope you realize that you just responded to a thread whose last post was over 3 years ago  I prefer Columbier to anchoring outside of Gustavia because it is more sheltered and I don't want to pay the high fees for using the docks at the Promenade.


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