1982 Whitby 42

Step aboard and you’ll notice how dry and secure this hull feels, with that substantial bulwark and deep, protected cockpit that ketch cruisers love. The Whitby 42’s center cockpit layout gives you a true “owner’s cabin” aft, separated enough from the saloon to feel private on longer stays aboard. Storage is where this boat quietly shines—deep lockers, smartly placed cubbies, and generous tankage turn months of provisioning into a non-event. The ketch rig keeps sail sizes manageable if you’re shorthanded, while the boat’s easy motion at sea has earned it a loyal following among liveaboards and passagemakers. It’s a sailor’s boat first, but with just enough comfort and warmth to keep non-sailors happy too.

For an inland-based sailor, a Whitby 42 makes a lot of sense. The shallow-ish full keel and skeg-hung rudder are forgiving when you’re learning local channels and lake bottoms, yet the boat is fully capable of heading offshore when you’re ready to stretch its legs. Having a serious bluewater hull on protected waters means you can refine systems, upgrade at your pace, and truly get to know the boat before committing to longer passages. The ketch rig is flexible across the light-air days and squall lines common on large lakes, and the roomy interior turns weekend escapes or dockside living into something that feels more like a small floating home than a typical 42-footer.