First Boat - Used: Californian?

[BajaCruiser]

After a lot of research, reading, and visiting several different used, in the water brands and models - focused in the 38 to 50 foot range - the Californian 42 or 43 (depending upon the year) appear to check my several boxes: solid reputation, good resale value, twin diesels, roomy layout, separate shower(s), multiple areas to spend time and stretch out (flybridge, front deck, aft cockpit), nice swim platform, ability to fish from the rear cockpit, ability to cruise comfortably and efficiently, seaworthy in open ocean conditions.

So, my question: Would anyone steer me away from buying a Californian 42 or 43 in the 1984 to 1990 period?

 

[DWJensen]

IMO that's a lot of boat for a first. Do you have any experience operating a vessel that size? Another thing to consider is insurance - Have you looked into that? You might find that insurers will be reluctant to cover something that size for a first timer without a requirement of having a professional captain on board.

 

[Comodave]

They are good solid boats. However, in that age range the level of maintenance is more important than brand. If the boat is in good condition then go for it. As said above check for insurance before you sign on the dotted line. I am of the school that says go for the boat you want/need even if it is a big boat. Just take the time and put in the effort to learn how to handle it. It may be that you will need a captain to give you hands on teaching. Besides the insurance company may require it. I don’t believe you need to get a small boat to learn on, sometimes a bigger boat is easier to handle. But remember inertia, so go slow and learn how to handle it. Good luck.

 

[BajaCruiser]

Thank you DWJensen and Comodave. I appreciate greatly your comments and guidance. I haven't yet opened the Pandora's Box of insurance, so I appreciate your "heads-ups" on that topic.

My thinking is in line with Comodave's comments - I want to get "enough boat" to meet my needs. I am a cautious type-A personality, so I would get both book training and hands-on training, and take things very slow to build up my knowledge and experience base.

 

[Comodave]

The first thing you can do is take a boating class from the CG Aux or similar. You may even get a discount on the insurance. Contact an insurance broker and ask what you will need. Pau Hana on this site is a broker.

 

[Slowmo]

Californians are solidly built boats but as with any older boat conditions is all important. Being built in the US (Southern California) they don't have the dodgy fittings sometimes found on older Taiwanese boats. Versus the Grand Banks, the Californians have less deck issues. Interiors use mahogany rather than teak. I have a good friend who has a 42 and loves it. The 43 has a galley down design and the 42 is galley up. I have heard the 43 is known to be 'less stable' in rough seas due to the weight of the hardtop. I don't know how true that is, they may be a bit more roll prone with the extra weight up top but that does not mean the boat isn't 'stable', just that it may move a bit more.

Most Californians I know used Caterpillar 3208 engines, which are a good choice. You do find them with Perkins as well. Obviously Perkins is a venerable name but you'd want to make sure parts are readily available as they're less common than Caterpillar.

One thing about the C42 is that fuel tanks are under the aft berths which makes any replacement dead easy. However, if they're low the boat has a decidedly bow down aspect.

 

[BajaCruiser]

Thank you again. I have already researched and identified CG approved courses, and will be starting down that path.

Slowmo - thank you so much for those specific points about the 42 versus the 43. Those details will help me make the best possible purchase. Seaworthiness is a critical critereon for me, as I plan to eventually do open ocean cruising between land masses and islands.

 

[BajaCruiser]

* criterion

 

[Pau Hana]

Thank you DWJensen and Comodave. I appreciate greatly your comments and guidance. I haven't yet opened the Pandora's Box of insurance, so I appreciate your "heads-ups" on that topic.

My thinking is in line with Comodave's comments - I want to get "enough boat" to meet my needs. I am a cautious type-A personality, so I would get both book training and hands-on training, and take things very slow to build up my knowledge and experience base.

Pandora's Box is being opened...

The insurance component can be a deal killer, so it's good that you're starting your research before agreeing to a contract.

The underwriter will look at the following in evaluating the risk:

• The year, make, and construction of the vessel
• The navigation area
• The ownership experience of the owner
• The operational experience of the owner
• The owner's marine loss history
• ...and more.

A first owned vessel in the 40-50' range will almost certainly require a significant number of training hours onboard the vessel purchased, and may even require a named professional skipper for the first policy term.

Not trying to scare you off, but to educate you to the realities of obtaining coverage (and a process I can walk you thru).

 

[Portage_Bay]

As an owner of an 83 Californian 42 I urge you to carefully define in your own terms seaworthiness. Seaworthiness can be defined as what's safe or what's comfortable. I've had the 42 on the water since Nov 2019 in the PNW. I've not had her out in open water yet. I've not encountered conditions that were unsafe. I have however been in plenty of conditions that were truly unpleasant. In 3 ft seas, wind waves not swell, she'll pound and slam at any speed. And she's got a snappy roll. The ride is uncomfortable enough that my 1st mate gets the look in her eyes that says we need to seek quieter water. And to be honest despite having been to sea most of my life in not very big work boats I'm not too fond of the 42's rough water ride either and happy to get out of it. I've got some experience running coastal deliveries on similar sized boats of other makes. All were safe enough, I'm sure the Californian will be as well. But she sure does pound and slam more than other makes I've had in rough water. Just one opinion, other Californian owners will have theirs.

Thank you again. I have already researched and identified CG approved courses, and will be starting down that path.

Slowmo - thank you so much for those specific points about the 42 versus the 43. Those details will help me make the best possible purchase. Seaworthiness is a critical critereon for me, as I plan to eventually do open ocean cruising between land masses and islands.

 

[BajaCruiser]

Peter - thank you for the guidance regarding expected/potential requirements for obtaining insurance. You are not "scaring me away", just providing necessary insights as I continue to learn. And I have A LOT to learn!

Portage Bay - thank you SO MUCH for your frank perspective. The experiences you describe are directly relevant to my search process. I hope to buy a Florida-based boat, and eventually take it to the Bahamas, around the Caribbean, and perhaps even to the Cayman Islands and Cozumel and perhaps Belize. So, I will certainly face conditions even more challenging than those 3 foot wind waves.

All - Given what has been covered thus far above, does anyone have recommendations for a 40' to 50' trawler or motor yacht that would be a better fit for me? Thanks to all!!

 

[Portage_Bay]

I have very little experience in the SE. One round trip West Palm Beach to Fort Pierce and return on the outside both ways. I can't offer any specific insight into a Californian's seaworthiness Fl to your proposed destinations. I will observe that on the west coast there is typically a swell running, as long as it is long period and no wind chop on top any boat will be safe and give a comfortable ride even in a large swell. When there is more than one swell pattern from different directions and or wind waves on top of the swell(s) it can get very nasty. And of course when wind waves and currents are opposed you can get short breaking seas. From reading others here on TF that is to be considered when dealing with the Gulf Stream.

As noted in a post above the 42's tend to be bow down as you burn fuel which in my experience makes the pounding and slamming more pronounced.

I would ask the TF members with experience making the runs you plan to make what boats have worked well for them. On one level as you look for boats you buy the furniture. That is you buy the comforts you want in the living areas. For a boat destined for open water passages I'd first look for a boat designed and built for the passages I plan on making.

And of course, the caveat that any boat if you're willing to wait out the weather can make any open water passage within it's fuel range.

 

[boomsurf]

We have owned a Californian 42 LRC in So Cal for two years. We have run the boat up the backside (into the breeze and swell) of Catalina in 20-25kt wind with a significant swell. I found it behaved beautifully. It never pounded. We were very comfortable. These boats are very heavily built. I think it is a perfect boat for exploring the Channel Islands which is what we plan to do.

 

[BajaCruiser]

This thread is proving to be so valuable and informative. Thank you all.

I have been told, and have read, that the greatest element of boat ownership is meeting and building relationships with other boat owners and enthusiasts. I feel that I am already starting to do that, and I don't even yet own a boat!!