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The
day I tested the boat in the shadow of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was fair
indeed. Light winds out of the south hardly disturbed the water’s
surface, which shimmered under a cloudless sky that came right into the
Rock Harbor’s pilothouse. Let me explain. High and aft of amidships
to afford good visibility and an agreeable distance from waves that might
break over the bow in foul weather, the pilothouse is—for lack of
a better expression—convertible. At the press of a button nearly
half of the overhead slides quietly forward, opening the helm, as well
as the portside L-shape settee and table, to the sky. If you also open
the door directly aft of the helm and the 2'x2' window on the port side
aft, you have the feeling of steering amid the elements.
The
open pilothouse made it easy for me to record an acceleration curve. I
just doffed my boat shoes, stood on the settee, aimed my radar gun forward,
and literally shot through the roof. Our test boat’s single 370-hp
Cummins 370B-M propelled the semiplaning hull from idle to a top speed
of 21.6 mph at 3000 rpm in about 23 seconds, impressive, I thought, for
a single-engine 33,000-pound boat.
Skippers
accustomed to the responsiveness of twin-screw vessels will have to adjust
to the handling of the Rock Harbor. At cruising speed I tended, at first,
to oversteer a bit. But it didn’t take long to become comfortable
with this passagemaker’s leisurely pace. I was aided in this by
the rudder indicator at the helm, which was also equipped with a Simrad
GPS, depthsounder, speed log, and VHF radio. In close-quarters maneuvering,
as Garret Cohen, director of Neptunus Yachts at Bay Bridge Marina, adeptly
demonstrated, the 42 will respond precisely to a patient, deliberate combination
of engine power and bow thruster. For added finesse, a stern thruster
is optional.
A good
look at the Rock Harbor’s interior convinced me that her designers
understand that a boat built for long voyages has to be as livable as
she is sturdy. The area of the pilothouse forward of the helm—also
the site of the companionway— extends over the central space below
by three feet and lends an exceptional feeling of spaciousness to the
42. If you’re seated in the saloon at the forward end of the large
starboard-side settee that partly encircles a richly finished table, your
view extends up into the pilothouse, past the helm, and if the sunroof
is open, into endless sky. Great natural light flows in through high,
oblong, four-foot-long, double-pane (as are all onboard) windows above
deck, and smaller oval ports at eye level provide views. It is truly a
roomy space where five or six people can congregate without feeling confined.
The
port-side galley aft of the saloon is also spacious, with nearly 14 square
feet of Corian countertop and a Bosch Eurostyle four-burner stove above
a dishwasher. Hidden behind the rich paneling you’ll find a single-unit
washer/dryer, convection/microwave, and Whirlpool refrigerator/freezer
with almost the same volume as those in most homes.
With
three staterooms—a master toward the stern, a twin-berth midcabin
to starboard, and a guest stateroom at the bow—the 42 can comfortably
sleep six. But for voyages of more than a few days, you probably should
consider a complement of no more than four. Each stateroom has a generous
hanging locker and various cabinets, but only the one at the bow provides
additional stowage beneath the berth. (The 300-gallon freshwater tank
claims that space in the master.) A pair of couples could use the midcabin
for any overflow of personal belongings. One couple alone onboard would
have scads of extra space.
For
stowage of general items, the saloon is lined at head level with cherry
cabinets, and space beneath four of the five large sections of the starboard
settee can hold volumes. Cabinets suspended at head level above the countertops
line both sides of the galley, and beneath the teak and holly sole there
are three bins designed to stow 50 bottles of wine, but which can also
be used for a similar volume of more practical goods.
Other
features encouraging long-range voyaging in any climate include ample
stowage in the single (but roomy) head with shower, a 6.5-kW Onan genset
with soundshield in the storage room at the stern, a chilled-air system
with four handlers, and backup freshwater pumps for both the main system
and shower.
A sitting
area aft of the wheelhouse and a sunpad forward large enough for three
will entice you above decks in clement weather. Wide side decks and sturdy
stainless steel rails at waist level make getting around up here effortless.
Although
the 42 certainly has elegance—cherry varnished to a high gloss and
quality details abound—certain aspects of her design will require
accommodating temperaments. The main access to the engine compartment,
for example, is through a 3'x5' heavily insulated pull-out panel in the
galley. (Access to the starboard side of the Cummins is through screwed-on
panels in the midcabin bulkhead.) Any time the engine needs maintenance,
noise, smell, or a clutter of tools on the galley floor will compromise
the onboard quality of life.
But
I think Neptunus intends this small ship for intrepid voyagers who are
unlikely to be troubled by periodic inconveniences. The 42 is a boat sure
to appeal to those with an appreciation for adventure as well as comfort.
She’s designed for extremes. On one hand there is the storm you’ll
hopefully never encounter; on the other, there are the fair skies you’ll
enjoy again and again.
Neptunus
Yachts (410) 604-3111. Fax: (410) 604-0695. www.neptunusyachts.com.
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