PROVEN. This Pilot Saloon 42 is a thoroughbred Wauquiez

Before we went to try out Wauquiez’s new Pilot Saloon 42 in Port Grimaud, Côte d’Azur, we asked ourselves a question: what features should such a boat have, designed to sail for a long time, perhaps around the world, or to live aboard? First of all, it must be solid, well-built, and with the highest quality equipment level. Then it must have ample and varied storage space inside, good quality fixtures and a high level of finishing, the latter being indispensable for having interiors that can be lived in 365 days a year. Last, but certainly not least, it must be a boat that can sail well with high seamanship skills.

With these goals, we can say that the Pilot Saloon 42 is a successful boat in the full Wauquiez tradition, a boat that is very “reasoned” in its details, with a high level of attention to detail. And then there’s the Pilot Saloon style, with that raised dimette that allows you to sit comfortably in the saloon at lunch and have a perfect view outward, only possible on this type of boat that features this stylistic detail.

THE SURPRISE IN THE BREEZE

Our arrival in Port Grimaud is on a warm spring day, and the Gulf of Saint Tropez has already “turned on” the thermal from the south: nearly flat water, a few hints of cresting, air around 12 knots, virtually perfect condition also because then we can essay the gait of the new 42 even in typical Mediterranean conditions.

The boat was rigged with a full batten mainsail and an all round cruising jib, in our opinion perhaps a little small in area but still allowing us to sail well. The sizing of the Andersen winches is good, and under these conditions the stresses, being able to use them electrically as well, are low. With 9 to 11 knots of wind, upwind speeds, angle around 45 to 50 degrees, have been between 6 knots and 7.5, speeds reiterated, with a few peaks at 8, even on the narrow reach below Code Zero.

AMAZING STORAGE SPACES

Internally, the boat is what you would expect from a Wauquiez. Valuable stowage spaces, and on this point it should be mentioned that the raised square under the table is entirely usable for stowage, opening up spaces unsuspected at first glance, as well as many small doors perfect for stowing a multitude of things. Indeed, the boat is equipped with a multitude of small compartments, often cleverly concealed, that allow for an almost astonishing volume of stowage. On the subject of the raised square, while there are those who conceptually may not like it-a matter of taste, after all-they emphasize the care that the shipyard took in eliminating all sharp edges of the raised platform in order to avoid unpleasant consequences in the event of a rough sea. We equally appreciated the waxed compartment in what we think is the perfect location: just down the stairs, when we are about to go outside in bad weather we find our clothing within easy reach, when we return we can store it conveniently without wetting other areas of the boat.

Length f.t. 12.99 m

Hall length. 12,80 m

Width 4.34 m

Short dive 1.65 m

Deep dive 2.15 m

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ALL THE ISSUES AND DETAILS OF THE NEW PILOT SALOON 42 IN UPCOMING ISSUES OF THE SAILING NEWSPAPER PRINT EDITION