1979–present · designed by Robert Harris · built by Ta Yang Yacht Building Co.
Heavy-displacement long-fin-keel offshore cruising cutter (with ketch variants). Designed for shorthanded long-distance passagemaking with a seakindly motion in heavy weather. Architecturally a heavier, longer sister to the Tayana 37 — same builder, same design office, same bluewater design philosophy.
This is a general read on the Tayana Vancouver 42 class — informed
background, not a verdict on any individual boat. Condition, refit history,
and how a particular hull was sailed and stored matter far more than class
reputation. Use it to know what to look for; for a read on a specific
listing, run a free FairKeel report on that boat.
Robert Harris hulls have a well-regarded bluewater reputation — same designer and builder lineage as the Tayana 37 but heavier and longer, suiting couples wanting a larger offshore platform.
Cutter rig design supports progressive shortening — single-hand-able rig management in increasing wind without leaving the cockpit.
Active owner community via Tayana Owners Group — institutional knowledge of class-specific issues is well-shared.
Known trade-offs
Yard allowed substantial customer customisation. Interior layout, joinery quality, and systems specification vary materially between hulls — surveyor must assess each example on its own merits.
Below-WL access for through-hull replacement requires cabin sole or settee removal on most hulls. Labour multiplier (1.5-2.0×) for any below-WL work.
Heavy displacement + small auxiliary engine on early hulls — many cruising owners have repowered, but those that haven't are running a tired Perkins under a heavy hull.
Age-related quirks to expect
Teak deck reaching end-of-life by year 30-40 (where fitted)Highhulls fitted with teak decks
Original aluminum fuel tanks on early hulls — pitting + leak risk by year 25-35Medium1979-1990
Yard-to-yard finish variation — Ta Yang allowed customer-specified joinery + interior layoutsMediumall
Original Perkins / Yanmar engines reaching end-of-life — repower commonMedium1979+
Original 1980s-era bronze fittings now at 30-45 years. Replacement cluster can be non-trivial on a heavy Ta Yang hull — cabin sole or settee removal often required for access to deeper bilge fittings.
Original wire + tangs typically due at 25-30 years. Chainplates on Taiwan-built Robert Harris hulls of this era are bolted through teak-clad bulkheads — leak paths around chainplates often hidden behind joinery. Mast is deck-stepped (2026-05-20 architecture correction, Cruising World) — check the deck-step compression post and partners for moisture, not a bilge mast-step.
Teak decks (where fitted) leak progressively as bungs lift and seam caulking ages. Leak paths into core can be hidden for years before moisture meter reveals saturation. Removal-and-glass-over is a legitimate alternative to full re-decking.
How it fits your plans
Offshore
Designed for it. Heavy displacement, long-fin keel, skeg-hung rudder, cutter rig supports progressive shortening — a proven Pacific / Atlantic bluewater platform.
Coastal
Overbuilt for coastal work. Slower than fin-keel boats of the same LOA; not a coastal racer.
Liveaboard
Generous storage and tank capacity. Centre-cockpit aft-cabin variants exist. Below-WL access challenging for DIY maintenance.
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