Quote:
Originally Posted by aclmck
Hi PeterP, thankyou for the comments on the boat , can i ask you a question though, if you didn't own a 400 which would you think you would buy a cheaper 400 or the more expensive 42 |
Hello Almack, what a good question, I am assuming you are referring to either a new 400S2 or a new 42S not a used 400. Well firstly you would have to establish the
current best buy
price you can negotiate on both, then add the cost of the extra’s you require over and above the cost of the standard
boat and there are many to choose from and can easily add A$120K plus to both before you can establish just how much cheaper the
current 400S2 actually is. The two craft are quite different, the L42S has the new set back
mast which effects the rest of finished product such as the
compression post in the middle of the
saloon, a self-tacking
jib, the stairway to access the main sail, an option for a hard top
bimini, you may not like the
compression post in the middle of the
saloon you may prefer a larger
jib etc. etc. There are two main negative in my view on the 42S,
storage and
water. If you want a gen set you lose one
water tank leaving you with only 300 ltr of
drinking water, the obvious solution is a
water maker however a good one is going to cost around A$25K plus the hassle of looking after it and if the
water maker failed when far away from a tap? I did ask some questions re water makers at the show, one manufacture advised 12 volt is fine the other said 240 volt is the only way to go, re the later a gen set is then required. The L400 has the gen set comfortably under a seat in the rear saloon area with two 300 ltr
tanks in the same position up front as the 42S allowing a much more comfortable 600 lts of
drinking water and the gen set, of course delete the gen set from the L42S option list and problem fixed for you but not the next buyer of your boat or if sometime down the track you decide you want a gen set, there is no room to fit one, other than a petrol driven small gen set which are useful but none are as nice as a factory fitted 7 kva
diesel built in, which will run a reverse cycle 45K BTU
air conditioning, run any 240 volt angle grinder, drill etc. just press a button and she starts immediately, solving any problems you may have with a toaster, a bread maker, a micro
oven,
plug in a 240 volt
battery charger if you like. I was on a nice downwind sail from Melbourne one weekend and decided to start up the gen set plugged in my 240 volt Gerny and washed down the L400 whilst sailing home. So the Gen set downside, heavy and about A$75K with air. The L42S has just two small
storage areas under the seats in the outside saloon area one of which is taken up by two gas
tanks, the L400 in the same area has at least three times as much storage, I think these are important high value storage areas because they are easily accessed, I store my
mooring lines, boat hooks there, things I might need in a hurry when tying up to swing
mooring or a pontoon, whilst there is good storage in the front bow lockers of the 42S and the L400 they are very deep and not quick and easy to access, I have a couple of foldaway bicycles stored in the locker in front of the saloon, trust me you can never have enough storage, when you live on the craft for a couple of weeks you realize these things make life more relaxed and comfortable. On a more minor matter that struck me was the inconvenient position of the
oven.
So has been often said all boats are a compromise one has to choose what suits you, for me if the L42 had at least the same storage as the L400 and had two sinks and only one
head in the port
hull I would buy the L42 but sadly it does not, and I don’t think there is a significant difference in size or sailing performance. The L42S has a lot to like as I described in a previous post however for now to answer your question the L400 gets the nod. As always just my opinion.
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