Via 42 Aluminium Sloop with swing keel

[Tholaf]

Hello

I wonder if someone knows the Via 42 model and can give me some information with regard to quality and sailing characteristics. The boat was build in France some 25 years ago....

Or perhaps any information / experience with aluminium boats in general ?

Cheers / Tholaf

[Wattiaux]

Hi

Not having any kind of a sailing experience in a Via42.
Just being French.

Although not so many have been build, these Via 42 are well known in France. The shipyard was reputable, and the boat was shown as being the reference of the aluminium swing keel ship in books and press at the time.

It was in the years when a fashion was beginning in France for low draft offshore cruiser made with aluminium. The mythology of french sailor, going for a world tour, was that you had to explore the coral island in polynesia. Now, Ovni sailboats have a monopoly on this market.

Today, Via42 value seems to be above average for a boat this size and age.

Recently, there was one for sale on the website of Raitea Yacht broker, in French Polynesia.

Having said that, this is a special boat. It may have little drawbacks that i'd not heard of.

[Jim Cate]

No specific info on the 42, but the smaller one (36 or 39 feet... can't remember exactly) had some issues with the internal lead ballast causing some corrosion of the alloy hull. Friends of ours had to remove the ballast, weld up the hull and reinstall the ballast in coal tar epoxy "insulation". They live in New Caledonia, where several others had the same problems.

Cheers,

Jim

[JPA Cate]

For a while a long time ago we were looking at an aluminum Van de Stadt 47. We were advised to look at the inside of the hull along the weldments and the places where dirt gathers to check for pitting.

We have friends who have lived aboard a Via for over 20 years, so obviously have found it satisfactory.

Ann

[jannw]

I have a garcia, also a french alu boat from the same era.

The early Vias were rumoured to have some issues with the galvanic isolation of the ballast (as mentioned above) ... if it is a low hull number (<15) you probably want to check this.

Generally with Alu boats you need to be aware to check for excessive pitting of the hull due to galvanic or stray current corrosion.