The Cheap Big Cruising Sailboat - Endeavour 42

Interested in a 40-45 foot cruising sailboat? Sailing Florida or the Bahamas and need a shoal draft sailboat that’s big enough to be a safe and comfortable family cruising sailboat? Looking at an Endeavour 42? This week we tour an Endeavour 42 foot sailboat and look at the pros and cons of this big cruising sailboat.

Practical Sailor is your trusted resource for reviews of sailboats and sailing gear.

[starboardfilms]

I own one, Im 70 years old and I sail it single handed with no problem. You missed the fact that they are rigged for an inner staysail which helps immensely when wind pipes up. I added a Code Zero for wonderful light air sailing. I can do 4 knots in a 6 knot wind with it, and that is FULLY loaded to push the weight to 33, 000 lbs!
Note that both heads have separate shower stalls, i use the forward one as a large hanging locker.

Last, I have seen several E42s sell for over $100, 000, so your comment about 60 to 80 might be old news. Of course, the condition is everything, I have seen a few I wouldn't pay 20 for!

[DDixon]

As with all your videos, I truly enjoyed this one. You definitely caught my attention when you mentioned the name 'Creekmore'. I live in Mobile, Alabama, and Lee is a friend. Now well in his 70s and a member of Mobile Yacht Club, Lee remains an active sailor on Mobile Bay. When I purchased my 1996 Beneteau 42s7 in 2012, Lee performed the survey; he had done work on the boat for the previous owner so he was vary familiar with it. When I went to his home (located between Mobile and Dauphin Island, Alabama) to retrieve the survey, I had the opportunity to see his stand alone studio where he continues to do design work. Passing over the door threshold was like walking through a time portal. Hundreds of drawings were pigeon-holed along one wall while others littered drawing tables and various counters. Scattered on the walls were vintage photos from a time when Lee designed and built sailboats in south Florida. I've had the honor to sail with Lee; he's one of the best sailors I know. Several years ago he performed a major keel design for a another friend's early 80s Beneteau First 42, totally removing the fixed fin keel, cutting out the keel support, building a huge trunk and installing a daggerboard with a torpedo shaped lead condiguration at the bottom. Two 10 ton hydraulic cylinders actuate the dagger board. In the 90s Lee designed and built a Creekmore 25 for another friend. Utilizing the performance of a swinging centerboard, the sailboat dominated the local racing scene until it was badly damaged in an accident. Also in the 90s Lee designed a 60' racer named Heavy Metal, which had racing success along the Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida coasts. Lee oversaw the construction of the steel vessel at the owner, George Rogers' fabrication company, Mitternight Boiler Works north of Mobile. Sadly Mr. Rogers was killed in an automobile accident and Heavy Metal was sold. I recently heard, however, Heavy Metal is racing again out of the New Orleans area. Hopefully this information gives you an update on Lee Creekmore and his whereabouts.

[paulcharlesworth]

I loved your endeavor 42 piece and would very much like to see you do something on the freedom 40/40

[svmagnolia]

Excellent review and video on a decent boat. I considered a few Endeavor 42's when I was boat shopping but neither had the original fuel tank replaced. Instead, their owners had installed smaller "day" tanks in the 30 gallon range to somewhat get around the problem. Honest reporting on your part to bring that issue to light.

[jamesdylewski]

As the 2nd owner of hull # 123 for 27 yrs. a 1985 ..I replaced the fuel tank with 3 seperate tanks for a total of 100 gal. with a fuel polishing and manifold system and fuel tranfer and 2 seperate filers so if one gets cloged you just switch over with a electric fuel pump, and replaced the aluminum water tanks with one in the keel and 2 under the main salon for atotal of 150gal. She is for sale and has been in fresh wate for 27 yrs.

[DrJohn]

Many great memories sailing with friends on their Endeavor 40, coastal cruising Florida out of Panama City and knocking around the Abacos.

[JohnSJames-qvow]

One of the most diplomatic - semi-negative reviews I have ever seen - well done! The fuel tank placement seems nuts. Wish there was a better place for it to be located.

[mattnurre]

I won the 2022 Chicago to Mackinac race, cruising division on my 1988 Endeavour 42. Solid boat, fast off the wind and a total killer in light wind. Allot of marketing out there for the new designs but this one is great for cruising and when you want to really push the gas she is solidly built that she can handle the pressure. S/V Obsession, look it up. Class win in 2016, 4th in 2018, 4th in 2021, and first overall in 2022. Chicago race to Mackinac. By the way, draft is 5.5 not 4.5.

[TheCornucopiaProject-bdjk]

With every review, it feels like I found my next perfect boat.

So much is about priorities in these designs as well as filling a gap in whatever was offered at the time.
Most of us dream of ocean passages. And most of us will never set out to one. For that reason, the coastal cruiser Caribbean friendly sailboat will always remain the practical gold standard for any US East coast sailor.

The 60’s to 80’s were the heyday of builder startups. Incredible designs, from seaworthy to racer.
But many of them either went out of business or got bought up. By the late 80’s or 90’s.
Can you made a series about new builders who started in the 2000’s til now? Is there inspiring new talent willing to take risks?

[Handyman.]

I've always enjoyed time spent on them. Nice boat. Thanks, Tim n Crew Fair wind all

[dtrguy]

The E42 was on my short list… ultimately I felt that the Gulfstar 44 overall was a better choice. Solid fiberglass hull layup construction, slightly deeper draft, offshore capability, none of the tank issues, and often (and I don’t believe this is warranted) less expensive on the used market…. It would almost seem the E42 and Gulfstar 44 share designs (in many ways) at a glance they appear very similar. I’d LOVE for the Gulfstar 44 to get a review. Online there is really only one very thorough review and it is pretty glowing. Both boats were built in the Tampa-St Pete area during similar periods with rhe GS44 being a little older I think.

[eborresen]

I love these Practical Sailor videos. Very informative.

[bobdailey]

‘Great again Tim!
How about an article about the 1971 Gulfstar 36?

[jasonfrodoman]

If anyone is interested. There is a 40C on Lake Mead that sold for $25k. It was hauled to the last years ago from the gulf. It never gets used.

[stevedean-qq]

Love your boat reviews as they are very informative and loaded with pics. Have you, or will you be doing a review of the O'day 30/31?
Thank you & keep the boat reviews coming!

[wvpkf]

I've sailed several Endeavours and they were good for what you say. However, the factory had extremely variable woodworking standards due to carpenters 'moving on' to other builders in the Tampa/Largo area. Some were well put together and finished. Others were simply terrible (and you can see almost instantly). Of the alternatives, the CSYs were built very thick but they had to be because I've seen so many covered in blisters and requiring robotic stripping. The mid-80s Gulfstars were extremely variable with consecutive hull numbers showing no blisters through to really bad. Extremely careful surveying is required of all of them. There's no such thing as a 'cheap' sailing boat, especially in Florida. If you beat down from the original price, you'll find that all that money will go back into fixing it and probably a lot more. Shop around heavily. My friend Rick Shelley (surveyer, St. Pete.) taught me so much and had been QA at Endeavour and CSY in the 80s. I'm sure he moved on through frustration. "Every boat has it's price" - it's a matter of making sure you walk away when you realize it's just too much to fix!

[nickwillis]

In the cruising boat theme, I think you've got to review the Gozzard 37 which is their redesign of the 36. It's a great example of trade-offs with plenty of pros and cons. Hull #1 happens to be in Rhode Island... :)

[jamesdcarroll]

You had me at "Sonny Crockett".

[edwardstarrett]

I'll definitely look at any that may be available next spring.

[Mojo]

2000 Beneteau 40 CC, someday, hopefully, lol. I'm working on it. It's umm, a work in progress. Save, save, & save some more. Lol