S
omething very interesting
happened last year. We
started using our boats
for overnight trips again. The
Great Recession and the price
of fuel put the kibosh on those
two-week summer Great Lakes
wanderlusts; however, a much-
improved economy, reasonably
priced fuel and pent-up demand
has boatbuilders excitedly
releasing new models like the
Cruisers Yachts 42 Cantius.
Actually, the Wisconsin-based
manufacturer never let bad times
get in the way of innovation.
Since the introduction of the
original Cantius model in 2010,
they’ve steadily delivered a fl eet
that balances European curves
with American ergonomics of
spacious interiors bathed in
natural light, with windows and
glass doors all around.
The new 42 replaces the retiring
41 and offers some welcome
design updates that cater to an
evolving taste among 40- to
65-year-old cruisers who are back
to grilling meals outside, who
want distinctive social zoning for
hosting dockside parties, and who
need staterooms with individual
heads below deck for overnight
guests. These are all features
rarely seen in a model this size.Ahead of its time
Cruisers was one of the very
fi rst boatbuilders to embrace
Volvo Penta’s forward-facing IPS
drives some 13 years ago. They
understood the need for building
a hull to accommodate the more
fuel-efficient nature of these
engines. That decade-plus of R&D
is soundly part of the 42 Cantius
DNA. With a top speed in excess
of 34 mph, a comfortable cruise
around 21 mph delivers a range of
324 miles on a single tank of fuel
(300 gallons). That translates into
roughly 1.2 mpg — double what
many other notable cabin cruisers
on the market today offer.
I mentioned grilling because
that’s one of the fi rst features/
design changes you’ll notice.
Cruisers moved the Kenyon electricgrill from the starboard to stern,
and added storage on both sides
of the grill to keep the seating
area of the aft cockpit free from
confusion during meal prep. Sliding
doors magically disappear into the
woodwork, providing a whopping
64-inch opening between the aft
galley and cockpit. An optional
refrigerator is available on the
transom. Our test boat also had
an icemaker in the cockpit and
a standard 48-quart cooler, so
your beverages will always stay
cold. When things heat up, simply
push a button and in 15 seconds
a full sunshade will deploy. I was
very impressed at how quietly the
mechanical arms articulated the
shade into place. Cockpit L-seating,
a couple of tables and hydraulic
swim steps that submerge 1 to
2 feet underwater round out the
features here.
For those who like lounging
forward, the 42 Cantius is rather
unique. Two foredeck chaise
lounges move from a prone
position to upright seating
around a small yet comfortable
bow cockpit. Carving out a space
like this normally comes at the
expense of lower headroom
in the forward cabin. Cruisers
fi gured out a way around this
construction dilemma and
managed to throw in two cup
holders and a foredeck stowable
table plus storage compartments.
Access to and from the forward
deck and recessed windless is
via wide side decks with 1-inch
diameter bow rails. You’ll feel very
secure moving fore and aft.Confident command
Inside the salon, one must admire
what I call the picture window — a
one-piece Taylormade windshield.
The 42 Cantius maximizes interior
natural lighting by combining this
with an equally impressive full-
beam sunroof and opening upper
salon windows.
The seating layout is different
from other models. Instead
of a dinette opposite the
double-wide helm seat, it’s a
combination forward-facingseat that transforms into a
rear-facing lounger. Other main
deck attributes include: A large
L-shaped dinette with storage
below and overhead; stainless-
steel appliances in the galley; a
large pantry; and a drool-worthy
glass cockpit.
Dual 12-inch screens with your
choice of Garmin or Raymarine
Axiom Pro displays, joystick
controls and pictogram rocker
switches create a very confi dent
command center. Angled footrests
and fl ip-up seat bolsters offer a
comfortable ride for those days
when you decide to tackle all of
Lake Michigan in a single bound.
All that natural light in the
cockpit spills over below decks
through an atrium-style staircase
that leads to the forward guest
stateroom and full-beam master.
Cruisers Yachts refers to the mid-
cabin as the VIP stateroom, which
features a mounted fl at screen
TV, a comfortable couch and a
king-size bed. Be sure to lift up
the mattress: Yes, that’s dedicated
space for just about anything you
want to hide out of sight. Each
stateroom has a private entrance
to both heads with separate
shower stalls and Ronbow
designer vanity sinks.
Skippers who appreciate
precision in the engine room can
treat themselves to another one
of Cruisers Yacht’s benchmarks
for quality. I found labels every 3
inches on wiring harnesses. This
is a big deal for the day you need
to trace something. Cruisers
makes its own harnesses; they
are tested for continuity outside
of the boat and then brought on-
board for installation. Even the
placement of seacocks caught
my interest, and I’m far from
being a gearhead. This boat just
happens to be well built.
Offered with Volvo Diesel 500
or 600 twin IPS, this is an ideal
boat for the couple trading up
from a dayboat or the retiring
couple trading down in size to
a more manageable vessel that
still provides weekending in
comfort. ★SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 43'2"
Beam: 13'8"
Draft: 40"
Fuel Capacity: 300 gals.
Water Capacity: 80 gals.
Base Price (as tested):
$850,000
CRUISERSYACHTS.COMDEALERS
SkipperBud’s
Multiple Locations
SKIPPERBUDS.COM
888-308-6576Krenzer Marine
Sodus Point, NY
KRENZERMARINE.COM
315-483-6986Cruisers Yachts
42 CantiusLAKELANDBOATING.COM | MAY 2018 BT_Cruisers42_MAY18.indd 49 3/28/18 12:25 PM