The boat was based on the 1979 Admiral's Cup design, Regardless, the only boat to win two races in that regatta. It uses a deck and interior derived from the Swan 441 and Swan 44.[13]
The Swan 42 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of glassfibre, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, with a keel-stepped mast, two sets of unswept spreaders and aluminium spars with 1X19 stainless steel wire rigging. The hull has a raked stem, a reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a wheel and a fixed fin keel or optional shoal-draft keel. It displaces 22,000 lb (9,979 kg) and carries 9,200 lb (4,173 kg) of lead ballast.[1][2][3][4][5]
The boat has a draft of 7.80 ft (2.38 m) with the standard keel and 5.92 ft (1.80 m) with the optional shoal draft keel.[1][2][3][4][5]
The boat is fitted with a British Perkins Engines 4-108 diesel engine of 40 hp (30 kW) for docking and manoeuvring. The fuel tank holds 42 U.S. gallons (160 L; 35 imp gal) and the fresh water tank has a capacity of 79 U.S. gallons (300 L; 66 imp gal).[1][2][3][4][5]
The design has sleeping accommodation for nine people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin, an L-shaped settee and a straight settee in the main cabin along with two pilot berths and an aft cabin with a double berth on the starboard side and a single berth to port. The galley is located on the port side just forward of the companionway ladder. The galley is L-shaped and is equipped with a three-burner stove, an ice box and a double sink. A navigation station is opposite the galley, on the starboard side. The head is located aft of the companionway on the starboard.[1][2][4][5]
For sailing downwind the design may be equipped with a symmetrical spinnaker of 1,647 sq ft (153.0 m2).[4][5]
The design has a hull speed of 7.79 kn (14.43 km/h) and a PHRF handicap of 78-87 with the fin keel and 87 with the shoal draft keel.[1][2][3][4][5][14]
