we owned the 42CC for several years and it was very comfortable, especially at anchor or in the marina...the wife loved the aft cabin, as it was more comfortable than any home bedroom ever was.
That being said, I would jump at the other models to sail regularly or travel out of the chesapeake. Our CC was almost a brick at anchor, took a bit more wind to get her moving and to be honest the "cockpit" tripped one or the other of us fairly often as we exited to adjust things or just to change the view. The cockpit sides are quite comfortable at heel.
I would make a test sail on one of the Aft cockpit boats sooner than later. I found that the AC boats are easier to handle short handed or the two of us. You can see the whole boat from the wheel and get to every line without ducking or shimmying around the "CC".
Our CC had cockpit drains that had hose to an area behind the engine to thru-hulls that were impossible to reach with out a push pole or stick. Similary the companion way bulkhead was only about 6 inches higher than the cockpit floor and that 6 inches always worried me, that a wave may drop more water than the drains could handle...thus we always sailed with the bottom board in place.
That being said, I would jump at the other models to sail regularly or travel out of the chesapeake. Our CC was almost a brick at anchor, took a bit more wind to get her moving and to be honest the "cockpit" tripped one or the other of us fairly often as we exited to adjust things or just to change the view. The cockpit sides are quite comfortable at heel.
I would make a test sail on one of the Aft cockpit boats sooner than later. I found that the AC boats are easier to handle short handed or the two of us. You can see the whole boat from the wheel and get to every line without ducking or shimmying around the "CC".
Our CC had cockpit drains that had hose to an area behind the engine to thru-hulls that were impossible to reach with out a push pole or stick. Similary the companion way bulkhead was only about 6 inches higher than the cockpit floor and that 6 inches always worried me, that a wave may drop more water than the drains could handle...thus we always sailed with the bottom board in place.