What is the standard rig and sail inventory for a Hallberg-Rassy 42?

The Hallberg-Rassy 42 standard rig depends on whether you have the earlier Enderlein design (1980 to 1991) or the later Frers design (1991 to 2003). Both models left the yard with Seldén spars, Hasselfors rigging screws and a standard sail inventory manufactured by Elvstrøm Sails in Denmark.

Enderlein HR 42E (1980 to 1991)

The earlier Enderlein boats are predominantly ketch-rigged, though buyers could specify a sloop. The standard ketch features a deck-stepped mainmast and a deck-stepped mizzen mast from Seldén. This split rig made sail handling manageable for a short-handed crew before reliable electric winches and in-mast furling became common.

The standard 1x19 stainless steel wire rigging on the mainmast uses 10mm wire for the cap shrouds and forestay, and 8mm for the lowers. The mizzen mast takes 6mm wire. The factory sail inventory included a fully battened mainsail, a mizzen sail and a furling genoa. When inspecting an original HR 42E, check the mainmast compression post below decks. Signs of cracking or moisture at the base indicate the deck core around the mast step requires immediate investigation.

Frers HR 42F (1991 to 2003)

When Germán Frers took over the design, the HR 42 became a modern sloop, often configured as a cutter. The mainmast is keel-stepped with double inline spreaders. Conventional slab-reefing masts were standard in the early 1990s. By the late 1990s, Seldén in-mast furling became the standard for almost all boats leaving the yard.

The Frers rig relies on 10mm 1x19 stainless wire for the forestay, backstay and cap shrouds, with 8mm intermediates and lowers. A removable inner forestay with a Wichard or Seldén tensioning lever came as standard equipment. This setup allows a crew to fly a hank-on staysail in heavy weather. A Furlex 300S or 400S drum handles the primary genoa. Seldén specifies tuning the cap shrouds to between 15 and 20 percent of the wire breaking load.

Standard Elvstrøm Sail Inventory

For the Frers HR 42F, the factory supplied a cruising sail wardrobe from Elvstrøm Sails, usually cut from heavy offshore Dacron. The standard sail areas and types include:

• Mainsail (46 sq m): Originally crosscut Dacron. For boats with in-mast furling, owners often upgrade replacements to a tri-radial cut with vertical battens to improve the leech profile.
• Furling Genoa (61 sq m): Typically a 130 to 140 percent overlap. Factory sails included a foam luff pad to maintain sail shape when reefed on the Furlex.
• Staysail (18 sq m): A heavy-weather jib hanked onto the removable inner forestay. This flat, heavy Dacron sail keeps the centre of effort low and close to the mast in a blow.
• Cruising Chute (135 sq m): Nearly all HR 42s left the factory with an Elvstrøm cruising chute and a Seldén spinnaker pole stowed vertically on the mast track.