1981 Tartan 42 — Receta

Receta is an exceptionally well-kept 1981 Tartan 42 that showcases why this classic Sparkman & Stephens design remains one of the most respected cruising sailboats ever built. Combining proven offshore capability with a comfortable liveaboard layout, she is equally at home on weekend getaways, extended coastal cruising, or bluewater passages. Her desirable Scheel keel offers the versatility to explore shallower anchorages and the Intracoastal Waterway without sacrificing the confident sailing characteristics the Tartan 42 is known for. Below deck, the beautifully crafted teak interior provides a warm, inviting atmosphere with spacious accommodations, a practical galley, generous storage, and a comfortable salon designed for life aboard. Whether you’re an experienced sailor searching for your next cruising yacht or looking to step into a vessel with timeless style, solid construction, and an outstanding reputation, Receta represents an exceptional opportunity to own one of the finest classic cruising sailboats on the market.

Full details

Accommodation

The Tartan 42 offers a traditional cruising interior that emphasizes comfort, functionality, and abundant storage. Forward is a spacious owner’s cabin with generous locker space, excellent natural ventilation, and convenient access to a private head. The warm teak joinery, classic white overhead with teak trim, and timeless yacht finishes create an inviting atmosphere rarely found in modern production yachts.

The main salon features opposing settees surrounding a beautifully crafted teak dining table, creating a comfortable gathering space whether entertaining guests or enjoying quiet evenings aboard. Opposite the galley is a dedicated navigation station providing an organized workspace for passage planning and system monitoring. Aft accommodations offer additional guest berths, allowing the yacht to comfortably accommodate cruising families or two couples while providing excellent storage for extended voyages.

Interior Comforts and Amenities

• Layout: (3) cabin layout with forward owner’s cabin, private aft stateroom with double berth, and convertible main salon berth
• Head: NEW (2026) OGO composting head (original marine head decommissioned; holding tank plumbing and new macerator remain installed for easy conversion if desired)
• Galley: U-shaped galley
• Stove and Oven: Seaward Princess Gourmet (3)-burner gimballed propane stove with oven
• Refrigerator / Freezer: NEW (2026) BD50 Danfoss air-cooled compressor with matching evaporator plate installed in top-loading refrigerator/freezer
• Watermaker: Spectra Catalina 300 Mk
• Watermaker Controller: Spectra MPC-5000 MkII automatic controller with single-button operation, automatic tank filling, and automatic fresh water flushing every five days
• Water Heater: (6)-gallon Isotemp water heater operating from shore power or engine heat exchanger; NEW heating element (2024)
• Opening Ports: (13) Hood Yacht Systems stainless opening ports with removable screens
• Deck Hatches: (2) Atkins & Hoyle hatches over the salon and forepeak with NEW gaskets and acrylic (2024)
• Deck Prisms: (4) original flush-mounted glass deck prisms providing exceptional natural light
• Dining Table: Large salon dining table
• Storage: Extensive cabinetry and locker space throughout

Electronics and Navigation Electrical Systems

• Chartplotter: Raymarine E80
• Autopilot: Raymarine ST6002 SmartPilot with handheld remote, Autohelm Type 100/300 course computer (upgraded 2014), and Raymarine linear drive ram
• GPS Antenna: Raymarine GPS 125
• AIS: Raymarine AIS 500 Class B transceiver
• VHF Radio: Icom IC-M506 with DSC and integrated AIS
• SSB Radio: Icom IC-706 MkII with tuner
• Satellite Phone: Qualcomm Globalstar
• Wind Instrument: Raymarine ST60+
• Depth / Speed / Log: Raymarine ST60+ Tridata
• Compass: Ritchie pedestal compass
• Wi-Fi: Ubiquiti long-range antenna with onboard router
• Stereo: Pioneer Bluetooth stereo with cabin speakers

Electrical Systems Deck and Hull Equipment

• Electrical System: 12V DC / 120V AC
• House Batteries: (2) Lifeline 8D AGM batteries, 225Ah each (2019)
• Engine Start Battery: Lifeline AGM Group 31
• Battery Management: Keyed selector switches with automatic battery combiner
• Charging Sources: Engine alternator, solar panels, wind generator, and shore power
• Solar Panels: (2) Kyocera 135W panels mounted on custom stainless arch
• Solar Charge Controller: Solar Boost 2000E
• Wind Generator: Four Winds II
• Alternators: (2) 120A high-output alternators (one unused spare included)
• Inverter / Charger: Heart Freedom 10, 1,000W
• Galvanic Isolator: Installed
• Hot Water Heater: (6)-gallon Isotemp (shore power and engine heated)

Deck and Hull Equipment

• Windlass: 12V Ideal vertical anchor windlass with capstan, gypsy, foredeck foot controls, NEW motor and solenoids (May 2026)
• Bow Roller: Custom stainless steel
• Primary Anchor: Rocna 22kg (44lb) with 130 ft of 3/8″ BBB galvanized chain and 150 ft of 3/4″ Megaplait rode (2018)
• Secondary Anchor: Fortress FX-23 (15lb) with approximately 40 ft of 3/8″ BBB galvanized chain and 150 ft of 5/8″ Megaplait rode
• Spare Anchor: CQR 45lb with 100 ft nylon rode on spool

Sails and Rigging

• Sail Area: 758 sq. ft. (Main: 305.5 sq. ft.; Foretriangle: 452.3 sq. ft.)
• Mainsail: Doyle Offshore fully battened, loose-footed Dacron mainsail with (2) deep reef points (NEW 2014); excellent condition
• Jib: Doyle Offshore approximately 115% Dacron furling jib (NEW 2014); excellent condition
• Staysail: Original hank-on staysail in excellent condition with removable inner forestay and chromed bronze Highfield lever
• Mast: Original keel-stepped Annapolis Spars sleeved aluminum mast with double spreaders; NEW gooseneck (2017); mast wiring replaced (2011)
• Roller Furling: Schaefer 2100 roller furling system
• Standing Rigging: Professionally inspected every two years; rigging and terminals replaced (2015); inspected (2022) with new stainless linkage and custom extension plate; lower turnbuckles replaced (2011)
• Chainplates: Stainless steel chainplates for shrouds and backstay replaced (2016)
• Mast Winches: (3) including Harken self-tailing halyard winch (2011) and (2) Lewmar non-self-tailing winches
• Primary Winches: (2) Lewmar 54 self-tailing chrome winches
• Secondary Winches: (2) Lewmar 30 self-tailing chrome winches
• Boom Winch: Lewmar non-self-tailing winch for outhaul and reefing lines

Mechanical Equipment

• Engine: Yanmar 4JH3-E 56HP diesel
• Engine Insulation: Sound barrier insulation throughout engine compartment
• Shaft Seal: PYI PSS shaft seal replacing traditional stuffing box
• Oil Change System: Portable 12V electric oil transfer pump
• Propeller: Bronze (3)-blade feathering Max-Prop
• Steering: Edson pedestal (Awlgripped 2016) with chain and quadrant steering
• Steering Wheel: Varnished Edson wood wheel

Safety Equipment

• Life Raft: Datrex Liberty Offshore (4)-person liferaft inspected and repacked (October 2025)
• Life Jackets: Offshore life jackets repacked and recertified (2026)
• EPIRB: NEW battery installed (2026)
• VHF Radio: Icom IC-M506 DSC VHF with integrated AIS and external helm microphone
• SSB Radio: Icom IC-706 MkII with tuner and insulated backstay antenna
• AIS: Raymarine AIS 500 Class B transceiver
• Radar: Raymarine 18″ radome
• Satellite Phone: Qualcomm Globalstar
• Emergency Tiller
• Propane Shut-Off Solenoid
• Bilge Pumps: Manual and electric
• Cockpit Harness Attachment Points

Engine Information

• Engine: Yanmar 4JH3-E diesel
• Horsepower: 56 HP
• Engine Hours: Approximately 2,000
• Transmission: Hurth V-Drive (2001)
• Propeller: Bronze (3)-blade feathering Max-Prop
• Shaft Seal: PYI PSS shaft seal upgraded with Pro Maintenance Kit (2022), including nitrile bellows, stainless shaft retention collar, new O-rings, and hose clamps
• Spare Parts: Multiple spare filters, belts, and impellers included
• Dinghy Outboard: Yamaha 15HP (2)-stroke

Dinghy

• Dinghy: True Kit 3.3
• Outboard: Yamaha 15HP (2)-stroke

Tankage

• Fresh Water Capacity: 75 gallons = Separate fills for both tanks, including (25)-gallon polyethylene tank under the forepeak and custom (50)-gallon baffled stainless steel tank beneath the starboard settee
• Fuel Capacity: 50 gallons = Propane: (2) 10 lb propane tanks + (5) gallon Yamaha portable fuel tank with fuel hose
• Holding Tank Capacity: 20 gallons = Stainless steel holding tank with plumbing and macerator retained for optional reconversion to a traditional marine head

Owners Comments and Boat History

The current owners purchased Receta with one goal in mind: to find a capable bluewater cruising yacht that combined excellent sailing performance with the strength and comfort required for extended offshore passages. After carefully researching numerous designs and comparing performance ratios, they ultimately chose the Tartan 42 for her proven Sparkman & Stephens pedigree, beautiful craftsmanship, and exceptional sailing characteristics.

Below deck, Receta showcases the timeless quality of traditional yacht construction, featuring rich teak joinery, a classic white overhead accented by teak battens, elegant fold-down dining table with integrated storage, and four original glass deck prisms that flood the interior with natural light. Every detail reflects the craftsmanship and thoughtful design that have made these yachts so highly regarded among serious cruisers.

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens, the Tartan 42 evolved from the successful Tartan 41 racing hull into a comfortable offshore cruising yacht. Her Scheel keel provides an ideal 5-foot draft for exploring destinations such as the Bahamas while maintaining excellent offshore performance. A substantial ballast ratio, large skeg, and moderate displacement provide outstanding directional stability, comfortable motion underway, and reassuring manners at anchor.

Under sail, Receta is responsive, balanced, and rewarding to helm. She accelerates quickly, tracks confidently, and remains comfortable even when reefed, regularly maintaining impressive passage speeds while remaining easy to handle short-handed. Her owners note that the yacht is so well balanced it can often be steered with a single finger in moderate conditions.

Receta also holds a unique place in cruising history, having been featured in the books An Embarrassment of Mangoes and The Spice Necklace. She is offered fully equipped and ready for her next owners to continue her legacy of bluewater adventure. 

The company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change or withdrawal without notice.

Listing MLS by Yachtr.com

Listing data via Yachtr.com MLS, as published by the broker.

Listed by BVI Yacht Sales; specs and price as published by the broker — on the market here since August 2026. Confirm details with the broker directly.