1983 Via Marine 42, USD 118 000

Detour is a rare and capable French expedition sailboat, one of only approximately 30 Via 42s built by C.M.P.F. Fécamp in the early 1980s and a serious high-latitude passage-maker. Designed by Jean-Louis Noir, the Via 42 combines a lightweight but robust 5 mm marine aluminium hull with internal lead ballast and twin hydraulic swinging centreboards that allows shallow-draught access to anchorages unreachable by conventional fin-keel yachts, while retaining the ability to take the ground safely for routine maintenance. Her aluminium construction and shallow-draught versatility make her a natural candidate for high-latitude cruising, including the Northwest Passage.

Her recent cruising history speaks for itself: an extended Pacific and North American circuit from New Zealand to French Polynesia and Hawaii, followed by the Inside Passage from Alaska to San Francisco, before arriving on the Yacht Sales West dock in Sidney, BC.

She is ideally positioned for a buyer with high-latitude ambitions, Northwest Passage aspirations, or simply a desire for a capable, go-anywhere cruiser with range and redundancy built in.

Detour has received substantial investment in recent years. A new Volvo Penta D2-75F engine, saildrive, and MaxProp feathering propeller were installed in 2022. New AGM house batteries were fitted in 2023. A comprehensive 2025-2026 works programme addressed the recommendations of a professional pre-purchase survey including hull corrosion treatment, centreboard cover replacement, sanitation renewal, new bilge pump, rig work, and a full complement of new safety equipment.

Set up for autonomous, long-range cruising with Starlink, SSB/Pactor, watermaker, diesel heat, and Windpilot windvane, Detour arrives with a comprehensive inventory of spares, tools, and cruising equipment included in the asking price.

Detour is currently Swiss flagged. Yacht Sales West will assist the eventual buyer flag the vessel appropriately.