southerly 32 yacht review

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Southerly 32 Owners Feedback?

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I'd be very interested to hear opinions from anyone who owns/owned a Southerly 32 - or any kind of Southerly. Or has sailed on one. I checked the 'Boat Reviews' section, but none. Did find an article from Practical Boat Owner Mag that was good. How well has the swing keel worked for you? Do you really run them up on the sand (as in the Practical Boat Owner Mag picture)? Is there something they've added to protect the bottom from being ground out? (I'm new to Sailnet, so apologies if I am posting in the wrong place. If so, please direct me to the right place. Thanks in advance.)  

TheCruisingKitty said: I'd be very interested to hear opinions from anyone who owns/owned a Southerly 32 - or any kind of Southerly. Or has sailed on one. ... Do you really run them up on the sand (as in the Practical Boat Owner Mag picture)? Click to expand...

Southerly 35RS I've had my Southerly 35RS for a year now and am really pleased with it. Everything Northshore claim is true...sails well, lifting keel is a dream, and the cast iron grounding plate makes drying out pretty much worry free. A bow truster is a must.....with twin rudders there is no prop wash so manoeuvring in a marina without one would be VERY difficult. With a self tacking jib and in mast reefing, I happy sail the boat single handed. The only boat I'd swap for would be a bigger Southerly ;-) John  

John.Chambers said: I've had my Southerly 35RS for a year now and am really pleased with it. Everything Northshore claim is true...sails well, lifting keel is a dream, and the cast iron grounding plate makes drying out pretty much worry free. A bow truster is a must.....with twin rudders there is no prop wash so manoeuvring in a marina without one would be VERY difficult. With a self tacking jib and in mast reefing, I happy sail the boat single handed. The only boat I'd swap for would be a bigger Southerly ;-) John Click to expand...

I'm a Chartered Engineer and IMHO the keel system is bomb proof. If the electric hydraulic pump fails or your batteries are flat its easy to manually lift the keel with the supplied lever which operates the pump....just like pumping up a car jack, not much effort but takes a couple of minutes. Dropping the keel just involves turning the knob on a valve...its a simple, virtually maintenance free system. If the bow thruster fails, well that's not a show stopper, just inconvenient .....but I really would advise having one fitted....it really sought to be a standard at the prices they charge.  

John.Chambers said: ... If the bow thruster fails, well that's not a show stopper, just inconvenient .....but I really would advise having one fitted....it really sought to be a standard at the prices they charge. Click to expand...

Are you confusing prop wash with prop throw (i.e. the tendency of a prop to turn the boat in a certain direction) ? Believe me under power....with twin rudders the boat only steers when it's moving. Normally when the rudder is straight behind the prop so if you put the helm hard over the thrust from the prop is diverted in the direction of the rudder. With twin rudders with the prop in between that doesn't happen....you need to be moving before the boat responds and in a tight marina that sometimes just isn't possible. Seriously don't buy a twin ruddered Southerly without a bow thruster !  

I guess the thing to remember is that a Pogo 10.5 is about half the displacement of the equivalent Southerly so manoeuvring is much easier, even though it shares a twin rudder design.....  

Hi Cruising Kitty, Just seen your post from 2011 so you possibly made up your mind about this already. However, currently own a Southerly 32 and have sailed extensively on a Southerly 38 with friends. After several years cruising a catamaran which beaches easily, I would not consider any other lift keel monohull make. The issue you were worrying about, beaching the boat, is a simple every day non event. Its like parking your car at the mall. Choose your spot and ensure you will not be caught out by adverse tide movements and just park it. The boat will sit happily on the solid iron grounding plate that the keel swings up into. Incidentally, if you forget to raise the keel it kicks up anyway as its on a dyneema strap not a hydraulic ram. The weight holds it down and the strap pulls it up. Twin keels ensure the boat stays upright when dried out and the prop is well protected too. Tip, check that seeweed hasn't clogged the bow thruster tunnel before you leave a weedy beach. Bowthruster essential, even on the smaller 32, as windage will make it a tough job in harbour on a brisk day. Had a stern thruster as well on the 38 but 32 is OK with just a bow thruster. These boats are tough. strongly built and well designed. I have seen many Southerlies 20 years old and looking good. They hold their value on the second hand market. If buying a used boat, find out if it was built to USA spec or if its a European boat being left behind. The electrics and wiring are different. Check out the builder's website: Northshore.co.uk for full details on the keel system and other info on USA spec. They are very easy going and will happily send you all the information you need. Good luck.  

We have a Southerly 49 and it is fitted with a bow thruster but not a stern thruster. We have no problem maneuvering in tight quarters after a little practice. This past season we crossed France via the canals (179 locks) and did lots of tight docking practice. Then we sailed across the Atlantic with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (the ARC) finishing in 15.5 days! I think we are one of the only boats that could do those two passages! paul shard Distant Shores Home  

Hi Paul, Your boat is not unknown around here (neither your previous 42) Do you mind to give some impressions about those boats and comparing them with your previous boat in what regards speed sea motion and comfort? If you don't mind maybe you can post that on this thread: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-review-purchase-forum/62341-interesting-sailboats-371.html that is the thread were new boats are discussed. In fact somewhere in that long thread there are references and posts about several Southerlies, including the 42 and the 49. It is also a popular thread with about 1000 hits a day. Regards Paulo  

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Saturday, March 07, 2015

Southerly 32.

3 comments:

Southerlies have always been a niche yacht. People that spend the price of a house on a yacht have performance as a priority, rather than shallow water sailing ability. If I could afford a Southerly I can probably afford a marina berth so taking the mud isn't that high up on the list of things a yacht of that price should do. The keel mechanism that was their selling point also killed them because making the thing was hideously expensive. Now if he'd swap his damaged, worthless yacht for my Seawych, I might be interested...

There is doubt that the ability to be able to sail in shoal waters is attractive. To do it and be able to sit safely upright when the tide goes out is a real bonus! I like the hull but not too sure about the shape of the windows. I sometimes wonder what kind of pounding happens with shoal draft boats when the tide comes back and there is a lot of wind and swell, there must be a period when the hull is taking a bit of a battering? even in soft mud anchorages?

Looking at Southerlies that do take the ground often, the keel system that the hull sits on has to be removed and resealed to the hull every so often. If I was an owner I'd be concerned about those rudders getting caught up and bent.

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Southerly 32

Sailboat specifications.

• Last update: 25th March 2020

Southerly 32's main features

Southerly 32's main dimensions, southerly 32's rig and sails, southerly 32's performances, southerly 32's auxiliary engine, southerly 32's accommodations and layout.

Similar sailboats that may interest you:

Review of Southerly 32

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The boat is equipped with 158.0 liter fresh water capacity.

The boat equipped with a fractional rig. A fractional rig has smaller headsails which make tacking easier, which is an advantage for cruisers and racers, of course. The downside is that having the wind from behind often requires a genaker or a spinnaker for optimal speed.

The Southerly 32 is equipped with a swing keel. A swing keel is a pivoting lifting keel, allowing to sail both coastal and inland waters.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 0.70 - 0.80 meter (2.30 - 2.60 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Southerly 32 is 1.88, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 7.2 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Southerly 32 is about 212 kg/cm, alternatively 1188 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 212 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1188 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio) Indicates how fast the boat is in light wind: - Cruising Boats have ratios 10-15 - Cruiser-Racers have ratios 16-20 - Racers have ratios above 20 - High-Performance Racers have ratios above 24 Sail-area/displacement ratio (SA/D ratio): 14.35

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 38m 2 (409 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Southerly 32 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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Southerly 32, ROSHANAK

Northshore Yachts, Southerly 32 Built 2009 / £135,000, UK VAT paid

Broker’s Comments

ROSHANAK is a fantastic example of the Southerly 32. Since the launch of the first S32, these boats have been an instant success, offering a nearly unique combination of offshore sailing performance, class-leading accommodation, and the ability to explore shoal waters while also being capable of grounding, all within a 10m LOA. ROSHANAK has been meticulously maintained, with its owners keeping her updated to modern standards since new.

On deck, she boasts an excellent specification, including FURLERBOOM in-boom furling, which ensures superb sailing performance, along with new standing rigging, updated navigation equipment, and bow & stern thrusters. Below deck, she features an excellent layout and a stunning wooden finish, looking just as good on the inside as she does on the outside.

Owner’s Comments

We have owned ROSHANAK (a Persian/Iranian girl’s name meaning “Shining Star” or “Beautiful Girl”) since new and have cruised her to the West Country, the Scillies, Ireland, and Brittany.

She has been scrupulously maintained and gradually developed for easy and safe short-handed sailing. In addition to the self-tacking jib, the Furlerboom and electric winch make raising, lowering, and reefing the fully battened mainsail effortless. Bow and stern thrusters allow for easy handling in confined spaces. We will miss ROSHANAK’s excellent sailing performance and Tardis-like accommodation.

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Yacht Details

• Builder: Northshore Yachts
• Model: Southerly 32
• Yacht Name: ROSHANAK
• Hull Designer: Stephen Jones
• Year Built: 2009
• LOA: 32’9” / 9.97m
• LWL: 28’10” / 8.80m
• Beam: 11’10” / 3.60m
• Min Draft / Max Draft: 2’4” / 0.70m – 6’11” / 2.12m
• Displacement: 7,192kg / 15,855lb
• Berths: 6 berths in 3 cabin(s) / 1 head/WC(s)
• Engine Count: 1 Yanmar 3YM30 (29hp) Diesel
• Country: Lymington, Hampshire, United Kingdom
• Asking Price: £135,000, UK VAT paid

Contact Details

Harry Lightfoot Berthon UK Tel: 0044 (0)1590 679 222 E-Mail: [email protected] Click image for full broker profile.

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SOUTHERLY 35RS

Length : 10.8 m (35'6'')

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Status : AVAILABLE

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VANCOUVER 38 PILOT

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Supermarine Spearfish 32

Length : 10.95 m (35'2")

Year of Build : 2021

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SOUTHERLY 115

Length : 11.25 m (36'11")

Year of Build : 1990

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Price : £68,000 inc VAT

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SOUTHERLY 38

Length : 12.0 m (39'4")

Year of Build : 2011

Location : Gosport, Hampshire

Price : £265,000 Tax paid.

Ref : Arabella

Southerly 100

Length : 9.75 m (32'0")

Year of Build :1991

Price : £39,000  Tax paid

Ref : 4055671

Year of Build : 2010

Location : Turk & Caicos Islands

Price : £245,000 Tax paid.

Ref : 3901692

Status :  SOLD

Year of Build : 2006

Ref : 3945626

SOUTHERLY 42RST

Length : 12.86 m (42'24")

Year of Build : 2008

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SOUTHERLY 420

Length : 12.86 m (42'2")

Year of Build : 2014

Location : La Trinite-sur-mer, France

Price : £420,000 inc VAT

Ref : 3511485

Status :   SOLD

Length : 12.86 m (42'2")

Location : St. Peter Port, Guernsey

Price : £204,000 ex VAT

Ref : 3539101

SOUTHERLY 32

Length : 10.0 m (32'9")

Year of Build : 2012

Location : Plymouth

Price : £165,000 inc VAT

Ref : 6472649

Status :  SOLD

Length : 36'11''

Year of Build : 1992

Location : Hayling Island

Price : £60,000 inc VAT

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Year of Build : 1997

Price : £75,000 inc VAT

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SOUTHERLY 135RS

Length : 13.86 m (45'6")

Price : £250,000 inc VAT

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Moody Carbineer 44'

Length : 44'

Year of Build : 1972

Price : £89,750  INC VAT 

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Length : 10 m (32'10")

Price : £160,000 inc VAT

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Length : 10.0 m (32'9")

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Ref : 4055670

Location : Swansea, Wales

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Length : 11.25m (36'10")

Price : £138,500 inc VAT

Ref : 3987807

SOUTHERLY 46RS

Length : 14.01m

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Southerly 115 series 4

Length : 11.28m (37'0")

Year of Build :2004

Price : £139,000  Tax paid

Year of Build : 1985

Price : £39,500 inc VAT

Length : 12.2 m (42'2")

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Price : £375,000 Tax paid.

Ref : 4039913

Price : £235,000 Tax paid.

Ref : 3974725

Year of Build : 2000

Location : Inverness, Highlands

Price : £120,000 Tax Paid

Ref : 3963841

Location : Kinsale, Ireland

Price : £115,000 inc VAT

Ref : 3900398

Length : 10.8 m (35'6")

Ref : 3674767

Ref : 3468368

SOUTHERLY 135

Length : 13.5m (44'0")

Year of Build : 1989

Price : £165,000 Tax Paid

Ref : 3905194

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

First look: Southerly 42 – bluewater beauty

• Theo Stocker
• October 25, 2021

Theo Stocker casts his expert eye over the Southerly 42, offering bluewater luxury in a yacht with a minimum draught of just 84cm

There are few high-end bluewater cruising yachts that can boast a draught of just 84cm (3ft). While this increases to 2.7m (8ft 11in) while sailing, the trademark swing keel of the Southerly 42 means this boat will be able to access anchorages and creeks that most other boats of this size simply can’t get near.

What’s more, the iron grounding plate (doubles as ballast), twin rudders and skeg-protected prop all mean the Southerly 42 can take the ground and dry out. Whether in the Isles of Scilly or the Bahamas, that’s an appealing proposition.

The aft cabin on the Discovery 42

Her makers claim that her sailing performance will still sparkle, with a tall fractional rig – 18.5m (60ft 7 in) air draught – and the additional draft helping her point at 30º to the apparent wind. Her polars suggest she’ll nudge 8.5 knots on a white sail reach in 20 knots of breeze. She comes with a self-tacking jib as standard, with sheet controls for both sails led aft to the helm, while halyard are on the coachroof. A furling offwind sail can be set from the fixed bowsprit.

The other key Southerly trait is the raised saloon to port, at the bottom of the companionway, with a lower-level galley to starboard, meaning you can sit inside and enjoy 270º views. Unusually the chart table-cun/workstationg is against the forward bulkhead, level with the mast. For this size boat, the aft master cabin is huge with a full-size island double bed and ensuite heads. The guest cabin forward, also ensuite, is generous too.

The hull is built of vinylester GRP, and reuses the Humphreys hull of the Southerly 42RST, but has received the Discovery treatment on deck and below, making this an appealing and modern-looking cruiser that is thoroughly capable.

Southerly 42 specifications

LOA: 13.3m (42ft 7in) Beam: 4m (13ft 3in) Draught: (UP/DOWN) 0.8m/2.7m (2ft 9in/8ft 11in) Sail area: 75m2 (811 sq ft) Displacement: 11,341kg (25,003 lbs) Price: ex yard £535,000 ex VAT Contact: discoveryshipyard.com

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Southerly 57 RS

• By Beth A. Leonard
• Updated: February 16, 2011

Every boat consists of a series of compromises, but some designs manage to strike a balance in which far more is gained than given up. Since 1978, Northshore Yachts, in Chichester, England, has been building high-quality semicustom, variable-draft sailboats that deliver, as the company’s literature puts it, “deep-draft performance and shallow-draft freedom.” Its new flagship, the Southerly 57RS, brings together Northshore’s swing-keel technology and designer Ed Dubois’ superyacht styling and sensibility to create a 58-foot bluewater luxury yacht that can be sailed shorthanded across an ocean and then parked within wading distance of the beach.

Northshore Yachts has sold more than 900 variable-draft Southerlies in the past three decades, incorporating swing-keel technology into ever-larger sailboats. The underbody on the 57RS consists of twin canted rudders and a 7,385-pound cast-iron keel that retracts completely into a heavy-duty keel box set in a grounding plate that provides an additional 11,794 pounds of ballast. With the keel all the way up, the boat can sit on this plate and a centerline skeg that protects the propeller and keeps the rudders safely off the bottom. A hydraulic ram controlled by a button positions the keel anywhere from fully retracted to fully extended. If the keel hits something, it swings clear of the obstacle without damaging the ram. With 10 feet 6 inches of maximum draft, the boat sails well to within 30 degrees of the apparent wind but can still sneak in front of all the other yachts in an anchorage to anchor in 3 feet 6 inches of water.

While Northshore has plenty of experience with swing-keel technology, this is its first 50-foot-plus design and its first collaboration with naval architect Ed Dubois. Designing a boat in the 55- to 65-foot range can be tricky as some couples will operate the boat themselves and others will hire professional crew. While maintaining the overall styling introduced by Rob Humphreys in the 42RST and 49-foot models, Dubois has brought together a sensible sail plan that can be managed by a couple, design details and amenities normally found only on much larger yachts, and a choice of interiors to meet different owners’ requirements.

The 57RS has plenty of sail area to drive its 55,000-pound displacement. The double-headed rig consists of a 990-square-foot, full-batten mainsail and two furling headsails, one at the stem and the other just aft. The self-tacking blade jib on the solent, or inner, stay makes for easy singlehanded short-tacking up a channel or into an anchorage, while the 140-percent genoa on the headstay powers the boat to windward in moderate conditions. Offshore, unfurl both sails and pole out the blade jib for easy downwind miles; when the wind goes light, set the 2,000-square-foot asymmetric gennaker from the retractable sprit. While it takes a bit of time for that much displacement to start rolling in light air, once moving, the boat slips along through short chop without a hitch. In 7 to 10 knots of true wind, the Southerly 57RS sailed at 6 knots to within 35 degrees apparent with the keel down, and the speed increased to 7 knots when we cracked off to 70 degrees apparent. The 990-square-foot mainsail is available with in-mast or in-boom furling as well as in a conventional, full-batten setup.

Down below, Dubois has created luxurious spaces on different levels that function equally well for a couple or a crowd. The raised seating area over the keel box in the center of the boat allows a party of 10 to see out the large ports while lounging around the dinner table. Professional crew can take their meal in the small “breakfast nook” opposite the galley that doubles as a computer workstation. Dubois has designed in spaces for superyacht amenities like a dishwasher and trash compactor in a galley with enough room for four people to work. The different levels in the boat do make for a choppy, up-and-down traffic flow, though: from the galley up to the main saloon, across the main saloon and down to the base of the companionway, up the companionway steps to the cockpit. To some this could be annoying when trying to serve a big meal in the cockpit.

Dubois hasn’t compromised on the essentials for safe offshore sailing. Bluewater details include clean side decks with molded-in handgrips along the coachroof within easy reach all the way to the mast, dorades for heavy-weather ventilation, an optional dinghy garage for proper offshore stowage, and, at the base of the companionway, a commodious nav station to port and a head with a wet locker to starboard. But he’s also provided flexibility with three different layouts. Owner-operator couples with coastal aspirations will probably trade the dinghy garage for the splendid aft master suite; those with professional crew or frequent guests will find the three-cabin layout more to their liking. The combination of the dinghy garage and four real sea berths in the four-cabin layout will appeal to owners dreaming of long offshore passages.

The double headsail rig should be great offshore, but with two furlers forward of the windlass, two anchor rollers, and the optional retractable sprit, the bow platform felt a bit crowded to me. I also felt it’d be difficult to fit two anchors up there. Additionally, I found the systems throughout our test boat to be complex and access tight in some areas. However, according to Claire Horsman of Northshore, the systems on our test boat reflect a high level of customer customization. “Other examples of the 57RS aren’t as complex nor do they have any access issues,” she said.

Still, the Southerly 57RS will widen the horizons of cruising sailors by allowing them to explore the interface between land and water without giving up offshore safety and performance.

Beth A. Leonard is an offshore cruiser, author, and CW_ Boat of the Year judge._

LOA 58′ 2″ (15.91 m.) LWL 51′ 8″ (15.77 m.) Beam 17′ 1″ (5.21 m.) Draft (min/max) 3′ 6″/10′ 6″ (1.07/3.20 m.) Sail Area 1,564 sq. ft. (145.30 sq. m.) Ballast 19,179 lb. (8,699 kg.) Displacement 55,391 lb. (25,124 kg.) Ballast/D .34 D/L 178 SA/D 17.22 Water 264 gal. (1,000 l.) Fuel 369 gal. (1,400 l.) Holding 126 gal. (478 l.) Engine 140-hp. Volkswagen TDI Designer Ed Dubois Price $1,300,000

Northshore Yachts Ltd. (+44) 1243-512611 www.southerly.com

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BOAT TEST: SOUTHERLY 435 (WITH GALLERY)

Southerly Yachts resurgence continues and their new 435 is the latest of their swing keel yachts to enjoy a rebirth. Sam Jefferson takes her for a spin  

I suppose before I start this review I should declare that I am an avowed fan of the swing keel. A few years back I owned a fairly peculiar boat in Poole Harbour that had this arrangement and I vividly remember the great joy of sailing at speed through Blood Alley, a narrow channel, while a selection of sailors watched in disbelief from their anchored yachts gesturing wildly for me to make an about turn. It’s a great feeling and, certainly in tidal waters of the UK, it opens up whole new vistas to explore. Stretches of water that you would never dare to go near if you had a fixed keel yacht.

Anyway, that dewy eyed narrative brings me seamlessly to the new Southerly 435 which, with her swing keel is an ideal vehicle for illustrating my point as she draws just 2’9” with the keel raised. Now, some of you may be thinking that the 435 seems awfully familiar and that’s because when I say she’s new, I’m only half telling the truth. Her hull dates back to 2008 when this design was first launched as the Southerly 42 RS (Raised saloon). It’s a long story, but a series of wranglings at Southerly saw the boatbuilder go out of business in 2013 before being brought back to life by the Discovery Group two years ago.

This news was greeted with a good deal of relief as Southerly always had an excellent reputation and also an extremely loyal following among discerning cruisers who appreciated the shallow draft capabilities of the Southerly range. Their sudden departure also left a gaping hole in the market as, all of a sudden, there was no availability for a GRP production swing keel yacht. The only options were the French aluminium ‘go anywhere’ style cruising yachts. Although there are undoubtedly excellent at what they do, they have a certain idiosyncratic and individual styling that doesn’t appeal to everyone.

It don’t mean a thing…

Southerly’s were always more palatable to a mainstream audience. Rob Humphreys has always known how to draw up a nice harmonious hull and the 435 is a decent looking yacht. I was wondering whether the boat might be looking a bit dated given that her lines date back to 2008 but it wasn’t immediately obvious. I guess the trend these days is for a bit more of a plumb bow and less inverse rake on the transom, but ultimately, she just looks like a yacht that isn’t slave to passing design fads. After all, the plumb bow is a bit daft if viewed in the cold light of day. Anyway, the key design features are as follows: She’s got a cast iron swing keel weighs in at 3,400lbs and lifts on a hydraulic ram. She draws a substantial 8’11” with it down, which points to decent upwind performance. The hull itself has plenty of beam kept well aft to give her good internal volume. There is a good deal of rocker and twin rudders with a relatively short foil profile – combine this with the heavily rockered hull and they do not even touch the ground when she dries out. The engine is on a saildrive and the prop is protected by its own skeg.

In terms of the cockpit and deck arrangement, the deck plug remains the same as the old 42 but there have been some cosmetic tweaks here. The old 42’s deck saloon had very distinctive teardrop shaped windows at the side but these have been replaced with a wraparound which provides more light in the saloon and also ensures that the exterior of the yacht has a more contemporary style to it. The cockpit is a centrally located which is ideal for blue water cruising and has a nice enclosed yet comfortable feel to it. The old Southerly 42 came with the choice of either a single helm position or twin helms. At present, the new version is only available with a single helm.

Other than that, there are a pair of modest lazarettes aft of the cockpit for putting fenders etc in and then a huge locker at the bow that would swallow up all manner of junk if you wished it to. There is also a modest locker in the cockpit itself. The side decks are a touch on the narrow side, but that is about the only criticism I can come up with.

An extra string to your bow

In terms of. The sail plan, this has clearly been drawn up with blue water cruising and short handed sailing in mind. It’s a relatively modest plan that utilises the ‘slutter’ rig set up, with a fairly small self tacking jib set slightly aft of a much bigger overlapping headsail. This is a very versatile rig that gives you the best of all worlds – the only real drawback is that you have to furl the genoa in order to tack as the gap is too narrow between the stay for the jib. In contrast to the old 42, there is also a fixed bowsprit that has the blocks in place for a Code 0 and also houses the anchor roller.

The mainsheet is set just abaft the helmsman which I always think is the most effective set up and you can fine adjust to your heart’s content while at the helm. On this particular model, the mainsail was an in mast furling job and absolutely all the winches were push button electric ones which made things somewhat effortless. The keel was adjusted via the control panel on the steering pedestal and went up and down noiselessly with a little indicator showing its relative angle. There was also a very nice chartplotter integrated into the steering pedestal.

Down below  

So far, so good; nothing revolutionary here, but still a thoroughly practical and comfortable space. Heading down below, things started to contrast more sharply compared to the old Southerly 42. I suppose the first and most striking contrast was simply the quality of the fit out. Southerly is now owned by Discovery Yachts and the company has always been noted for the high quality of the carpentry and this was immediately evident when you stepped into the saloon; lots of high quality wood beautifully put together. Southerly Yachts were always well put together, but this is a step up. The other striking thing is the vast amount of natural light thanks to that raised saloon. The big wraparound deckhouse window offers splendid 270 degree views of the great outdoors. The raised saloon is a pretty common feature on many yachts these days, but Southerly actually needs it for very practical reasons, as there needs to be space to hide the lifting keel mechanism. This works very well and the remainder of the keel casing is hidden in the saloon table which also provides good access to an inspection hatch.

The layout has changed somewhat from the old Southerly 42 which used to geature the galley at a lower level from the main saloon and was situated longitudinally to starboard. This was a very self contained area but it did feel somewhat divorced from the saloon. The new layout features the galley to port and aft of the main saloon. Even though it is at a lower level again, it somehow means the cook feels more involved and connected with the saloon. It is also a nicely self contained space; very secure with everything to hand. The ddrawback is that the galley is now closer to the owners cabin, so more dangers of cooking smells intruding in here. I guess it all depends on what the chef is cooking as to whether this is a problem!

The main saloon seating/dining area is also to port and the chart table is aft to starboard and gives excellent views out to sea while also providing a commanding position. There as an extra bench seat to starboard where the galley used to be located. This could easily be converted into a pilot berth for night watch with the addition of a lee cloth.

The interior of the 435 feels huge given the relative size of the yacht and this is partly achieved because the forward cabin is a relatively modest double. That said, it does have am ensuite that, thanks to two separate entrances, also doubles as the day head.

Head aft through the galley and you find yourself in a palatial owner’s suite; very comfortable and light with plentiful headroom. Those broad hindquarters mean that this feels like a cabin that belongs to an altogether larger yacht. The sheer size is underlined when you head around to starboard and discover a very generously dimensioned heads with a separate shower cubicle. There is a watertight door set into the bulkhead here which also allows for walk in access to the engine room – surely something of a welcome novelty on a 42’ yacht. Overall, the interior was amazibngly roomy, thoughtfully laid out and pleasant. I guess the only criticisms I has were that the fore cabin was a tad on the modest side size wise and I didn’t like the colour of the upholstery – something that can be very easily remedied.

It was time to get out on the water and the weather gods had blessed us with blinding sunlight and a gently 10kn breeze that never got above 13kn. Back in the day, Southerly used to have a bit of a reputation for skittish handling under power with the keel up. Those days are gone. The introduction of bow and stern thrusters meant that there was absolutely no reason for concern as we nudged out of a relatively tight space in Lymington and headed out. Heading upwind, we initially opted for the self tacker with full main which, on a relatively short beat made sense but with 10kn of breeze meant she was a tad underpowered, although she slipped along well enough and we were all grateful for the ease of tacking as we closed with Hurst Castle and the Needles. The tight sheeting angle of the self tacker was also a bonus and the 435 proved herself close winded and nimble in the conditions.

Easing off the breeze a bit, we took in the self tacker with minimal effort and switched to the larger overlapping genoa. With the breeze also filling in a touch, we were soon trucking along very nicely indeed. The steering had decent feel and the boat itself was very easy to sail with all the controls so close to hand. Even with the genoa up, the winches were easily accessible from the helm and it was easy enough to single hand even with the bigger sail. I’d like to say that we lifted up the keel and sailed onto the beach at nearby Newtown Creek but that would be a big fat lie. Nevertheless, the knowledge that we could do it was always there in the back of my mind and it was a good feeling to have.

Sam’s verdict

The Southerly 435 is a good follow up to the 42. The most striking change is down below, where the layout has been improved to my mind while the general quality and ‘feel’ is superior to the old boat in my opinion.

Meanwhile, the swing keel is an obvious boon and it has been tried and tested over the years, so we all know it works a treat. I would say that this is a really good practical sized yacht for a couple who are perhaps hosting friends once in a while. It would also make a great blue water cruiser while also being a brilliant yacht for cruising the English Channel where  the vagaries of tide mean that swing keel comes into its own.

• Comfort: 4/5
• Blue water ability: 4/5

Specifications

LOA 42′ 2″ (12.85 m.) LWL 36′ 5″ (11.10 m.) Beam 13′ 3″ (4.04 m.) Draft 2′ 9″/8′ 11″ (0.84/2.72 m.) Working Sail Area 793 sq. ft. (73.7 sq. m.) Displacement 24,802 lb. (11,250 kg.) Ballast (including keel) 8,091 lb. (3,670 kg.) Ballast/D 0.33 D/L 229 SA/D 14.9 Water 64 gal. (290 l.) Fuel 74 gal. (355 l.) Mast Height 61′ 5″ (18.7 m.) Engine 56-hp. Yanmar Designers Rob Humphreys/Stephen Jones

Price (sailaway): £545,000

discoveryyachtsgroup.com

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