Southerly 42RS
2006 February 7
Cruiserr
I like this new one, too. I have always been a fan of Rob Humphrey's designs. The brochure also gives design credit to the Northshore Design Office and I have no idea who they are or what part of the design they are responsible for. Suffice to say, Mr. Humphreys would have drawn the hull, appendages and rig at the least.
Shoal draft is what the Southerly series is all about and they achieve it with a swing keel, centerboard style. The swing mechanism is all captured within a cast ballast "pan" that fits in flush with the hull but the rest of the ballast is in the keel fin itself. The draft with the keel down is a healthy 8 feet, 11 inches, and this is what separates the Southerlies from most shoal-draft offerings. Draft with the keel retracted is 2 feet, 9 inches. With the keel down this boat has the draft to match any fixed-keel cruiser on the wind and in fact it will probably outperform a typical fixed keel 42-footer drawing 6 feet. There is just no substitute for draft. Of course there is no point of having this draft option if your rudder is dragging through the mud, so Southerly uses twin stubby rudders that stay immersed when the hull heels. There is a skeg with a shoe on it to protect the prop when the 42 takes to the mud. With a D/L of 229 and an L/B of 3.18 the 42 can be considered a beamy boat of moderate displacement.
The trick with a swing keel is what to do with the keel trunk where it interferes with the interior layout. Southerly has incorporated its saloon dinette into this problem by having it cover the aft half of the trunk. The forward half of the protruding trunk is nestled up against the fore and aft head bulkhead where it is out of the way. While the trunk has been taken care of the rest of the layout is a bit unusual in that it is on two levels. The dinette is on the upper level where there is excellent visibility out of the big windows and the galley is down. This allows the galley to be pushed outboard. It's a good galley with lots of counter space. There are two heads with shower stalls. This seems a bit much for a 42-footer, but it's nice. There is a large double quarterberth to starboard with plenty of locker space. There is a wet locker adjacent to the companionway. The V-berths are roomy singles that can convert to a double. Again there is plenty of locker space in the forward cabin. The nav station is at the foot of the companionway. It's a very workable layout but I would miss the sanctuary of a symmetrical saloon. But I like dark, cavelike saloons. I think it's a womb thing.
Decks are like golf swings. Years ago you saw some pretty idiosyncratic golf swings and deck layouts. I miss those old golf swings. I suppose today's swings are so predictable as a function of sports science. Decks are the same way as we have learned what works and what does not. The 42RS deck has a 54-inch diameter wheel sunk into a well aft in the cockpit. I like a big wheel. It lets you get outboard to see the slot under sail and the dock edge under power. Note the mainsheet traveler is just forward of the wheel where it belongs. Halyards are led aft under covers on the housetop to stoppers and winches adjacent to the companionway. There is a track for a self-tacking jib. There is a bow well for lines. The cockpit opens up to the transom through a door for easy access to the dock or dinghy. The life raft stows in a dedicated locker in the swim platform.
The rig is totally normal. But the SA/D is low at 14.67. Does this mean the 42RS will be a dog in light air? I don't think it will be a rocker in the light stuff but you have to look at the other side of the coin. For Mom and Pop it may be better to give up a little light-air boat speed for the fun of not having to reef so soon when the wind builds.
This new Southerly is a very handsome boat with distinct advantages that should appeal to any cruiser with or without draft issues.
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