Southerly 105?

WestWittering

WestWittering

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Oh God - HWIMBO has found one that he likes the look of (bloody boat show). I am not that convinced - not about the actual boat, it looks fine. But about lifting keels, increased leeway, passagemaking etc. Any views (I am sure there are many) please share..... Also, I am away for a week from and as head researcher I will not be going with him for the viewing (interrogation) and he may well buy it without access to all the facts :eek:!! Well as much as can glean from the interweb. Any advice please?

Di
 
West Wittering,

I think these boats are an OK cruiser, though as you suspect probably won't set any speed records; no reason why a decent lift keel should produce extra leeway though.

One thing which applies to all lift keel boats, make sure you and hwimbo have a survey / inspection done with her hoisted and the keel lowered; and ask how the keel plate has been maintained in winters, this can be difficult with a lift keeler especially a relatively large one like the 105, I knew someone with one who supported her over a pit but it's nowhere near as handy as having the boat up high, if proper supports can be organised.

I say to people having a lift keeler hoisted to come to an arrangement with the owner to let them - the owner - take photo's of the keel etc ( if it's OK ! ) including a newspaper headline in shot, to prove the date; then if the sale falls through for any reason the owner could hopefully show people the pics and avoid another lift - this would take negotiation as of course normally the potential buyer pays for hoists.

With a swing type lift keel there's always a question mark over the pivot pin, though I remember seeing a diagram of the 105s' ( Dick Carter designed ? ) lift keel set-up and being impressed by the hefty engineering.

Have a look what you think of the small rudder too.


Would it be worth asking the makers at Itchenor for any tips, as they're apparently close by to you ?

Good luck.
 
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Thanks for that Seajet. The boat is out of the water atm, and I noted 'Ooh, a Southerly' as I drove past it, noticed mainly because it was sitting low down amongst all the other keel boats. It was only afterwards as I left him near the brokers while I was in the chandlers that I realised it was the one offered for sale. So, from my recollection, it may sitting too low to lower the keel as it sits at the moment. Shouldn't cost too much for a lift...

I will pass on your advice to him. I met the guys from Southerly at the Boat Show and we have an invite for a factory tour and a sail.... it may be that the boat has been maintained by them.. She does look in good nick though.

Could end up being the most expensive boots I have ever bought :rolleyes: And they say women are bad!!

Di
 
Southerly 105 will be at least 30 years old now. As Seajet states the ballasted swing keel is a hefty piece of engineering esp coupled with the large cast iron grounding plate.

The keel should have a 2" stainless pin within a bronze bush and not "clonk" at all - keel is 1/3 of the ballast and grounding plate 2/3rds. Hydraulics lift the aft end of the triangular keel shape using a ram and two kevlar ropes. Whilst the system is substantial to say the least it still requires maintenance and would to be seeing some proof of that over the last 10 years.
 
Sailing performance

Get some views from the Forum about sailing performance especially relating to the tendency for the rudder to "trip". It is very small rudder because of the reduced draught of the boat with the keel up. Later models dealt with this by having 2 angled rudders and I think one older version had an extra piece to the rudder that could be lowered once the keel was down.

Not an owner but someone who wishes he was if he had the money. The people at Northshore are great - if you are going for a test sail look forward to the strange sensation of a cruising yacht being driven straight up the beach at East Head and then reversed off ;)
 
I still have details of our old Southerly 95 here:
http://www.mistroma.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/MistromaOriginal/Index.html

We did around 17,000 mile cruising over the years and the S95 is a solid boat. I can make some comments on the S105 based on my memory of the time we were looking at one and knowledge of the S95.

1) Keel pin.
I think some early Southerlies had a "clonk" due to lack of a proper bush in the keel pivot. Our S95 was fine and from memory, I think only very early S105s might have had that problem. Just ask Northshore and they'll tell you about that point.

2) Small rudder
The S95 was actually quite a decent size and I think that the S105 was a pretty similar arrangement. The whole rudder slid up & down as could therefore be quite deep.

Later S100s had a retroussé stern with the rudder underneath. So it wasn't possible to have a lifting arrangement like the S95 and the rudder was very small.

3) Handling
S95 sailed pretty well but steering did get heavy if you didn't reef. I'd expect the S105 to be similar. Later S100s didn't sail as well because the rudder was much smaller and stalled fairly easily. Northshore realised their mistake and fixed it by fitting twin rudders on later models to give better handling under sail (this loses prop-wash when motoring of course).

4) Examining the keel
You are unlikely to see the whole keel unless you lift the boat off the ground. Even then, I doubt you'd be able to find any "clonk" (loose pivot pin) as it is very heavy and sits down into a shaped hole when fully down.

I was told that the easiest way was to sail with the keel up about 6 inches and tack a few times. No problem with our old S95.

S95 has a small inspection hatch inside to let you see the lifting bracket and pennants. I'd bet that the S105 is the same.
 
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Lots of those in our yard, 6 or 7.
I looked at an early boat years ago, and was taken ,but at that time it had osmosis, and the owner would not acknowledgeit, bizarre.
Anyway, friend of mine brought one back from Carib, and he said he thought it very rolly in a following sea, and that the rudder coupled with round bilge sections contributed. You are also higher up as a raised cockpit accentuates rolling motion.
All that notwithstanding, I still rate them highly as cruisers, and nearly went for a 115 MkII if I hadn't bought my new boat. The MkI shown in link still has the little rudder.
The 115s are better sorted, if you can stretch to the budget, with redesigned keel and rudder among other things.

http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/southerly-115/southerly-115.htm
 
Tranona said:
Cardo who posts here regularly now owns this boat.
Click to expand...

Hello!

As above, we are the owners of Tinkerbell, the 105 modified with twin transom hung rudders.

Much of the advice I received prior to purchase has been echoed above. If you would like to chat or visit Tinkerbell to have a nose pm me and I can furnish you my mobile number. Tinkerbell's based on the Hamble.
 
Just to clarify for the OP:

The Southerly 95/105 had drop down rudders therefore are not as shallow as the latter fixed rudders of the 100/115.

The 115 series 2 had the same rudder as the series one (with end plates) but had the Rob Humphreys designed swing keel which made the boat ALOT stiffer under sail. 8'1" draught instead of 6'10" and a better shape for both sailing and the interior accommodation.
 
E39mad said:
Just to clarify for the OP:

The Southerly 95/105 had drop down rudders therefore are not as shallow as the latter fixed rudders of the 100/115.

The 115 series 2 had the same rudder as the series one (with end plates) but had the Rob Humphreys designed swing keel which made the boat ALOT stiffer under sail. 8'1" draught instead of 6'10" and a better shape for both sailing and the interior accommodation.
Click to expand...

+1 for the S115 series 2- ours has the rudder stub wings and the aerofoil keel shape.
Not much stalling out experienced, but we have in mast reefing which means a smaller main. We've had 12knots with genoa up and tide with us off Cherbourg pennisula in 24kts of wind. Very comfortable with a high cut No2 yankee for a jib- 5-6kts then, tho. So a steady mile eater, and 50 degrees to the wind is about it for close winding for us.

Worth noting that a S115 s3 was first overall at this years Northshore Regatta, and another S115 s2 won the Plymouth-Fowey passage race in that Regatta.
Both of those have Full mains and stackpacks tho.

Ours is in Emsworth, if you want a look round.
 
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