Southerly 32

[Victoria Sponge]

Does anyone know anything about these yachts? I really like the look of them, but I suspect they may be expensive. Do they sail well?

http://www.northshore.co.uk/yachts/southerly/32/

 

[Tranona]

Yes and yes. Stephen Jones design so very capable. Hideously expensive.

 

[Victoria Sponge]

I want one! By hideously, do you mean ridiculously?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Looked carefully at them before deciding not too.

a) Big for length. Beam (3.7m) makes Med mooring more expensive (often Med moorings are charged in increments of length AND beam)

b) Some changes of level on the floor downstairs. Wasn't convinced that on one dark and stormy night one might not miss a change of level and do oneself an injury.

c) Silly expensive.

d) Sail area/displacement ratio makes it look like it might be a bit sticky in light airs.

My choice, not regretted for a moment except when I plonked it on the mud for 2.5 hours trying to get into a marina at LWS. A wind-up keel would have been handy then.

 

[E39mad]

If you ever seen a grounding plate with the ballasted keel out of a boat you will understand where some of the extra expense goes - they are serious pieces of engineering. The hull moulding is much more complex than a std boat to incorporate it.

Well built boats with good quality interior, fixtures and fittings.

 

[Victoria Sponge]

Looked carefully at them before deciding not too.

a) Big for length. Beam (3.7m) makes Med mooring more expensive (often Med moorings are charged in increments of length AND beam)

b) Some changes of level on the floor downstairs. Wasn't convinced that on one dark and stormy night one might not miss a change of level and do oneself an injury.

c) Silly expensive.

d) Sail area/displacement ratio makes it look like it might be a bit sticky in light airs.

My choice, not regretted for a moment except when I plonked it on the mud for 2.5 hours trying to get into a marina at LWS. A wind-up keel would have been handy then.

A very nice looking yacht! Pretty expensive I would say. What sort of keels to they have?

 

[Gelfie]

Have a look at an older 100 or 95, these are real value for money and have nearly as much space.

 

[Tranona]

I want one! By hideously, do you mean ridiculously?

Depends on your point of view, but you won't get any change out of £150k, even before you tick all the options boxes. 5 years ago that would have got you a 110 which is much more substantial boat.

 

[fireball]

My choice, not regretted for a moment except when I plonked it on the mud for 2.5 hours trying to get into a marina at LWS. A wind-up keel would have been handy then.

And she looked very nice parked there ...

I had quite a few sarky comments ready to go - but thought I better not cos if I did I'd only go and get stuck a boat length in front! As it was I breezed through and into the marina with no problems! What a difference 55cm (book difference) makes eh?!

 

[E39mad]

Have a look at an older 100 or 95, these are real value for money and have nearly as much space.

Good boats but don't sail as well as the modern boats - ballasted keel is triangular in these and need to be sail fairly level - the 95 had a lifting rudder whereas the 100 was fixed on the back of a skeg and shallower in depth.

 

[Twister_Ken]

A very nice looking yacht! Pretty expensive I would say. What sort of keels to they have?

Not nearly as expensive as the Southerly 32!

Keels - girt big ones. A smidgin short of 2m in my case.

 

[rotrax]

Hi, Test sailed the demo just after its launch-only in Ichenor reach-easy to handle,quite quick, loads of internal space. Lifting keel mechanism,as reported by other posters is very well engineered and substantial. Too expensive for us,especialy after adding a few toys. Part of the test included a factory tour and I can confirm that care and quality are high on the agenda at Northshore. If only......

 

[robbieg]

How well do they sail.

I too have considered one of these and indeed it might still be on the list for a few year time. Anyone out there who has sailed one can you give a comparator-ie do they sail as well as a fin keeled 32ft Bav/Jen/Ben cruising boat or is the lift keel a handicap? In reality I am more interested in performance in lightish winds rather than heavy weather capability. Any views appreciated.

 

[shaunksb]

My choice.

That would be my choice too.

There was a very nice looking southerly at Conwy this year though.

Don't those people on "distant shores" swear by the southerlies?


.

 

[E39mad]

I too have considered one of these and indeed it might still be on the list for a few year time. Anyone out there who has sailed one can you give a comparator-ie do they sail as well as a fin keeled 32ft Bav/Jen/Ben cruising boat or is the lift keel a handicap? In reality I am more interested in performance in lightish winds rather than heavy weather capability. Any views appreciated.

Not sailed a 32 but have many others - the keel is not a handicap as it is actually deeper than the equivalent fin keeler when fully down at 6'11" in the case of the 32. When off the wind the keel can be raised to bring the weight aft and create better tracking by creating more of a long keel than a deep fin to "trip over".

 

[sailor211]

I would like one for the lifting keel capability, and am not keen on neutral bouncy liftiing keels such as the feeling. Solid bit of cast iron and foot plate lookd the job. But the price!!

I noticed that in the Scillies last year, all the 32/35 around and there were alot (10 or 12
) were on bouys not on the beach. What is the point if you do not use the lifting keel. Then again would i park £180K + on a beach where it may find a rock.

 

[Boathook]

I would like one for the lifting keel capability, and am not keen on neutral bouncy liftiing keels such as the feeling. Solid bit of cast iron and foot plate lookd the job. But the price!!

I noticed that in the Scillies last year, all the 32/35 around and there were alot (10 or 12
) were on bouys not on the beach. What is the point if you do not use the lifting keel. Then again would i park £180K + on a beach where it may find a rock.

When I went there a few years back the water was very clear and we could see the bottom quite clearly at 3m depth so stayed clear of any rocks when anchoring.

 

[Slow_boat]

The 'Double after cabin' is in fact more of a matress on the floor under the cockpit so your head is right where the water is slapping under the stern. The massive instrument pod makes sailing more like standing in front of a computer console. With the keel up, the bounce around in the marina. i prefer tiller steering, partivcularly on a boat that size. Very tall to step onto the pontoon from. Lot's of windage so not easy to manouver in a marina if there's any wind.

Apart from that, they are very well built, responsive, fast for a cruiser, well designed and comfortable but very, very expensive for wht they are. I can think of other boats I'd rather have for that price.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Very tall to step onto the pontoon from. Lot's of windage so not easy to manouver in a marina if there's any wind..

As I recall one of the first ones was kept on a shallow berth at Mercury Marina and had a bow thruster to help it park and unpark.

 

[Lucky Duck]

As I recall one of the first ones was kept on a shallow berth at Mercury Marina and had a bow thruster to help it park and unpark.

I suspect pretty much every Southerly now leaves the factory with a bow thruster fitted, if for no other reason than the lack of prop wash over the rudders when maneouvering .