southerly 105 sailboat

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The southerly 105 shown below has been sold:, southerly 105.

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• De Valk Hindeloopen The Netherlands
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Broker's comments.

This Southerly was one off the first swing keel Southerly built, due to this keel she can easily be sailed in shallow waters. Other keywords of this Southerly are: large volume hull, open plan, airy accommodation and inside and outside steering positions.

General - SOUTHERLY 105

GRP Sailing yacht Southerly 105 "Svanevit", built in 1982, dim.: 10,84 x 3,63 x 2,03/0,65 m., built by Northshore - Great Britain and designed by Dick Carter, GRP hull, superstructure and deck, safety glass in the deckhouse, round bilged hull with swing keel, displacement approx. 6 tonnes, ballast approx 2,8 tonnes, fuel capacity approx. 2 x 260 ltrs., and 2 x 100 ltrs. spare fueltank, freshwater tank approx. 1 x 260 ltrs., inside and outside steering, emergency tiller.

CLASSIC SAILING YACHT

Southerly 105

Southerly 105

Length Overall – 10.8m (35ft 7inch) Length at Water Line – 8.4m (27ft 6inch) Beam – 3.7m (11ft 11inch) Draft – Keel Down 2.0m (6ft 8inch) Keel Up – 0.6m (2ft 0inch) Displacement – 5897kgs (13,000llbs)

Produced by Northshore Yachts, based in Hayling Island on the South Coast of the UK, the Southerly 105 offers a 36 foot sailing cruiser with a large volume interior and luxurious living space for her size. Very beamy (3.7 metres) she is no tender racing yacht and hull top speed is about 7 knots usually averaging at about 5 knots. Massively built, the fibreglass construction is incredibly strong and does not use sandwich construction anywhere on the hull. A very large cast steel plate and box section is bolted to the fibreglass hull which holds the cast steel drop keel that swings up into the keel box by the means of Kevlar pennants attached to a hydraulic ram. The ram actively raises the keel and passively lowers it. The Southerly 105 benefits from a steering position down below with full forward looking glass windscreens, allowing for 180 degree vision. To facilitate the ability to dry out, the rudder is stern hung and rises up and down by means of a stainless-steel bar attached to the stern. A bronze split plate that is bolted through a running slot in the rudder allows it to be rotated for steering. This is facilitated by a series of cables that run through to the cockpit wheel steering position and then duplicated to the inside steering position. The 105 has a tendency to gripe up into wind if over-pressed and for this reason Northshore stopped production in 1984 to produce the Southerly 115, an identical design to the 105 but with twin keels under the hull. The rudders needed to be quite small to allow the new design to also be able to dry out.

Gosport – United Kingdom

Our yacht Hoopla is a Southerly 105 with some modifications to original design these include;

• A reduction of berths from 9 berths to 8 (the single berth in the stern cabin was removed)
• In mast roller reefing with vertically battened main.
• 150% Oversized Genoa
• Sewage holding tank
• 300 litre stainless steel fuel tank
• 170 litre stainless steel water tank with pumped pressurised water with hot water tank and calorifier.
• Solar panel gantry with two 100 watt solar panels.
• Fresh water flush tank for engine.

Originally purchased with the intention of heading to the Med via the canals, Hoopla seemed an ideal vessel due to her ability to perform in very shallow waters. With the keel up she will float in about 1 metre of water. I also liked her stern hung rudder which allows for the installation of an emergency tiller in the event of a cable breakage. Many yachts have been lost for the want of an emergency rudder!

One of my main considerations when looking at a vessel that we could live aboard as well as travel the world was that it was essential that it could be single handled. Travelling with a young family involves being realistic about

Hoopla was fitted with an oversized genoa (150%) and this combined with the roller reefing main, makes her a very versatile and agile craft.

We have a 36 hp 3 cylinder bukh engine with a very large twin blade propeller. The idea of the twin blade is that it is possible to align the blades with the skeg to help minimise drag. The Bukh has been converted to fresh water cooling using a Martec heat exchanger and electric water pump.

Southerly Southerly 105 Boat for Sale

• accommodation
• mechanical and rigging
• Manufacturer: Southerly
• Location: Queenborough
• LOA: 35'7" (10.85m)
• Beam: 11' 11'' (3.63m)
• Keel: Lifting Keel
• ID no.: 3846
• Heating: No
• Watertank Size: 60 Gallons
• Engine Make: Bulk DV36
• Horsepower: 36hp
• Drive Type:
• Fuel Type: Diesel
• Fuel Tank Size: 227 Litres
• Cruise Speed: 6.0 Knots
• Top Speed: 7.0 Knots

Broker Remarks

Southerly 105 £19,995 Southern Spirit is a Southerly 105 that was built in 1981. She is being sold as seen as the owner has unfortunately passed away. The yacht does require work, but this has been reflected in the advertised price.

The Southerly 105 is a spacious and versatile family cruiser with excellent accommodation. The hydraulic inside steering position allows you to enjoy sailing in inclement conditions and the lifting keel and moderate draft provide good performance with the ability to explore shallow water cruising grounds and thus ideal for the East Coast of the UK and Holland.

Accommodation

Accommodation:

The Southerly 105 offers eight berths in three cabins.  The Forecabin with two single berths with stowage beneath has a hanging locker and opening hatch to the foredeck.  The saloon consists of a dinette to port with a drop leaf table that can convert to a double berth and a single settee berth opposite.

Aft of the saloon and to starboard is the Chart Table with its inside hydraulic steering system and seat which provides good around visibility. It has storage for an array of books and charts. Opposite the Chart Table is the galley which is equipped with a 2-burner cooker with grill and oven, twin stainless-steel sinks, fridge, pressurised hot and cold-water system heated by a gas boiler, currently not working, and lots of storage.

Aft of the Chart Table and to starboard is the Heads Compartment with a marine toilet, shower and washbasin with hot and cold water. The Hot Water heater system is located in the Heads Compartment. Freshwater tank holds 270 litres of water. 

Aft of the Galley area is a walkway to the aft cabin which is fitted with a double berth to starboard and a single berth to port. The walkway provides easy access to the engine compartment. The yacht is very light and gives a real feel of volume.

Mechanical and Rigging

Spars & Sails:

Masthead ketch rigged sloop. Anodised aluminium mast, mizzen mast and boom. Spinnaker pole. Stainless steel standing rigging, age not known. Gas road kicker. Terylene running rigging, Slab reefing mainsail with stackpack, lazyjacks. Rotostay Headsail furling system.

• 2 x Sheet winches
• 2 x Secondary winches
• 3 x Halyard winches
• 1 x Mainsail, age not known
• 1 x Furling Genoa, age not known
• 1 x Mizzen mainsail, age not known

  Mechanical Systems:

Located abaft the companion way is a Bulk DV36 3-cylinder 36hp diesel engine. The engine was last run on the 20 th November 2017. Seawater cooled. Single lever controls at the external helm with electric start. Shaft drive to fixed 2 bladed propeller. 227litre fuel tank.    

 Electrical Systems:

2 x 12-volt batteries purchased around 2014 (1 x engine + 1 x domestic) charging from alternator and via 240v shore power system with ring main, and battery charger.

Deck Equipment:

• 1 x Main anchor with chain and warp
• Anchor windlass – manual
• Sprayhood blue
• Cockpit winter cover – blue
• Boarding ladder
• 6 x Fenders
• 4 x Mooring warps

Navigation Equipment:

• VHF Radio Seavoice RT560
• Compass on binnacle
• Wind system
• Log - Smiths
• Raymarine wheel Autopilot ST4000
• GPS - Mer FX312 GPS
• Clock & Barometer
• Some paper charts – date unknown

Safety Equipment:

• 2 x Fire Extinguishers in saloon
• Fire Blanket
• Horseshoe Lifebuoy

Cast iron lifting keel – The electric and manual hydraulically operated lifting keel is currently stuck in the up position believed to be due to barnacle growth.

History & Construction

Built in 1981 by Northshore to a design by Dick Carter. White GRP Hull with style stripes, superstructure and decks with moulded non-slip surfaces. Rubber rubbing strake. Hydraulically operated lifting keel. Dual wheel steering to skeg hung lifting rudder. Self-draining cockpit.

Brokers Comments:

This is an opportunity to purchase a Southerly 105 at a very competitive price. The yacht is being sold as seen by the family as the owner has unfortunately passed away. The yacht does require work, including the hydraulic lifting keel being serviced, rigging replaced and some cosmetic work below.  However, this has been reflected in the asking price. As far as we can see the yacht is very sound and would make a great purchase for someone looking for a project.

Contact NYB Kent

• Address: Network Yacht Brokers Kent Chatham Maritime Marina Leviathan Way, Chatham, Kent ME4 4LP
• Telephone: [+44] [0] 1634 571605 --> [+44] [0] 1634 571605
• Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer : Network Yacht Brokers Kent offers the details of this vessel for sale but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of the information contained in the specification or warrant the condition of the vessel or equipment. A buyer should instruct his agents, or surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered for sale subject to no prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

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Step aboard a yacht and the finer details are evident on a Southerly Yacht. The cockpit seating is deep and sculpted to ensure comfort and support. Hand-holds are just where you want them, and the excellence of craftsmanship is evident at every turn. Everything has been carefully considered. There are even wonderful ‘dolphin watching’ seats forward, as well as seats on the aft deck that are perfect for a sundowner.

What makes these yachts so special is the light-filled raised saloon. Welcoming and spacious, the raised saloon is great for entertaining or just relaxing. Enjoy the scenery in comfort and style through the large eye-level windows.

The ergonomic and innovative galley will appeal to the most demanding of chefs, with its generous work surfaces, cavernous fridge and freezer as well as ample storage that makes life a pleasure on longer cruises. Spacious and luxurious, the owner’s cabin has a king-sized centreline double bed, whilst the en-suite comes complete with a heated towel rail. The combination of the hand – crafted joinery (which is a work of art in itself) and the meticulous attention to detail set these yachts apart. The interior not only looks good in harbour, it is also functional and comfortable at sea.

Shallow draft capabilities can save precious time when entering or leaving locked marinas or even crossing a shallow bar in some harbor entrances. When approaching shallow waters, the keel can simply be raised to avoid grounding, and killing time for a safe height of tide.

The Southerly swing keel system opens up a world of possibilities denied to most yachts. Today, there are over 1,100 Southerly Owners worldwide who can testify to the remarkable versatility of the Variable Draft Keel system (swing keel) which fulfils most people’s idea of the perfect yacht: Learn More

Click on the models below for more information and specifications on Southerly Yachts.

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Southerly 105?

• Thread starter WestWittering
• Start date 19 Oct 2012
• 19 Oct 2012

WestWittering

Active member.

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.  

Well-known member

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.  

stuartwineberg

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.  

Thanks for all the info. The collective knowledge is amazing. I'll let you know laterin threw week if I'll be eating beans for the rest of my life. Di  

• 20 Oct 2012

There was an article in PBO about replaceing the central rudder with two wing rudders and the change gave better control etc.....IIRC that is.  

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  

mogy said: There was an article in PBO about replaceing the central rudder with two wing rudders and the change gave better control etc.....IIRC that is. Click to expand...

Tranona said: Cardo who posts here regularly now owns this boat. Click to expand...

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.  

Tidewaiter2

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...

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Southerly 115

Posted by Tom Wells | Boat Reviews , Reviews

Because its generous beam gives it high form stability, the Southerly 115 achieves good windward performance without excessive heel.

A true shoal-draft cruiser from the UK

When you are used to sailing a performance cruiser with a 7-foot draft, the prospect of spending winters in the shallow waters of Southwest Florida can be daunting. That was the dilemma facing Chris and Laura Mlynarczyk, who enjoy summers aboard their German Frers-designed Swan 40, Allegro, on Lake Michigan. They were concerned that a boat capable of meeting Florida’s draft requirements would be a less satisfying platform, but they found an answer in 2017 when they purchased their 2006 Southerly 115 Mk IV, Blue Sky . In March 2018, my wife, Sandy, and I met Chris and Laura aboard Blue Sky at Burnt Store Marina in Charlotte Harbor on Florida’s west coast.

Chris, a Chicago-area native, was drawn to sailing at an early age when he saw the movie Mutiny on the Bounty . He became a classical guitarist, performing and teaching as he earned his MBA. During this time he took up sailboarding, and eventually he served as crew in three Chicago-Mackinac races. He owned an IOR Half Ton raceboat while in Chicago. After moving to Southern California, where he spent six years, he gained experience on a variety of boats, including Santa Cruz race-boats and J/40s, and sailed a Transpac race aboard a TP52. He spent the next several years in Dubai, and after his return to Chicago sailed a Baltic 35.

Blue Sky’s swing keel draws 8 feet. The bow thruster was standard on Mk IV models of the Southerly 115.

During this time, Chris met Laura. When they found their Swan 40, they knew it was the boat for them and they brought Allegro home to Racine, Wisconsin. Because of her growing love for sailing, Laura suggested they could use a second boat for winter sailing. Adding the Southerly 115 as their Florida boat made an ideal sailing situation for them.

The foredeck on the Southerly 115 is furnished with heavy stainless steel cleats atop the bulwarks port and starboard, and a windlass and substantial Samson post inside the anchor locker.

Northshore Yachts of Chichester, England, began producing the Southerly line in 1975 with the introduction of the Southerly 28. It was designed for true shoal-draft sailing and had to be able to dry out in the tidal estuaries around the United Kingdom while retaining good stability and performance qualities.

When looking for a reliable and sturdy design for larger shoal-draft cruisers, Northshore turned to Carter Offshore, a Boston-area design firm known mainly for IOR raceboats. In 1980, the company introduced the Dick Carter-designed Southerly 95, followed in 1983 by the Southerly 110, which evolved into the 37-foot Southerly 115 with more interior space and a center cockpit.

The first version of the Southerly 115, referred to as the Mk I, had a drop keel in the shape of a triangular airfoil and a single shallow rudder to match the keel-up draft. That rudder showed a tendency to ventilate as the boat heeled under certain conditions, so Northshore had British designer Rob Humphreys modify the 115 and introduced it as the Mk II. Humphreys is known for many successful designs, including Dame Ellen MacArthur’s Open 60, Kingfisher .

One trade-off with the center-cockpit design is that the cockpit seating, at just under 6 feet long, does not allow taller crew to stretch out fully for napping. The seats have inlaid teak and there is locker stowage beneath the starboard one. A recess to starboard of the helm houses the engine controls. Lewmar 44 primary winches are mounted on the coamings, and cubbies beneath them provide stowage for winch handles and other loose items.

Under Humphreys’ direction, Northshore modified the drop keel to provide greater depth and lift, and fitted twin rudders to maintain shallow draft and provide directional control when the boat heeled. Further modifications made in the following years resulted in the Mk III and Mk IV. These modifications were above the waterline and did not affect sailing qualities. The Southerly 115 remained in production until around 2007. Between 250 and 300 hulls were produced.

Northshore Yachts was recently acquired by Discovery Yachts Group, which now produces a line of larger shoal-draft Southerly Yachts in Southampton, England.

Catbird seats built into the stern rail provide an excellent view for backseat drivers.

Construction

The Southerly 115 has a solid hand- laid-up fiberglass hull below the water- line. The topsides and the deck are cored with balsa except in load areas, where plywood core was substituted. The hull and deck are joined at the top of a bulwark with a through-bolted flange that was also chemically bonded. A teak rail caps the joint.

Internal ballast for the Mk I was a cast-iron “pancake” weighing 4,962 pounds. The hydraulically operated 2,016-pound iron swing keel brought the total ballast to 6,978 pounds and provides added righting moment when down. The Humphreys modifications for the Mk II and later models added weight to the keel, raising the ballast figure to a total of 7,597 pounds.

A fiberglass floor and furniture pan also covers the swing keel well; a separate fiberglass headliner finishes the overhead.

Hatches are fitted to port and starboard aft on the forward cabintop and there is a solar vent on the starboard side, above the head. The companionway hatch slides into a sea hood and lines from the mast are led through deck organizers along both sides of the sea hood and aft to the cockpit.

The rig is a deck-stepped Seldén double-spreader aluminum mast supported by a compression post in the cabin. A single chainplate anchors the upper and intermediate shrouds on each sidedeck; lowers attach to a separate chainplate aft. The wide cabin trunk restricts sidedeck space, but because the chainplates are all inboard toward the cabin trunk, there is adequate width for crew to pass outboard of the shrouds. The backstay is single from the masthead but splits above the stern to connect to port and starboard chainplates. A simple block and tackle allows the backstay tension to be adjusted. The Seldén boom has internal reefing lines and is fitted with a Seldén rigid vang.

There is a Lewmar halyard winch on the port side of the mast, and convenient foldout steps on each side for use when working at the mast.

Large windows on each side of the cabin trunk and along the sloping front surface provide lighting below and excellent views to the exterior. The forward cabintop is low and uncluttered, with only the forward hatch and a single Dorade vent to interfere with crew work.

Most center-cockpit boats are 40 feet or larger, but the configuration aboard Blue Sky works surprisingly well and does not seem cramped. When we stepped on board, the first thing we noticed was the wide, spacious aft-cabin roof behind the cockpit. The only fixture on it is the hatch over the aft berth.

The steering system is cable-and quadrant by Whitlock. Controls on the pedestal include the system for raising and lowering the keel and, on Blue Sky , the joystick for the bow thruster that was included in the late Mk IV models. A table is fitted to the pedestal.

The teak-capped raised bulwarks enhance safety on deck. Stainless steel stanchions and double lifelines are mounted just inboard of the rail. A gap in the bulwark amidships allows a fair lead for docklines to a convenient mooring cleat.

A large hatch covers the anchor locker and windlass, and when it’s closed the foredeck is relatively clear of obstructions. A single anchor roller is fitted to starboard of the stem fitting, and a short stainless steel sprit to port of the stem fitting allows the tack of an asymmetric spinnaker to be set forward of the headstay.

Over-and-under berths in the forward cabin are a good arrangement for families.

Accommodations

Belowdecks, the interior is richly finished, with teak ceiling along the hull and well-made joinery throughout. Forward, instead of a cramped V-berth, the Southerly 115 has an over/under configuration with two comfortable single berths. Portlights on each side and the overhead hatch provide light and ventilation.

The focus of the saloon, a step down from the galley and nav area, is the wraparound dinette which is partially closed off on the inboard side by the keel trunk.

The saloon is spacious. It’s a small step down from the V-berth and has good headroom beneath the raised cabintop. A U-shaped settee to port surrounds a table supported on the compression post; a settee to starboard completes the seating. Small shelf areas outboard of the seatbacks provide some storage. Two small fixed windows in the hull on each side above the settees augment the ample light provided by the cabin-trunk windows.

The hydraulic system necessary to raise and lower the heavy lifting keel is under the cabin sole.

A step up from the saloon leads to the navigation station to starboard and the galley to port. The keel trunk is cleverly incorporated into the interior to minimize interference. It begins just aft of the compression post and rises to join with the galley counter area. The hydraulic mechanism for raising and lowering the keel is located beneath the sole here and is easily accessible.

In the navigation station instruments and charts are close at hand.

The roomy nav station has a large chart table with a raised panel for repeater instruments and space along the starboard hull for radios and other accessories. An auxiliary helm was fitted on some earlier models.

Solid fiddles and the sea rail on the cabinet faces are the mark of a seagoing galley where a cook can feel secure. A top closure over the stove provides additional counter space when the stove is not in use.

The L-shaped galley, which lies forward of the companionway to port, has ample countertop space. Drawers are fitted aft of the stove, a front-opening refrigeration compartment is located next to the stove, and lockers beneath the athwartships countertop extend inboard to the keel trunk amidships. A sea rail along the counter edge is a good safety feature . There’s also a two-basin sink with a teak cover, a raised shelf with recesses for cups and mugs, and storage with sliding smoked-acrylic doors.

The electrical panel is beneath the chart table facing the aisle and behind a smoked-acrylic door panel that prevents inadvertent contact with the switches.

Chris has made clever use of the space beneath the raisable companionway ladder by fitting brackets to hold heavier tools and other equipment that might be needed in an emergency.

A nearly king-size berth dominates the aft stateroom and is flanked to port by a dressing seat. Stowage areas are provided under the berth and beneath the overhead under the aft deck. For light and ventilation, there are deadlights in both sides of the hull and opening portlights in the raised deck section above the berth.

Aft, a small step up leads to the prominent feature of the interior, a spacious and comfortable owner’s stateroom with a berth that’s nearly king-size.

The first Southerly 115s were equipped with the 36-horsepower Bukh diesel engine. Later models, including Blue Sky, were fitted with the Yanmar 3JH4E. Access is provided by doors in the aft passageway and by removable panels.

Under power

When we left the slip, we noted no pronounced prop walk in reverse. As we proceeded through the channel and out into Charlotte Harbor, the throttle control was precise and there was little or no vibration. The engine compartment has decent sound attenuation; cockpit conversations could be carried on in a normal tone. Once we reached the harbor, Chris throttled up to head for deeper water to drop the keel, and still the noise level was not high.

As a Mk IV model, Blue Sky came equipped with a bow thruster controlled by a joystick on the helm pedestal. That makes maneuvering into the slip a piece of cake, even in a crosswind as we experienced.

The head compartment is to starboard of the companionway, accessed through a teak door. It doubles as the shower, but the fiberglass moldings are easy to wipe dry. The marine toilet is aft, facing forward.

We had two days of nearly ideal conditions on Charlotte Harbor to photograph and sail Blue Sky . On the first day, Sandy and I took out our own Tartan 37, Higher Porpoise , and observed Chris and Laura sailing Blue Sky for the camera. We were not disappointed. Blue Sky seemed to revel in the 10- to 12-knot breeze, and her appearance under sail was striking. This is a very attractive boat with nice lines and good proportions. Frankly, we did not expect that of a 37-foot center-cockpit boat. She sailed past us close-hauled, on a reach, and on a run. In each case, she was under control and seemed solid and stable.

On day two, Sandy and I went aboard Blue Sky to sail her with Chris and Laura. Once we were in deeper water, Chris lowered the keel and raised the sails. The hydraulic system makes lowering and raising the keel quick and easy; a display at the helm helps in assessing the keel depth.

There was enough breeze to move Blue Sky smartly, and we took advantage of the conditions to assess her performance. Going to windward on port tack, we sailed to 35 degrees apparent wind. We were doing 5.5 knots and control seemed precise. I needed only a light touch on the wheel to counteract the desired slight weather helm. We came about and found similar performance on the starboard tack. The dual rudders provided good control throughout. (We have had no opportunity to sail a Mk I model with the single rudder for comparison.)

On a beam reach we were making just over 6 knots, and control was again smooth and precise. We did not experience sea conditions that might have caused problems for the shallow rudder system, but I suspect the twin rudders used on the Mk II model and up would likely perform well with the leeward rudder fully immersed.

Bearing off onto a run, the boat exhibited good control and stable tracking with no apparent roll. All in all, the boat performed in a manner similar to a fixed-keel boat. It is a platform that can provide decent sailing performance and yet still allow access to many areas that deeper-draft boats cannot reach.

The majority of the Southerlys are in Europe, and because they have not been raced much here in the US, no published PHRF ratings are available. Only a few IRC ratings are available from European sources, and based on those and comparisons with other boats, the Southerly 115 would likely carry a PHRF rating of 145 to 155, compared to a Catalina 36 at 147 or an Islander 36 at 144.

Prices and availability

As noted above, there are few Southerly 115s in the US, but they do occasionally become available, as Chris and Laura found, and it is worth keeping an eye on the market.

Many of the boats we saw listed were older Mk I models. Converted to US dollars, their prices ranged from $46,500 for a 1987 model in Greece to a 1985 model in the UK for $79,000. A newer Mk III model was available in Germany for $138,000. It would be necessary to factor in transportation costs or the cost of a passage if considering purchasing a Southerly 115 in Europe.

The Southerly 115 is no longer in production, but the website for SoutherlyYacht Services remains live and offers spare parts, even after the acquisition of Northshore by DiscoveryYachts: southerlyyachtservices.com/spare- parts

A good summary of the design aspects of the Southerly 115 may be found atYachtsNet: yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/ southerly-115/southerly-115.htm

About The Author

Tom Wells had a long career as a professional engineer. He and his wife, Sandy, both retired in June 2016, and in August 2016 they set out from Waukegan, Illinois, on a 3,000-nautical-mile voyage south via the Great Lakes, Erie Canal, Hudson River, and the East Coast. They now live aboard their Tartan 37, Higher Porpoise, and are based in Southwest Florida, cruising and enjoying life.

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