Design and Construction
McCurdy & Rhodes gave the Sou'wester 42 a heavy-displacement hull. At 24,000 lbs displacement with 8,500 lbs of lead ballast, its ballast-to-displacement ratio is 35.42 percent, supporting good initial stability and resistance to heeling. A displacement-to-length ratio of 351.09 places it firmly in the heavy-displacement class, implying a robust build, offshore comfort, and useful carrying capacity.
The hulls were built of hand-laid fiberglass and were often cored with Airex foam for added strength and insulation. The yacht carried a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, although the configuration varied somewhat during the production run.
Owners had three draft choices: a standard deep fin drawing 7 feet 0 inches, a shoal version drawing as little as 5 feet 0 inches, and a centreboard option with a maximum draft of 9 feet 1 inch.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Sou'wester 42 was rigged as either a masthead sloop or cutter. It carried 817 square feet of sail between the mainsail and a 100-percent foretriangle.
The foretriangle measured 474.69 square feet, with an I dimension of 54 feet 3 inches and a J of 17 feet 6 inches. The 342.56-square-foot mainsail had a 47-foot-3-inch luff and a 14-foot-6-inch foot.
Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.77 describes a moderately performing cruiser: able to make good progress across a range of wind conditions, but not intended as a racer. A speed/length ratio of 1.32 suggests it efficiently reaches its theoretical hull speed of 7.49 knots.
The design also has a comfort ratio of 36.99 and a capsize screening figure of 1.74, well below the 2.0 offshore line. Those figures mark it as a stable, seaworthy vessel with a very comfortable motion in a seaway.
Accommodations
The standard layout slept up to seven, although details could vary substantially because the boats were often custom-built. A V-berth occupied the forward cabin, and the head could be entered from both that cabin and the central living space.
In the main living area, settees pulled out to form berths, while pilot berths ran along the hull sides. A drop-leaf table served the saloon, and the galley was U-shaped. Buyers could also specify interior finishes, including varnished mahogany or ash.
The MkII and Ownership Considerations
Introduced in 1995, the MkII brought substantive changes rather than a merely cosmetic update. Hinckley modified the keel, rudder, transom, and interior layout, and slightly increased both waterline and overall length. The MkII is therefore the clear later-generation choice for buyers who want the revised underwater profile and saloon plan.
The boats’ custom-built heritage means no two interiors are guaranteed to be identical. That flexibility may appeal to some buyers, but it also makes direct comparisons between individual examples more difficult.
Verdict
The Hinckley Sou'wester 42 is a thoughtfully engineered heavy cruiser with strong stability figures and a tradition of flexible, custom interiors. The MkII extended the design’s offshore credibility while retaining the original emphasis on comfort.
Pros
- Heavy-displacement hull and 35.42 percent ballast ratio support stable, upright cruising
- Hand-laid fiberglass construction, often cored with Airex foam for added strength and insulation
- Three draft options, including a 5-foot shoal keel and a centreboard with a maximum draft of 9 feet 1 inch
- Comfort ratio of 36.99 and capsize screening figure of 1.74 indicate seaworthy motion
Cons
- Custom-build variations make it harder to compare the layouts of individual boats
- Only 46 were built, limiting the availability of both original and MkII versions
