Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43 Buyer's Guide
The Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43 is a limited-production cruiser built between 1982 and 2006, with the MkII — also called the 43 — arriving in 1995. With only 46 hulls and many built on a custom basis, the used market is thin and individual boats differ in keel, rig, and interior. A buyer should approach each example as a near-unique specimen rather than a standardized model.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most boats trace to a standard layout sleeping up to seven, but because the hulls were often built on a custom basis, interior details could vary significantly. Common features across the type include a V-berth forward, a head accessible from both the forward cabin and main salon, a main salon with pull-out settee berths and pilot berths around a drop-leaf table, and a U-shaped galley. Interior finishes such as varnished mahogany or ash were options. The MkII changed the interior layout along with keel, rudder, and transom, and stretched the waterline and overall length slightly, so a 1995-or-later hull is not identical to an early 1980s example.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, chartplotters, electric winches, freezers, radar, and autopilots are commonly fitted. Air conditioning, heating, inverters, and furling mains are often seen. Less common but possible owner additions include solar, a gennaker, hot water, a dodger, a life raft, and short-handed setups. Given the custom origins, factory equipment lists are not uniform, and a buyer should verify each system rather than assume a class standard.
What to Inspect
The documented facts note that the Sou'wester 42 has a fin keel with a skeg-mounted rudder, though variations exist in keel and rudder configuration, and that hulls were often custom built so interior details vary. Beyond those points, the available records show no quantified defect, flooding path, or safety-related known issue. A survey should therefore focus on the specific keel and rudder variant fitted, the condition of any Airex-cored hull sections, and the as-built interior rather than a known class-wide failure.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are found in the United States. Given the small build count and custom nature, the buyer's checklist is straightforward:
- Confirm whether the hull is an original or MkII (1995+) version
- Identify the keel type: standard 7'0", shoal 5'0", or centreboard 9'1" max
- Review the actual interior layout against your needs, not a assumed standard
- Verify electronics and comfort equipment against the fitted tier, not a factory list
- Survey keel, rudder, and cored hull as the priority items
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 8 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 2 | $ 179,000 | — |
| Mar 25 | 2 | $ 310,000 | +73.2% |
| Jun 25 | 5 | $ 275,000 | -11.3% |
| Jul 25 | 2 | $ 100,000 | -63.6% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $ 195,000 | +95.0% |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $ 275,000 | +41.0% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $ 197,000 | -28.4% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $ 225,000 | +14.2% |
Where they're listed
Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 8.
Country view
8 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 210,000 | 8 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gib Sea Classic 43 | 43' | $ 76,847 | 35 | 9 |
| Swan 43 | 42.78' | $ 91,758 | 17 | 3 |
| Moody 42 | 41.79' | $ 64,255 | 14 | 2 |
| Rustler 42 | 42' | $ 469,941 | 10 | 1 |
| Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 | 41.01' | $ 90,611 | 9 | 1 |
| Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43You are here | — | $ 210,000 | 8 | 1 |