Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Hinckley Sou'wester 42 means weighing a McCurdy & Rhodes–designed, Hinckley-built cruiser produced in the United States from 1982 to 2006 anchor, with a later MkII (also called the Sou'wester 43) introduced in 1995 carrying revised keel, rudder, transom, and interior. Only 46 were built across the run, so each boat reflects its original owner's custom choices as much as any standard plan.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because the boats were often constructed on a custom basis, interior details vary significantly even though a standard layout sleeping up to seven existed. Most will show a V-berth in the bow, a head entered from both the forward stateroom and the central cabin, and a saloon fitted with settees that convert to berths plus fixed pilot berths, centered on a drop-leaf table. A U-shaped galley is common, and finishes may be varnished mahogany or ash. The MkII brings a modified interior layout along with its changed keel and rudder, so a buyer should confirm which generation and which custom plan a specific hull carries.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, chartplotter, radar, autopilot, electric winches, and freezer are commonly fitted, reflecting a well-equipped offshore baseline. Air conditioning, heating, solar, inverter, and furling main are often seen and worth verifying in working order. Less common but present as owner upgrades are a gennaker, hot water, dodger, life raft, and short-handed setup — these tend to signal a particular owner's cruising intent rather than standard spec.
What to Inspect
The Sou'wester 42 hull was hand-laid fiberglass often cored with Airex foam anchor; any survey should probe that coring for moisture or delamination, especially around hull-deck joints and keel-bolt areas. Keel and rudder configuration varied, with a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder cited but variations noted anchor, so confirm the actual underwater profile and its structural attachment on the specific boat. Interior customization was extensive, meaning structural bulkheads and joinerwork should be checked for modifications that diverge from any documented plan.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts appear on the used market in the United States. For a buyer, the checklist is brief: confirm original versus MkII generation and its keel/rudder changes; survey the Airex-cored hull for moisture; verify the custom interior's structural integrity; and assess which of the commonly fitted or owner-added systems are operational. A careful survey of the core and the varied keel-rudder interface is the difference between a sound cruiser and a hidden project.
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 · 9 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 | 1 | $149,000 | -45.8% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $225,000 | +51.0% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $345,000 | +53.3% |
Where they're listed
Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 6.
Country view
6 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $250,000 | 6 | 2 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dufour Classic 43 | 43' | $ 87,396 | 33 | 3 |
| Swan 43 | 42.78' | $ 92,857 | 15 | 2 |
| Moody 42 | 41.79' | $ 62,045 | 12 | 1 |
| Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 | 41.01' | $ 90,892 | 10 | 3 |
| Rustler 42 | 42' | $ 475,110 | 9 | 3 |
| Oyster Yachts 42 | 41.83' | $ 201,593 | 7 | 2 |
| Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43You are here | — | $ 250,000 | 6 | 2 |