The line ran until 2001, but only 16 hulls were completed. Each was treated as a semi-custom commission rather than a repetition of a standard production model. The final hull, Zanetia, represented the class’s most advanced expression.
Design and Construction
The Sou'wester 59 is a fiberglass monohull with wood trim, a raked stem, and a raised counter with an angled transom. It measures 59.25 feet overall, with a 44.17-foot waterline and a beam of 15.5 feet.
Early hulls followed traditional fiberglass construction practices. The final builds transitioned to a Kevlar and carbon fiber composite built with a patented vacuum bagging method, bringing meaningful weight savings and greater structural durability.
The yacht displaces 69,000 pounds and carries 23,250 pounds of lead ballast. Its keel-centerboard configuration combines a fixed fin keel with a retractable centerboard. Draft is 12.5 feet with the board down and 6.5 feet with it retracted, opening up shallower anchorages while preserving directional stability offshore.
Rig, Deck, and Handling
The standard rig is a masthead sloop, though a ketch rig was optional. The Bermuda rig has a 67-foot foretriangle with a 23-foot base, and total sail area is roughly 1,464 square feet.
A wheel controls the skeg-mounted rudder, giving the helmsman predictable authority. The deck layout includes a teak foredeck, flush hatches, and a raised-salon coachroof, all arranged for safe movement and ocean-going confidence.
Period reviews noted that a tri-radial Norlam gennaker pulls the boat along in light air, revealing performance roots beneath the traditional profile. The keel-centerboard design also gives the boat access to hidden, shallow anchorages while providing solid offshore performance with the board down.
Accommodations
The center-cockpit Sou'wester 59 has three private cabins and accommodations for eight. Satin-finished cherry woodwork, teak-and-holly soles, and meticulous joinery define the interior.
The private aft owner’s suite has satin-varnished cherry joinery, dual berths, and its own companionway to the cockpit. In the main salon, warm cherry woodwork, a C-shaped settee, and generous natural light create a space suited to long passages.
Reference documentation describes two single cabins in the bow and two aft cabins, each with a double berth. At the forward companionway ladder, a U-shaped galley to port includes a stove, ice box, and double sink. The navigation station sits opposite to starboard. There are two heads: one in the forepeak and another in the port aft cabin.
Equipment and Systems
The Sou'wester 59 was fitted with a 135-horsepower British Perkins diesel for docking and maneuvering, although the final hull is noted as having a powerful Yanmar diesel.
Electric winches and an electric headsail furler make the boat more manageable for a small crew. Later hulls also included Espar heating, reverse-cycle air conditioning, and a high-capacity watermaker, supporting extended cruising in different climates.
Fuel capacity is 250 gallons, while fresh-water capacity is 380 gallons.
Verdict
The Sou'wester 59 is a rare, semi-custom offshore cruiser. It combines traditional Hinckley presentation with a sophisticated keel-centerboard hull and, in its final iterations, advanced composite construction. Because only 16 were built, each boat has its own character. The accommodation plan is generous and well resolved for passagemaking.
Pros
- Keel-centerboard hull provides shallow-water access and offshore stability
- Semi-custom construction, with only 16 hulls produced
- Cherry joinery and teak-and-holly soles throughout
- Electric winches and headsail furler ease short-handed handling
- Final hulls use Kevlar-carbon composite construction for weight savings
Cons
- Very limited production restricts the number of comparable boats and the commonality of spares
- Draft of 12.5 feet with the board down restricts access to some harbors
- Early fiberglass hulls lack the composite evolution of later boats
