Stephen Jones drew the design with twin rudders, which shape the boat’s handling and distinguish it from similar-length cruisers with a single rudder. Northshore Yachts built the model, bringing several decades of experience in this niche to the 2008-era design.
Design and Construction
The Southerly 38 has a solid-fiberglass hull and deck. Its wing-type iron ballast keel carries 8,381 pounds of ballast against a displacement of 21,872 pounds, giving a ballast-displacement ratio of about 38 percent.
The boat measures 39 feet 3 inches overall, with a 36-foot waterline and a 13-foot beam. That waterline supports a hull speed of around 8 knots.
The swing keel is central to the Southerly 38’s character. Lowered, it gives a maximum draft of 8.5 feet for deep-draft sailing. Raised, it reduces draft to 2.67 feet for access to shallow harbors. Jones also specified twin rudders and twin helms, a deliberate arrangement used on the modern Stephen Jones–era airfoil swing-keel models.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig carries 770 square feet of sail, producing a sail-area-displacement ratio of 15.75 and a lively response under canvas. A self-tacking jib simplifies sail handling. The mainsheet traveler tag lines run to both helms, allowing the driver to control the main from either wheel without leaving the quarter.
When the boat heels, the twin-rudder footprint and lowered keel provide dependable directional control. With the keel raised and draft reduced to 2.67 feet, the Southerly 38 can lie in places that a fixed-keel 38-footer can’t reach.
Accommodations
The raised saloon gives those below a panoramic view outside. It also fills the interior with natural light, thanks directly to the elevated deckhouse structure.
The standard plan has a V-berth cabin forward and a second double cabin aft. The galley sits to port of the companionway, while Southerly’s trademark elevated navigation desk is to starboard. The saloon settees can serve as sea berths, making the main cabin practical in a seaway rather than only at anchor.
Northshore offered a choice of wood trim and allowed some changes to the basic layout, so owner boats don’t all look the same below.
Refits and Ownership
Because the builder offered layout modifications, a used Southerly 38 may have owner- or factory-driven departures from the basic plan. The choice of wood trim also gives individual boats different interior tones.
The swing-keel hydraulics and twin-rudder steering are the systems most likely to reward proactive attention during ownership, given their central role in the boat’s defining shallow-draft capability.
The Verdict
The Southerly 38 is a considered response to a specific brief: a 38-foot cruiser that sails like a deep-draft boat but can still tuck into shallow harbors. It combines that versatility with a bright raised saloon and a twin-helm, self-tacking rig that short-handed crews can manage.
Jones’s twin-rudder hull and Northshore’s experience in this niche give the boat a coherent identity rather than the feel of a compromise hull.
Pros
- Swing keel provides deep-draft performance and a 2.67-foot raised draft for harbor access
- Twin rudders and twin helms, with mainsheet controls led to both wheels
- Raised saloon with panoramic views and a naturally bright interior
- Self-tacking jib and sea-berth settees suit short-handed cruising
Cons
- Swing-keel and twin-rudder systems add mechanical complexity not found on fixed-keel cruisers
- Layout modifications mean used boats can vary from the basic plan
