Design and Construction
The hull is a further development in Humphreys' long pedigree of Southerly shapes, with extremely broad stern sections, a modern plumb stem that lengthens the waterline, and a broad transom that holds volume aft to enlarge the interior. Rob Humphreys designed the hull and Stephen Jones the new deck mold that splits the helm stations and opens the cockpit, while Northshore commissioned that deck a few years after the 42's launch, adding the T to the RS designation. The cast-iron lifting keel is the distinguishing trait of the design: it presents an efficient shape when lowered for closehauled sailing and retracts flush with the iron grounding plate when raised, the pan bolted up into a recess with stainless fastenings anchor. Because two-thirds of the ballast sits in that grounding plate, the center of gravity stays reassuringly low and the righting moment correspondingly high even with the keel up. Underwater areas were solid laminate with clear gelcoat, while topsides and decks carry a balsa or foam core. An expert surveyor found the standard of finish and detail noticeably higher than on earlier-generation Southerlys.
Rig and Handling
The sail plan is a tall fractional rig with a self-tacking furling jib and a large mainsail, giving nearly 72 square meters of area and a mast height of 61 feet 5 inches. Writing in Cruising World, the tester found the 42RST sails to windward well and handles easily, and made excellent time upwind thanks to the narrow sheeting angles the self-tacker permits anchor. With the keel down she spins in a circle less than one and a half boat lengths across, but with it raised she cannot tack without falling into irons, which tells the whole story of the swing-keel's role. The keel itself can be raised completely in 50 seconds and dropped in 40, letting her float into less than 3 feet of water and explore shallow lagoons and marinas at no risk of running aground. Twin semi-balanced rudders angled outboard give reassuring directional stability; when heeling upwind in puffs over 20 knots the windward rudder clears the water while the leeward one, now vertical, does its job efficiently. Steering is light and responsive and remarkably good in reverse, and Yachting Monthly's reviewer found the boat positive and sure-footed.
Accommodations
Below, the deck saloon is low enough to preserve a forward view from the cockpit, and the raised saloon and chart table look out through large windows. The nav desk sits to starboard with a wet locker abaft the nav seat, while settees and dining area lie to port; the galley is in-line on the starboard side but at a lower level than the raised saloon. The standard layout holds a twin forward and double aft with two heads, though some boats substitute a third cabin to port abaft the forecabin, shifting the forward head to starboard and shrinking the galley, while others keep a double en-suite at each end and the longer galley. The aft stateroom is enormous, with an island berth beneath an atrium formed by the hollow base of the cockpit table, and its own head to port. The keel case is worked into the layout so it is hardly noticeable. Woodwork is light teak, and there is ample storage plus a fully equipped sit-down pilot's workstation, though one owner's niggle was that the whole boat has only one drawer.
Known Issues
A few 42 RSTs left the builder with teak decks, and those need careful examination for wear and for water tightness of the fastenings. An expert surveyor has seen voiding of the laminate, especially around the keel return mouldings, and one boat took rough ground and suffered damage to the laminate on the return of the keel pan. Reports of gelcoat crazing near the hull-to-deck joints have surfaced on these yachts. A number of these yachts left the mold in colored gelcoat that UV exposure has since dulled, so repainting is often due. The whole keel mechanism demands regular lubrication, and the narrow passage from cockpit to side decks could use more grab rails.
Refits and Ownership
The RST redesign moved the mainsheet traveller from the cockpit to the coachroof, clearing the helming area and pairing with twin wheels and a 'T' cockpit. The split mainsheet leads aft to Lewmar 46 self-tailers each side, keeping sheets within reach of the helm. An optional spray hood folds into a recess when not used, and an optional gennaker flies from a removable bowsprit in light airs. Plenty of hatches, tannoys, and dorades ventilate below, though instrument space at the chart table is limited.
The Verdict
The Southerly 42 RST is a genuinely go-anywhere deck-saloon cruiser that trades a little light-air sparkle for the freedom of a 2-foot-9-inch raised draft and powerful windward bite at 8-foot-11-inch keel-down depth. She is a two-person boat with twin-wheel poise, a protected deep cockpit, and a bright saloon, built to a higher finish than her predecessors.
Pros
- Swing keel floats her in under 3 feet yet gives efficient closehauled shape at full draft
- Twin rudders and light steering make her sure-footed and easy to handle short-handed
- Raised saloon with large windows and low profile preserves sightlines and volume
- High build standard with central ballast keeping righting moment high keel-up
Cons
- Keel mechanism needs regular lubrication and laminate voiding appears at keel returns
- Teak-decked examples and colored gelcoat need scrutiny for fastenings and UV fade
- Only one drawer in the standard interior by one owner's account
- Narrow cockpit-to-side-deck passage wants more grab rails
