Southerly 420 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Southerly 420 means looking at a British-built 42-foot center-cockpit cruiser from the Humphreys–Northshore collaboration, a swing-keel deck-saloon boat that can shift from 8 feet 9 inches of draft to 2 feet 7 inches at the touch of a button anchor. These are variable-draft designs with twin rudders, and the used fleet tends to reflect owners who valued thin-water access as much as offshore range.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 420 shares the center-cockpit, deck-saloon arrangement with opening ports along the forward side of the deckhouse, giving the saloon a bright, panoramic feel anchor. The swing-keel trunk runs through the accommodation as the price of the variable draft, so interior volume is organized around rather than against it. Buyers cross-shopping a Gunfleet 43, Sirius 40 DS, Ovni 400, or Allures 40.9 will find the Southerly's dry-out capability and raised-saloon visibility distinctive rather than interchangeable.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Well-equipped examples commonly carry electric winches, solar, a self-tacking jib, and a furling main, which together make short-handed sail handling realistic on a 42-footer. Navigation and passage-making kit is usually present too: radar, autopilot, chartplotter, AIS, and an asymmetric spinnaker or code zero for offwind legs are commonly fitted. Power and independence clusters lean on watermakers and lithium batteries, while canvas and comfort often include a bimini, teak decks, and cockpit shower. Bow thrusters and heating are often seen rather than universal, and air conditioning or an inverter appear only as occasional owner upgrades.
What to Inspect
The defining system is the swing keel and its button-operated raise-lower mechanism; the deep-draft blade is a highly developed component and its pivot, seals, and hydraulic path should be cycled and examined anchor. With the keel raised the boat draws 2 feet 7 inches, so inspect the grounding shoe and hull underside for drying-out wear. The twin-rudder hangars and the deck-saloon forward ports deserve close attention for water ingress.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The used fleet appears across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, and Netherlands. For a buyer, the checklist is simple: confirm the keel cycles cleanly and seals hold, check the twin rudders and forward ports for leaks, verify the self-tacking and furling gear match your handling plans, and decide whether the shoal-draft drying capability or the deep-draft weatherliness is the priority for your waters.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Southerly 420. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $795,000 | — |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $795,000 | 0.0% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $474,507 | -40.3% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $600,000 | +26.4% |
| Feb 26 | 3 | $598,000 | -0.3% |
| Apr 26 | 7 | $436,292 | -27.0% |
| May 26 | 1 | $598,000 | +37.1% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $598,000 | 0.0% |
| Sep 26 | 2 | $1,186,874 | +98.5% |
Where they're listed
Southerly 420 listings appear across 3 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 9 (56.3%), followed by United States and Denmark.
Country view
16 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $436,292 | 9 | 2 | 56.3% |
| United States | $598,000 | 6 | 2 | 37.5% |
| Denmark | $512,721 | 1 | 0 | 6.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagoon 420 | 41.33' | $ 303,928 | 92 | 21 |
| Hunter 420 | 43.42' | $ 119,000 | 48 | 17 |
| Island Packet 420 | 44.58' | $ 272,000 | 19 | 3 |
| Southerly 420You are here | — | $ 555,361 | 18 | 4 |
| SOUTHERLY 100 | 33.75' | $ 34,886 | 16 | 1 |
| Moody 42 | 41.79' | $ 64,980 | 14 | 3 |
| Hinckley Sou'wester 42/43 | 42.75' | $ 245,000 | 12 | 7 |
| Southerly 480 | 49.15' | $ 795,891 | 2 | 0 |