Southerly 480 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Southerly 480 means looking at a 49-foot Stephen Jones design built around a solid fiberglass hull, an iron wing keel, and a retractable swing keel that changes draft from about three feet three inches to just over ten feet. With a single 80-horsepower Yanmar diesel, 174 gallons of fuel, and 129 gallons of water, she is sized for extended coastal and ocean cruising rather than weekend hops. The 480 keeps the interior footprint of earlier Southerlys but with a reshaped deckhouse, and the used examples you meet are best understood through their layouts, their equipment tiers, and the few inspection points the record actually supports.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 480's belowdecks plan is consistent across the model: a deck-saloon dinette dominating the main space, a U-shaped galley to port just inside the companionway, and a lunch area with a large starboard settee. Forward holds a bunk-bed cabin to port, a head with separate shower to starboard, and a double cabin in the bow. Aft is the master cabin with en-suite head, separate shower, and closet. On deck, expect a well-sheltered cockpit, wide side-decks, and a walking surface behind the helm. The deckhouse windows are wider and more vertically faced than on the older 48-footer, which opens the saloon to the view.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, a self-tacking jib and a furling main are commonly fitted, supporting the boat's small-crew rig ethos, and a swim platform is also a common feature for warm-water use. The 480 was launched with a highly equipped deck and a generous near-60-square-meter mainsail, plus rails for a 140-percent genoa when more speed is wanted. Bow and stern thrusters were part of the boat's handling package from the outset, and a dinette arranged as a true deck saloon with huge side and center windows defines the interior light. Buyers should focus less on stereos or dishes and more on whether the genoa tracking, thruster motors, and furling gear have been maintained, since those bear on short-handed control.
What to Inspect
A survey should center on the systems the design relies on. The swing keel varies draft between one meter and 3.12 meters, and its pivot and hydraulic actuation deserve close checking for wear or leakage anchor. The twin rudder blades replaced the central rudder and should be inspected for bearing play and skeg integrity, and the large skeg that supports course stability warrants the same attention. Standard hull and thruster-housing surveys remain sound practice.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Southerly 480 run through the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. For a buyer, the takeaway is straightforward: confirm the keel hydraulics and twin-rudder bearings, verify the self-tacking jib and furling main are present and serviced, and check the bow and stern thrusters operate. The 480 rewards the shoal-draft cruiser who still wants a solid, stable hull with a proper master suite aft and a bright deck saloon forward of the helm.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Southerly 480. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $1,155,761 | — |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $819,693 | -29.1% |
Where they're listed
Southerly 480 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $1,155,761 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voyage Yachts 480 | 49.54' | $ 469,000 | 25 | 3 |
| Swan 48 | 48.49' | $ 576,855 | 18 | 2 |
| Southerly 420 | 42.19' | $ 533,736 | 17 | 2 |
| Moody 48 DS | 50.59' | $ 1,199,427 | 10 | 4 |
| Southerly 480You are here | — | $ 819,693 | 2 | 0 |