Design and Construction
The underbody lies at the heart of the 57 RS. A 7,385-pound cast-iron keel retracts completely into a heavy-duty keel box set in a grounding plate that provides an additional 11,794 pounds of ballast. With the keel fully raised, the yacht settles onto that plate and a centerline skeg. The skeg protects the propeller and keeps the twin canted rudders safely clear of the bottom.
A hydraulic ram, operated at the touch of a button, positions the keel anywhere between fully retracted and fully extended. If the keel strikes an obstacle, it swings clear without damaging the ram. Fully down, it gives the boat a maximum draft of 10 feet 6 inches; raised, it reduces draft to 3 feet 6 inches.
The 57 RS was Northshore’s first design over 50 feet and its first collaboration with Dubois, combining the builder’s swing-keel technology with superyacht styling. Above the waterline, the boat has opulent teak decks and a superbly designed cockpit. Practical bluewater details include clean side decks, molded-in handgrips within easy reach all the way to the mast, and dorades for ventilation in heavy weather.
Below, the massive, carefully engineered swing keel and its associated hardware largely determine the interior arrangement.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The 57 RS carries a powerful and versatile double-headsail sailplan. Its double-headed rig comprises a 990-square-foot full-batten mainsail and two furling headsails: a 140-percent genoa on the headstay and a self-tacking blade jib on the solent stay. The latter simplifies short-tacking under singlehanded control—the helmsperson can put the helm over and let the sail cross on its track. For downwind passage work, a 2,000-square-foot asymmetric gennaker sets from the retractable sprit.
The boat sails well to within 30 degrees of the apparent wind. In 7 to 10 knots of true wind, test sailors recorded 6 knots of boat speed while sailing within 35 degrees of the apparent wind with the keel down. Cracked off to 70 degrees, speed rose to 7 knots.
With the keel lowered, the 57 RS has the windward bite and responsive steering of a deep-draft performance cruiser. Its maximum draft of 10 feet 6 inches stands it in good stead offshore. Raise the keel, however, and the boat can explore shallow rivers or anchor in 3 feet 6 inches of water.
Interior and Accommodations
The interior is distinguished by its craftsman finish and an accommodation plan clearly drawn by sailors with hard sea miles behind them. In the center of the boat, a raised seating area over the keel box gives a party of ten views through the large ports.
A commodious navigation station sits to port at the foot of the companionway, with a head and wet locker to starboard. The galley is large enough for four people to work in and includes provision for superyacht amenities such as a dishwasher and trash compactor. Opposite, a small breakfast nook doubles as a computer workstation for professional crew.
Dubois offered three different layouts. Owner-operator couples with coastal ambitions will probably favor the splendid aft master suite, trading away the dinghy garage. Those carrying professional crew or frequent guests may prefer the three-cabin layout. For long passages, the four-cabin arrangement appeals to long-passage dreamers and offers a dinghy garage and four proper sea berths. Whichever of the two stock layouts you choose, there are sea berths and private spaces to spare.
One tester noted that movement between the galley, main saloon, companionway, and cockpit felt choppy and vertical because of the different levels.
Practical Drawbacks
The bow platform felt somewhat crowded to the tester, who also thought fitting two anchors there would be difficult.
The systems aboard the test boat were complex, and access was tight in some areas. Northshore attributed those conditions to the high level of customer customization rather than to a shortcoming in the underlying design.
Verdict
The Southerly 57 RS is a genuinely dual-purpose cruiser: a shorthanded-capable bluewater yacht that can also be parked within wading distance of a beach. Its Dubois-styled interior and flexible layouts can accommodate anything from a coastal owner-operator couple to an ocean-passage crew. The trade-off is complexity, particularly in the customized systems, which calls for an owner who is comfortable managing it.
Pros
- Retracting cast-iron keel, grounding plate, and centerline skeg combine a 10-foot 6-inch offshore draft with a 3-foot 6-inch draft for beach grounding
- Double-headed rig and self-tacking solent jib simplify short-tacking in narrow channels
- Three interior layouts, including a four-cabin offshore-passage plan with a dinghy garage
- Craftsman finish and sailor-designed accommodations, with a generous galley and navigation station
Cons
- Crowded bow platform that, in the tester’s view, would make fitting two anchors difficult
- Complex customized systems, with tight access in some areas
- Choppy, multilevel traffic flow between the galley, saloon, and cockpit
