Design and Construction
The underbody is 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 anchor. With the keel fully raised, the yacht settles onto that plate and a centerline skeg which protects the propeller and keeps the twin canted rudders safely off the bottom. A hydraulic ram, operated by a button, positions the keel anywhere from fully retracted to fully extended, and if it strikes an obstacle the keel swings clear without damaging the ram. This is Northshore's first 50-foot-plus design and its first collaboration with Dubois, marrying the builder's swing-keel technology with superyacht styling.
Above the waterline, the boat presents opulent teak decks and a superbly designed cockpit. Bluewater details extend to clean side decks with molded-in handgrips running within easy reach all the way to the mast, and dorades for heavy-weather ventilation. The massive, beautifully engineered swing keel and its accompanying hardware dictate the interior layout below.
Rig and Handling
The 57 RS carries a powerful, versatile double-headsail sailplan. The double-headed rig consists of 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 that makes short-tacking singlehanded a simple matter of putting the helm over and watching the sail slam across its track. A 2,000-square-foot asymmetric gennaker sets from the retractable sprit for downwind passage work.
On the wind, the boat sails well to within 30 degrees of the apparent wind. Test sailors found that in 7 to 10 knots of true wind she sailed at 6 knots to within 35 degrees apparent with the keel down anchor, and when cracked off to 70 degrees the speed rose to 7 knots. With the keel down she enjoys the windward bite and responsive steering of a deep-drafted performance cruiser, yet with it raised she can sneak up shallow rivers or anchor in 3 feet 6 inches of water. The 10-foot 6-inch maximum draft stands the boat in good stead offshore.
Accommodations
Down below, the craftsman finish and an accommodation plan obviously drawn by sailors who have put in hard sea miles distinguish the interior. The raised seating area over the keel box in the center of the boat lets a party of ten see out the large ports. A commodious nav station sits to port at the base of the companionway, with a head and wet locker to starboard. The galley is sized for four people to work and includes provision for superyacht amenities such as a dishwasher and trash compactor, while a small breakfast nook opposite doubles as a computer workstation for professional crew.
Dubois provided flexibility with three different layouts. Owner-operator couples with coastal aspirations will likely trade the dinghy garage for a splendid aft master suite; those with professional crew or frequent guests will find the three-cabin layout more to their liking; and the four-cabin arrangement with dinghy garage and four real sea berths appeals to long-passage dreamers. Whichever of the two stock layouts you choose, you'll have seaberths and private spaces to spare. One tester noted a choppy, up-and-down traffic flow between the galley, main saloon, companionway, and cockpit owing to the different levels.
Known Issues
The bow platform felt a bit crowded to the tester, who also felt it would be difficult to fit two anchors up there. The systems throughout the test boat were found complex and access tight in some areas; Northshore attributed this to a high level of customer customization rather than a design shortcoming.
The Verdict
The Southerly 57 RS is a genuinely dual-personality cruiser: a shorthanded-capable bluewater yacht that can also be parked within wading distance of a beach. Its Dubois-styled interior and flexible layouts suit anything from coastal owner couples to ocean-passage crews, though the bespoke systems demand an owner comfortable with complexity.
Pros
- Retracting cast-iron keel with grounding plate and centerline skeg enables both 10'6" offshore draft and 3'6" beach grounding
- Double-headed rig with self-tacking solent jib makes narrow-channel short-tacking effortless
- Three interior layouts including four-cabin offshore passage plan with dinghy garage
- Craftsman finish and sailor-designed accommodation with generous galley and nav station
Cons
- Bow platform crowded and difficult to fit two anchors per tester observation
- Complex customized systems with tight access in some areas
- Choppy multi-level interior traffic flow between galley, saloon, and cockpit
