Southerly Yachts
British swing-keel blue-water sailing cruisers with raised saloons, now built by Concept Yachts near Southampton.
Southerly Yachts is a British sailing-yacht brand built around its signature variable-draft swing keel and raised-deck-saloon format. The current company explains that the historic Southerly brand was acquired by Concept Yachts and is now constructed at its facility in Marchwood, near Southampton. The central idea is not simply shallow-water access: the swing keel is also presented as a way to adapt draft to an itinerary, while the raised saloon and adaptable interiors support cruising use.
Both models are part of the current official yacht range. The factory pages identify the 480 and 580 separately and publish their own dimensions, variable-draft figures, sail plans, mechanical systems and interiors. The 480 is described with a variable-draft swing keel and the 580 as a limited-edition 50-year-anniversary model. Those details belong to their respective model pages, not to every Southerly yacht.
Southerly's variable-draft swing keel and raised-deck-saloon arrangement offer a specific answer to varied cruising grounds. The current boats are built by Concept Yachts near Southampton, linking the established design idea to a present construction programme.
The buyer should identify where shallow draft matters and how the yacht will sail on longer passages. Keel operation, helm protection, interior visibility and maintenance access on the chosen model need examination together; the ability to reduce draft is useful only when it supports the intended itinerary.
Find Southerly Yachts models in the LYRA catalogue: Southerly 480 and Southerly 580.