It may not be the first boat that comes to mind when you’re considering a shoal-draft cruiser, but the Southerly 135 should grab your attention simply because of its size and what it can do below the waterline. It’s a 45-foot offshore cruiser that displaces close to 30,000 pounds and boasts a well-appointed interior. What’s remarkable about it is that it’s equipped with a 3,610-pound cast-iron fore-and-aft swing keel that can reduce draft from 9 feet, 8 inches to 2 feet, 9 inches via a powerful hydraulic ram that can be operated from the cockpit. The Southerly isn’t a speed demon, and the keel trunk and hydraulic system take up some interior space, but the plain fact is that not many 45-foot cruising boats can go everywhere this boat can. Price: $495,226 (sailaway, FOB UK). Northshore Yachts, tel. 888-270-3338, www.northshore.co.uk
