Vessel – Kind of Blue (Sail Boat)

Kind of Blue

Kind of Blue is a Southerly 135 Mark III. She is named after the best selling jazz album of all tile “Kind of Blue’ by Miles Davis and friends. That album was released in January 1959; the same month and year that Kind of Blue’s skipper came into the world.

The Southerly 135 was built by North Shore yachts in Itchinor. It is known for combining genuine offshore capability with an exceptionally shallow draught. Its secret weapon is a hydraulically operated swing keel, allowing the boat to sail with a deep, efficient keel offshore and then enter shallow harbours, anchorages and drying tidal berths that would be inaccessible to most yachts of comparable size. In shoal water be wary of following a Southerly!

The original Southerly 135 dates from the early 1980s and was designed by Dick Carter. It was followed by a substantially redesigned version by Rob Humphreys in 1986. In 2001, Northshore introduced the Series III, with a longer deck saloon and wider coach roof to provide more interior volume. The freeboard was increased, improving headroom in the aft cabin and passageway. By 2003, twin rudders and a taller rig had become important features of the later design, allowing the yacht to carry sail more effectively without the shallow single rudder losing grip as the boat heeled.

Kind of Blue was built in 2002, and was the penultimate boat built with a single rudder. Although this means she carries a shorter rig than the twin rudder version, water flow over the rudder from the propeller makes her much more manoeuvrable in tight spaces. Because of the small rudder, wheel steering in reverse is almost impossible; the helmsman needs to use the bow thrusters until there is significant way on.

We bought Kind of Blue in 2005 when she was berthed in Lorent in Brittany. We sailed her extensively on the Atlantic coast of France, overwintering in La Rochelle or the Ile de Re. We later moved her to Northney Marina on Hayling Island, and then Gosport Marina, where we sailed Chichester Harbour, the Solent, the south coast of the UK, the West Country and out to the Scilly Isles. We frequently crossed the English Channel and explored the Channel Islands, Brittany, Normandy, Belgium, and the waterways of Holland.

Kind of Blue underwent an extensive refit, with a keel renovation, repainting, copper coat antifouling, replacement of standing and running rigging, and renovation of the internal upholstery in 2018. In 2020 the bow thruster and generator were replaced, and a Hydrovane steering system was installed. It is a tradition to name the Hydrovane steering system since it is one of the most important and hard-working members of the crew. Ours is called Warren.