reactor 25 yacht

The Reactor 25 is a 25.0ft masthead sloop designed by Paul Whiting and built in fiberglass between 1968 and 1973.

70 units have been built..

The Reactor 25 is a moderate weight sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a day-boat.

Reactor 25 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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This Nuclear-Powered Superyacht Is Longer Than the Titanic and Costs $700 Million

By Dan Avery

A nuclear-powered gigayacht longer than the Titanic, with 22 state-of-the art laboratories and a 13-story “science sphere,” might sound like the floating headquarters of a criminal mastermind. But Earth 300 is actually a revolutionary exploration vessel designed to investigate climate change and other challenges that face our planet. Designed by naval architect Iván Salas Jefferson, founder of Iddes Yachts, the 300-meter vessel has a radically aerodynamic look. It’s been envisioned as an “extreme technology platform,” incorporating robotics, AI, and quantum computing to attract the best and brightest minds from a wealth of fields. A Davos on water, if you will.

Such a bold vision doesn’t come cheap—right now the price tag for the ship, being constructed by Polish naval architecture firm NED, hovers between $500 and $700 million. Designed to resemble Earth, the orb’s “science city” will house top climate scientists, who will use the ship’s state-of-the-art tech to develop innovative solutions.

The vessel is designed to house top climate scientists.

“We wanted to create a design that would inspire,” Salas Jefferson said in a statement. “When one looks at the sphere, we want them to be inspired to protect Earth. When one walks into the sphere, now housing the science city, and feels the action of all the ongoing scientific works, we want them to be inspired to become an alchemist of global solutions.”

Measuring 150 feet at its widest—almost the length of a football field—the sleek ship includes an extraordinary observation deck on the bow, a foredeck helipad to transport passengers to and from the vessel, and a selection of advanced underwater expedition vehicles for deep-sea exploration.

“The ship will introduce features found on cruise, expedition, research, and luxury yachts, but she will be none of them,” said Aaron Olivera, Earth 300 ’s chief executive. “We wanted to build the Olympic torch of global science, to expand our knowledge and understanding of the universe, both above and below the ocean’s surface.”

The orb is the most striking design element of the yacht.

The project’s list of backers is impressive and includes IBM, Triton Submarines, EYOS Expeditions, and RINA, an international leader in maritime safety. TerraPower, the nuclear innovation company founded by Bill Gates, devised the technology for the onboard molten-salt reactor, which will provide zero-emissions energy.

Expected to launch in 2025, Earth 300 will have room for a complement of 160 scientists from a variety of disciplines, as well as 165 crew members and dozens of experts-in-residences and student researchers.

There will also be spots for 40 VIP guests, who will pay $3 million each for the privilege. That’s more than 10 times the cost of a seat on Virgin Galactic. With so many looking spaceward, why develop a cutting-edge seafaring vessel?

“The oceans are dying,” Salas Jefferson told Architectural Digest . “Having been born in Palma de Mallorca, I’ve seen it firsthand in the Mediterranean. Now is the time to reboot, reconnect, and redirect our planet’s destiny. Our oceans keep us—and our planet—alive, and Earth 300 ’s mission is to protect our oceans and ensure their health for generations to come.” Space may be the future, Salas Jefferson says, but “today, Earth is our only home.”

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• Sailboat Guide

Paul Whiting

Yacht designer from New Zealand best known for a number of successful and influential IOR racers during the 1970s and early 1980s.

3 Sailboats designed by Paul Whiting

Whiting 1/4 Ton (Magic Bus)

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Promoting yacht racing and cruising in a New Zealand classic.

Seven colourful Reactors, Great Barrier Island, 2006.   L to R Jilon (now Bluebell), Wishbone, Conflict, Quita, Interlude II, Ecstasy, Aquilla II. 

Rapidus at anchor in summer sun.

The Reactor Yachting Association Inc. (RYA) is a membership organisation with an annual fee.

It is run by owners to encourage ownership and use of Reactors.  

Our annual calendar is decided by members and the Committee (elected at the AGM). 

gives opportunities to meet and exchange information

produces a Newsletter

runs social, cruising and racing events in Auckland.

Social events outline:

AGM – early July.  The year runs from 1 July to 30 June.

Reactor Annual Dinner and Prize Giving – October / November

Christmas Dinner (often combined with a short cruise to a marina)

Mid-Winter Dinner.

Cruising events include:

Picnic before Auckland Anniversary Regatta - January

Summer beach events: Champagne Breakfast, lunchtime BBQ on a nearby island

Annual Cruise: owners often sail together to add enjoyment, safety and sharing information on anchorages etc as well as arranging their own cruises.

Most Reactors are in Auckland but there are also Reactors in the Bay of Islands, Cook Strait (north, mostly in Wellington and south, in Marlborough Sounds and Nelson) and Canterbury. 

The RYA encourages those owners to join, share ideas, activities and arrange events locally.

Let us know if you are in Auck land so we can meet.

Generations of owners have spoken warmly of the joy of sailing on a Reactor.

If interested in buying a Reactor, the RYA does not give an opinion on any named Reactor.

You will find RYA membership brings advantages  and greater awareness of the design before you commit yourself. 

Reactors for sale are usually advertised on Trade Me.

We welcome your enquiry.  Please complete the information below.

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Extraordinary boats: Sailing the sustainable Ecoracer 25

• Toby Hodges
• June 20, 2023

The Ecoracer 25 is the first modern recyclable sportsboat, an ORC winner which could help transform end-of-life fibreglass composites

This heartening story involves a crew of Italian sailing friends, who fostered a desire to do something different, to make a change. The fact that this Ecoracer ‘garage project’ has met with award-winning success is due to it using innovative sustainable materials which it then proved can work in a race-winning shape.

Arguably above that though, is the notion that it has taken a small startup to show the way forward and to shine a light on the dark and all-to-often brushed aside underbelly of conventional composite boatbuilding.

The crew behind it formed in 2012 as a sailing team on a Dufour 34 called Northern Light . In 2019 they established Northern Light Composites (nlcomp) to research and develop recyclable composites. Their first project was the most economical possible, an Optimist called ecoprimus, on which they could try out techniques and materials.

Just one year later they presented this prototype Ecoracer 25 at the Genoa Boat Show, as the world’s first recyclable sportsboat. Constructed from sustainable materials, largely flax fibre with a recyclable core, it went on to win the 2022 ORC Italian Sportsboat Championship on Lake Garda in its first post-lockdown season.

Upwind mode. The helmsman sits forward of the main trimmer for a clearer view. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/IMACIS

The fact that in-demand naval architect Matteo Polli is one of this team is also pretty crucial to the Ecoracer’s success on the water.

An ORC specialist who has designed winning yachts for Italia Yachts and Grand Soleil recently, Polli chose a contemporary shape with a particularly angular reverse bow and sheer, as seen on some of the latest generation raceboats – but did so for other reasons too, in particular the task of trying to combine greener materials with a lightweight construction.

“The aim was to design a racer that could compete successfully in the Sportsboat ORC classes being at the same time a fast and nice to sail boat,” he explains. “The real challenge was to build with eco-friendly materials that would have not allowed a super light construction weight.

“The characteristic shape exploits the use of chines to reduce the structural elements and therefore secondary bonding, which is a complex matter when using these materials,” Polli continues. “So keeping all this in mind I went for a high form stability hull shape that incorporated features to reduce shell areas like very low freeboards, a chamfered bow and shallow cockpit.”

Making a point. The forward chine acts as a sprayrail – “it prevents deep nose diving (a risk with such low freeboard), while allowing a fine entry,” says designer Matteo Polli. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/IMACIS

Ship in a bottle

When I asked why the 7.69m size was chosen, I was told it was because ‘the garage was not so big’! Built in Monfalcone, the Ecoracer 25 uses a cocktail of different materials, all aimed at trying to solve the problems related to end of life glassfibre composites. The hull is a mix of linen (flax), basalt fibre (from volcanic rock) and some recyclable carbon for increasing stiffness on a recyclable PU core.

Perhaps the most innovative ingredient is a new concept resin from Arkema, a thermoplastic which helps make the boat recyclable after use because the fibres can be separated from the resin again after immersion in a solvent. Unlike thermosetting matrixes, which can only be wasted at end of life, this new resin can “separate itself from the fibres and reuse the polymer with normal industrial processes,” reports nlcomp’s materials expert Andrea Paduano.

The deck is made from flax fibre, the decking from cork. The mainsheet is on a central ratchet block, with backstay and traveller controls led to camcleats on the side deck. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/IMACIS

“We decided to use bio-based fibres to reduce our carbon footprint and flax and cellulose fibres are the best candidates for a strong yet light composite material,” Paduano continues. The result is recyclable fibres and recyclable resin which can be reused to build composite parts again. It comes at a cost of around 7-8% more in weight over glassfibre but at a much larger gain with regards to the holy grail search for circular boatbuilding materials.

The composite was vacuum infused, while painting was avoided in favour of using films for the external coating. The mast, keel and rudder structures are made of aluminIum and steel, the engine is electric and the sails are filmless 4T Forte ‘sustainable’ types from One Sails (which can be broken down and reused).

Solar panel charges a battery for the bilge pump and electric outboard, which mounts below. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/IMACIS

Designed to race with a crew weight of 400kg, the Ecoracer 25 backs up its sharp looks on the water. When I had my chance for a quick trial, there was only a few knots of breeze, yet it still proved enough to actively enjoy the sailing. We easily matched the 3-4 knots upwind, before gennaker sailing at 5-8 knots, the minimal wake parting from the transom at around 6 knots.

It’s ever so slippery, fast and enjoyable to helm, just what a sportsboat should be. Alberto Mariotti, our Italian European Yacht of the Year jury representative, sailed in 15 knots and clocked double figures with the gennaker.

Two deck winches are used for sheets, with cross-sheeting angles to trim from windward. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/IMACIS

However, I’ll leave the final thoughts on this extraordinary boat to another jury member, Morten Brandt-Rasmussen from Denmark: “The Ecoracer 25 project points the finger where it hurts. Let’s face it – leisure boats of today are not in any way the green product that the industry claims. Without changes the leisure boat market will be regulated and potentially fade away. The 100% recyclable Ecoracer 25 has shown that it’s possible to turn green for real.”

The future Ecoracer 30

After scooping a special European Yacht of the Year sustainability prize, the eco-focussed Boat of the Year at the Boat Builder Award at METS, and the Design Innovation Award at Genoa Boat Show with the prototype Ecoracer 25, nlcomp and Matteo Polli have now designed a larger 9.15m production version.

The Ecoracer One Design 30 is the first recyclable one-design sportsboat. Optimised for ORC, it has a retractable keel and electric propulsion. It uses nlcomp’s rComposite method, a thermoplastic matrix combining carbon fibres for the hull and linen fibres for the cockpit, which is guaranteed recyclable. The prototype will be unveiled in late June at the Ocean Race finale in Genoa and will cost €130,000.

Ecoracer 25 specifications

LOA: 7.69m / 25ft 3in Beam: 2.75m / 9ft 0in Draught: 1.80m / 5ft 11in Displacement: 1,150kg / 2,535lb Sail area: 40m2 / 431ft2 Price: approx €80,000

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Reactor 25 washed up

By Huggie , June 21, 2021 in MarineTalk

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First time posting but have been following the forums for a while now. Not sure if this is the right category but if anyone needs or knows of anyone after some Reactor 25 parts feel free to contact me. Long story short... my boat broke its mooring over the weekend and washed up on Fergusson wharf. It has been salvaged and I'll start scrapping it. Mast and rigging seems to be all good with other bits and pieces there.

Let me know if anyone's interested and they can call or txt me on 022 492 4428

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ex Elly 197

You could try the Reactor Association. Likely one of their members would be interested.

There are some contacts here:  https://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/clubs/class-association/reactor-yachting-association

Awesome! Thanks for the info 

waikiore 398

What a shame they are a great little ship, we were amused at the call on Saturday afternoon from someone on the squadron patrol boat , calling the coastguard, (who are directly inside where the unfortunate boat came ashore on Friday) stating that they were the Royal Yacht Squadron and a yacht has gone ashore in Okahu Bay . So the Royal Yacht Squadron is in Cowes and Okahu Bay is a couple of miles East of the site. Perhaps navigation and geography should be entered in the training syllabus of the crews.

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A new generation of yacht propulsion

In the harbour city of Ancona in the east of Italy, yacht-builder Ferretti Group is putting its Custom Line 106 yachts through their paces before handing them over to customers. Today, the first of these yachts to be powered by mtu Series 2000 units with IMO-3 approval is being tested on the water.

What’s particularly special about this yacht is the 16-cylinder engine equipped with integrated Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). Designed to substantially reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, it will allow yacht owners to enter emission-controlled areas (ECA zones) such as the coastal waters of Canada and the USA, as well as the Caribbean and the North and Baltic seas, without compromising the comfort and style customers expect. The yacht can reach a top speed of 26 knots (about 48 kilometres) per hour and boasts a luxury interior and exterior.

Proving the power of an eco-friendly solution

As part of the propulsion system’s rigorous testing process, engineers and measurement technicians from Ferretti Group Engineering Department and Rolls-Royce Power Systems observe how the yacht fares outside of laboratory conditions. The test crew onboard the yacht performs a series of manoeuvres while measurement technician Jan Leuthäußer from Rolls-Royce Power Systems watches the engine behaviour closely.

On the test stand, the mtu Series 2000 engines with IMO-3 approval performed just as well as previous IMO-2 units that didn’t have SCR. But at sea, technicians hope to confirm that the yacht’s turbochargers can handle the high exhaust gas backpressure caused not only by SCR but by the underwater exhausts typical of yachts. They’ll also be keeping an eye on the heat and noise levels produced by the SCR system.

“Of course, we're nervous,” admits Rüdiger Grau, technical lead on the development and testing of the mtu propulsion system at the Rolls-Royce Power Systems headquarters in Friedrichshafen. But relieved smiles from the Rolls-Royce test crew confirm that everything has gone to plan.

“In today's trials, the mtu 16V 2000 M97 unit showed us that it's every bit as powerful as its predecessor. And with SCR, a lot more eco-friendly,” comments Carsten Voigt, Project Manager at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

The Custom Line Testing & Delivery Supervisor Captain and his crew are particularly impressed by the propulsion system's acoustic properties. With a well-insulated engine room, the engine’s noise and vibrations were hardly perceptible on deck. “It's so important for green engines to be able to offer our customers the carefree yachting experience they're used to,” he explained.

A hybridized future

Hybrid propulsion will also be part of the future scenario, with Rolls-Royce currently developing a fully integrated mtu hybrid solution delivering 1,432 kW per power train. The IMO-3-compliant system will comprise twin 12-cylinder mtu Series 2000 M97 diesel engines, electrical propulsion modules, gearbox, batteries, control and monitoring systems, further electronic components and an SCR system.

“Hybridizing propulsion is one possibility for making yachts greener. We're currently working on modular solution architectures in which hybrid systems will be combined with future technologies such as methanol engines, fuel cells and batteries – all with the aim of making yachts greener and more comfortable at the same time,” notes Tobias Kohl, Director Marine Engineering Applications at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

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• By Andrew Burton
• Updated: January 30, 2007

The Harbor 25 is a delight to sail. After I climbed aboard, this lively sloop began doing laps around much bigger boats as they lumbered in light air around the bay. The cockpit is 8 feet long, deep, roomy, and has high coamings. The helmsman can choose to look over the cabin house or duck behind it when spray blows back. All excess line stows in built-in pockets in the coamings and cabin bulkhead, eliminating the need for multiple sheet bags.

Below, the cabin is attractive but offers only sitting headroom. There’s a good-sized V-berth forward of a usable head that’s thoughtfully positioned under the forehatch, which is designed to accommodate a solar shower for owners who will weekend in their Harbor 25s. The cored-fiberglass bulkheads between the cabins feel rock solid. They’re matte-white and trimmed with varnished mahogany, which gives the interior a pleasing look.

The main cabin is a nice social area, with four opening ports and room for a simple galley. Two single quarter berths take up the area under the cockpit seats and are separated by a small Honda outboard gas powerhead that sits on a saildrive and turns a two-bladed Flex-O-Fold propeller.

This little boat reminds me of the ones I loved to cruise aboard for weeks at a time in the Gulf and San Juan islands of the Pacific Northwest when I was young. No doubt it will appeal as much to others who don’t need to bring all the comforts of home with them when they sail.

Harbor 25 Specs

LOA: 25′ 9″ LWL: 21′ 6″ Beam: 8′ 1″ Draft: 5′ 0″ Sail Area: 356 sq. ft. Displacement: 3,900 lb. Water: 13 gal. Fuel: 11 gal. Engine: 12.5-hp. Honda saildrive Designer: Stephen Schock Price: $81,000 W.D. Schock Corp., (951) 277-3377, www.wdschock.com

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 21 - 30 ft , day sailing , harbor , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
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Remarkably roomy for such a small boat, the 25 is well finishedand offers enough performance for racing.

Just a few years ago, the prospective buyer of a 25′ sailboat knew that some serious compromises awaited him. His 25-footer would probably have little more than sitting headroom, might have four shelves that could reasonably be called berths, and probably had a head stowed under the forward berth. The galley? With luck, a two-burner alcohol stove, maybe a sink, and a water tank holding ten gallons.

Auxiliary power? Usually a 6 hp outboard hanging off the stern or in a well in the lazarette.

With today’s economy, more and more people who once might have considered a 30-footer are downscaling their size expectations to something more realistic, perhaps a 25- or 27-footer. While they may downgrade their expectations in terms of the length of their boats, they have not downgraded their expectations in terms of the size boat they want. This is not the contradiction it may seem. The fact is that there are a number of boats less than 27′ in overall length that offer room and features akin to those offered in older 30′ boats.

For better or worse, economic reality has forced many of us to downsize our boat expectations in much the way we downsized our automobile expectations.

Then came a new generation of small cruising auxiliaries. The modern 25′ “family” sailboat has 6′ headroom, berths for a family of five—if privacy isn’t a high priority—enclosed head, and perhaps an inboard diesel engine. A regular miniature yacht.

The Ericson 25+ is a good example. The proof of the popularity of this concept shows in the numbers. Over 660 units were built in the first three years after the Ericson 25+ was introduced in late 1978.

Designer Bruce King had a long and successful relationship with Ericson Yachts, starting with the Ericson 23, 30, 32, and 41 of the late 1960s. He has not been exclusively an Ericson “house” designer—witness the magnificent Herreshoff-inspired 90′ ketch Whitehawk to his design—but the vast majority of Ericson boats came from his board.

Bruce King and Ericson found a formula not unlike that of Bill Shaw and Pearson: build a wide range of boats of similar type in two to three foot increments, develop customer loyalty, and watch the customers move up through the ranks. Keep the really popular models, such as the Pearson 35 or the Ericson 35, and bring out other models every few years to catch the latest trend. That formula worked whether you were on the East Coast or the West, and like Pearson, Ericson had the formula down pat.

With the exception of a few forays into the cruising market with the clipper-bowed Cruising 31 and the Cruising 38 (later to be called Independence), the Ericson formula produced a well finished cruiserracer with good sailing characteristics. The Ericson 25+ was part of this successful formula.

Construction

The hull of the Ericson 25+ is a solid hand layup. A molded fiberglass body pan is glassed to the inside of the hull, functioning as the base for much of the interior furniture and adding a certain amount of rigidity to the hull. The deck, cockpit, and cabin trunk molding is balsa cored, with plywood replacing the balsa in high stress areas such as under the deck-stepped mast and where deck hardware is mounted.

Exterior glasswork is of good quality, with little roving printthrough, Gelcoat work is good.

The hull-to-deck joint depends on a secondary chemical bond. Both the hull and deck have an external molded flange. Glass-reinforced polyester resin is used as a bedding compound between these flanges. The inside of this joint is then lapped with four layers of fiberglass mat and cloth. This joint is covered on the outside by a plastic extrusion with a soft plastic insert which functions as a rub rail. We prefer a mechanically fastened hull-to-deck joint, because the strength of secondary chemical bonds is very difficult to evaluate.

The deck of the 25+ has a remarkably solid feel thanks to its cored construction. Neither the deck, cockpit, nor cabin top had any of the sponginess frequently associated with small boats.

Deck hardware of the 25+ is well mounted. Stanchions, pulpits, cleats, and winches have adequate aluminum bearing plates. The tiller head is a substantial chrome-plated bronze casting, The transom is plywood cored, greatly adding to its rigidity.

The mast of the 25+ is a black, deck-stepped extrusion. The stainless steel mast step looks surprisingly fragile. Because the mast is designed to be owner-stepped if desired, the forward lower half of the base of the mast is cut away to allow the mast to pivot forward for lowering. We doubt if there are many owners who will step their own masts. The design of the mast step to facilitate raising and lowering has greatly reduced the bearing surface of the heel of the mast.

In contrast to the mast step, the shroud chainplates are of surprisingly heavy construction. The 25+ utilizes Navtec chainplates, shroud terminals, and turnbuckles. Chainplates are strongly tied to the hull.

All through hull fittings below the waterline have Zytel valves, a reinforced plastic. Most have double-clamped hoses, but the icebox drain hose has a single clamp. Although modern plastics are strong, we suggest that you carefully inventory through hull fittings, as they are a major culprit in many sinkings of otherwise undamaged boats. Plastic valves may be immune to electrolysis, but they cannot be forgotten any more than bronze seacocks can be ignored.

Handling Under Sail

Despite the chubbiness of the 25+, owners report that she is a fast boat under sail. There are a number of features that contribute to this speed, She has minimum wetted surface, despite a displacement that is average for her overall length, though fairly light for a waterline length of almost 22′.

The Ericson 25+, 28+, and 30+ all feature Bruce King’s trademark, the “delta” fin keel. King states that this keel form has very low induced drag, and the 25’s performance reinforces his belief. The optional shoal draft keel reduces draft a foot, reduces lateral plane, and no doubt reduces windward ability, Unless you are bound and determined to have a boat drawing under four feet, by all means get the deeper draft version.

The rig of the 25+ is a high aspect ratio 7/8 sloop rig. The mainsail hoist of 31.5′ is unusual for a 25′ boat. In light air, tall rigs are usually faster, and we would expect the boat’s best point of sail to be upwind in light air. Since a great deal of the sailing in the world seems to be upwind in light air, this approach to the rig is a rational one.

With the addition of a backstay adjuster—easy because of the split backstay—it is possible to induce a reasonable amount of mast bend to control sail shape. A full width mainsheet traveler mounted on the cockpit bridgedeck greatly enhances mainsail control.

Shroud chainplates are set well inboard, allowing narrow headsail sheeting angles. The genoa track is also located inboard, almost against the cabin side.

There is no main boom topping lift, We think this is pretty indefensible on a cruising boat, and despite the additional windage, a topping lift is greatly to be desired on a racing boat. Without a topping lift, reefing becomes a real exercise in agility. Dropping the mainsail is greatly complicated, especially when cruising shorthanded. Should the main halyard break when sailing close hauled, the main boom could brain anyone sitting on the leeward side of the cockpit.

Two-speed Barient headsail sheet winches were standard in later boats. There is room on the cockpit coamings both for the addition of secondary winches for spinnaker handling and the replacement of the standard winches with larger ones. A single halyard winch is mounted on the mast, There is no main halyard winch. We would choose the optional aftleading halyards to facilitate shorthanded cruising.

The 25+ should sail with almost any other production cruiser-racer of her size. Her wide beam and deep draft should offset the additional heeling moment of the tall rig. Like all wide modern boats she should be sailed on her feet. Get the crew weight out on the weather rail in a breeze, and she should carry sail well.

Handling Under Power

There were probably more power options for the 25+ than any similar-sized boat on the market. They included: outboard power, OMC gas saildrive, Volvo diesel saildrive, and Yanmar diesel inboard.

The 25+ is small enough to be driven fairly well by a 10-hp outboard. There was about a $3,500 difference in equipping the boat with an outboard engine versus the diesel inboard. The choice depended largely on how the boat was to be used. Few boats of this size are used for long-distance cruising. For daysailing and racing, an outboard engine is more than adequate.

If extended coastal cruising is to be the boat’s primary activity, then one of the inboard options should be considered. Frankly, we have little love for saildrive installations. If you really want an inboard engine, the Yanmar single cylinder inboard diesel is the real choice. No matter which engine is in the boat, it is equipped with a 20-gallon aluminum fuel tank.

With a one-cylinder diesel engine, given a fourknot cruising speed and fuel consumption of about 1/4 gallon per hour, the range under power is almost 350 miles—a truly astounding range for a 25′ boat, That’s probably more range under power than the average boat is likely to need for an entire season.

Deck Layout

With shroud chainplates set well inboard, and a reasonably narrow cabin trunk, working on the deck of the 25+ is fairly easy. There is adequate room between the shrouds and the lifelines to walk outboard of the shrouds with ease.

There is a small foredeck anchor well, adequate for the stowage of a single Danforth and rode. There are no bow chocks, but there are two cleats located forward at the outboard edge of the deck.

Molded-in nonskid of a color contrasting to the primary deck color was standard on the Ericson. This relieves eyestrain in bright sunlight and reduces the basically austere external appearance of the boat.

The cockpit of the 25+ is comfortable. Coamings are angled outward rather than being vertical, allowing a more natural sitting posture. As in most tiller-steered boats, the sweep of the tiller occupies a large percentage of the cockpit volume. In port, the tiller swings up and out of the way, providing un-crowded seating for up to six adults.

A single cockpit scupper 1—1/ 2″ in diameter is recessed in a well at the back of the cockpit. The well allows water to drain on either tack. A stainless steel strainer over the scupper reduces its effective area by over 50%. Since the drain size is large enough to pass on through almost any debris that is likely to be found in the cockpit, we would remove the strainer for sailing. A single 1-1/2″ diameter scupper has more cross sectional area than two 1″ drains, and is less likely to clog.

There are two cockpit lockers. The starboard cockpit locker is a shallow pan suitable for storing small items such as winch handles and sail ties. At its after corner is a deeper bin which could make a handy icebox for cold drinks. The port locker is a large, deep affair which unfortunately suffers from the common failing of not being adequately separated from the under-cockpit area, A snap-in Dacron bag would convert this locker to reasonable sail stowage.

The companionway uses thick, well-made solid teak dropboards with proper step joints to prevent spray from working below, Unfortunately, the very strong taper to the companionway slides allows them to be removed by lifting less than an inch. For sailing in rough water, a positive means of securing these slides—a sliding bolt, for example—must be installed.

It is gratifying to see a real bridgedeck in a boat this size. Except for the strong taper to the companionway sides, this is one of the best designed cockpits we have seen in a small boat.

The amount of interior volume in the 25+ is truly remarkable. The boat easily has the headroom and elbow room of most older 30-footers.

The forepeak contains the usual V-berth with a filler to form a nominal double. We truly mean nominal. Two normal-sized people simply do not fit in the forward berth of the Ericson 25+. Consider it a large single instead, or a double for two children. Water and holding tanks occupy the space under the berth.

The 25+ has a genuine enclosed, standup head, an almost unheard of luxury in a boat this size. The head has an opening port for ventilation. There are two small lockers in the head, but both are largely occupied by plumbing hoses.

Opposite the head is a small hanging locker. This locker is fully lined with teak plywood, a nice finishing touch.

It is in the main cabin that the 25+ really shines. Headroom is an honest 6′. Two comfortable settee berths seat 6 in comfort, A fold-down drop-leaf table is big enough to serve 4, and is one of the sturdier tables of this type that we have seen.

The main cabin of the 25+ is well finished with a combination of off-white fiberglass and teak. This is a very successful decorating job, without so much teak as to turn the interior into a cave but with enough to give a well finished appearance. A ceiling of teak strips became standard later on in the production run, and the cabin trunk sides are veneered in teak. A teak and holly cabin sole came standard, with two access hatches to the bilge.

There is a real bilge, unusual in a boat of this size. The strainer for the cockpit-mounted Whale Gusher pump is accessible through a cabin sole hatch.

Under the settee on each side of the cabin there are storage bins. These make use of molded polyethylene drop-in liners, a most practical solution which recognizes the reality that under-seat storage is rarely, if ever, completely dry. An optional extension to the starboard settee converts it to a double berth, but at the expense of easy access to the storage bins underneath.

The galley is surprisingly complete for a 25′ boat. There is a well-insulated icebox of five cubic foot capacity. The insulation is exposed in the port cockpit locker, and will be vulnerable to damage from items stowed there. It could easily be sealed off with either plywood or fiberglass to protect it. The icebox lid is an uninsulated molding advertised as a removable serving tray. If it is used as a serving tray, then the icebox is uncovered, allowing the ice to melt. Whoever thought up that bright idea should go back to the drawing board or look around for some common sense.

For some reason, icebox lids are one of the poorest design features of most sailboats, It’s quite remarkable on boats with otherwise thoughtful design and construction to see poor icebox design. Perhaps there is collusion between the Union of Icebox Designers and the Association of Manufacturers of Ice to maximize the consumption of ice aboard sailboats.

There are storage lockers both above and below the icebox-stove counter. The stove is a recessed Kenyon two-burner alcohol unit with a cutting block cover, These stoves have the fuel fill located between the two burners, and we feel they are a poor choice for use aboard a boat. The burners must be absolutely cool before the fuel tank is filled to eliminate the possibility of explosion or fire.

It is not necessary to step on the galley counter when coming down the companionway. This is a real plus. Footprints on the counters have never appealed to us.

A human-sized quarterberth is a welcome feature. With adequate headroom over, it eliminates the coffinlike aura of so many small-boat quarterberths, and is without a doubt the roomiest, most comfortable berth on the boat.

With an outboard engine, the room under the cockpit that would normally house an inboard is given over to storage. The tiny one-cylinder Yanmar diesel would easily shoehorn into the same space.

Without a doubt, the interior of the Ericson 25+ is a real accomplishment, It is well finished, generally well designed, and remarkably roomy for a boat of this overall length. There is some miniaturization of components, such as the galley sink, head sink, and hanging locker. Nonetheless, she’s a big little boat, and would be truly comfortable for extended coastal cruising for a couple. That is something that can rarely be said for a 25′ boat.

Conclusions

Ericson came very close to achieving their goals in the 25+. She is about as much boat as can be crammed into this overall length.

An interesting option is an E-Z Loader trailer. With a beam of over 9′ and a weight of 5,000 pounds, the 25+ is no trailer sailer. It takes a large, powerful car or truck to tow a boat of this size, and the beam could present legal problems in some states. The trailer would be most useful for taking the boat home for winter storage, rather than frequent over-the-road transport.

Workmanship and finish detail are generally of good stock boat quality. Exposed joiner work is good. Fillet bonding varies from good to only fair, with glasswork generally good.

The Ericson 25+ is a good small cruiser for a young family, and offers enough sailing performance to be a reasonable choice for club racing.

Unlike many small cruiser-racers which concentrate on interior volume and forsake sailing ability, the 25+ really will sail. This means that the new sailor will not quickly outgrow her as he or she learns what makes a boat go fast. With good hardware such as Barient and Navtec and a fairly high degree of finish detail, it is easy to see why the boat fetches the prices it does.

For those used to less-expensive 25-footers, the cost will be a shock. It helps a little to think of her as a 28-footer with the stern cut off.

With an inboard diesel, a good light air rig, and lots of interior volume, she’s a good little cruising boat for a couple. A maximum boat for minimum length, she’s a modern solution to skyrocketing costs of sailing. At maximum price for her length when new, she’s not an example of “more for less,” but then, there’s no free lunch in the sailboat market. That’s for sure.

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