BoatsCal 25

Cal 25

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1965–1976

A flush-deck masthead sloop featuring a pop-top companionway that became one of the most popular models in the fleet

Designed by C. William Lapworth, built by Jensen Marine.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Cal 25, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Wind Hippie Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 2.44 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,814 kg of hull, so roughly 2,400 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 18 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 18
CoastalBluewater

2.02 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.02
LightHeavy

223 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 223
EasygoingPowered-up

18.2 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.2
TenderStiff

43% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 43%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

  • Narrower than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1547 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Cal 25, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Cal 25 is a 7.6-meter masthead sloop designed by C. William Lapworth and built by Jensen Marine from 1965 to 1976. This flush-deck sailboat, known for its 'pop top' companionway, has a fin keel with a spade rudder, a 2.4-meter beam, a 1.2-meter draft, and displaces 1814 kg. It was one of the most popular Cal models, distinct from the later Cal 2-25.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 16 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Cal 25 on video

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Cal 25 may be fitted out entirely differently.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
42.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.2
Displacement / length
223.2
Comfort ratio
18.0
Capsize screening
2.02
Hull speed
6.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
572
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1965–1976
Units built
1848
Designer
C. William Lapworth
Builder
Jensen Marine, Bangor Punta Corp

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Comet 7707.70 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Jean-Marie Finot-designed IOR quarter-tonner with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited club racing
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 24.27.30 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Jacques Fauroux-designed fractional sloop built for coastal cruising with a stable fin-and-bulb keel
Martinique 257.70 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Brazilian-built masthead sloop with a 44% ballast ratio, offering a stiff and stable platform for coastal cruising
Jaguar 257.62 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Frank Butler-designed masthead sloop with a deep fin keel, offering a similar layout to the popular Catalina 25
Maxi Yachts 777.70 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthThe most popular model in the builder's history, offering both inboard and outboard engine options for versatile cruising
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 267.47 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Philippe Briand-designed fractional sloop built for coastal cruising with a stiff, stable hull form

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Cal 25, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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