Roughly 1,850 of the original flush-deck boats were built. Additional examples came from Canada’s Calgan Marine Ltd., and Bangor Punta was also involved at the corporate level. Active one-design fleets still race the Cal 25 in Detroit, Annapolis, New Orleans, and Long Beach.
Design and Construction
Lapworth gave the Cal 25 a spoon bow, counter stern, and flush deck running all the way forward. The resulting aircraft-carrier profile looks purposeful rather than decorative.
The hull is solid fiberglass, described by builders and later reviewers as thick and bulletproof—a product of fiberglass boatbuilding’s early days, when nobody yet knew how long it would last. That solid-glass hull rarely gives trouble. The deck and transom, however, are plywood cored, and they’re the structure’s weak points.
The Cal 25 displaces 4,000 pounds and carries 1,700 pounds of lead ballast in a fin keel. Its 42.5 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio, combined with an 8-foot beam, puts the boat firmly in the lively small-racer camp rather than the sluggish-cruiser bracket.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Cal 25 has a masthead sloop rig and doesn’t carry an excessive amount of sail. Testers noted that this helps keep it from blowing over in an unexpected breeze. Sail area is about 286 square feet.
That modest sail plan, combined with a fin keel and spade rudder, gives the Cal 25 a PHRF rating around 222. SpinSheet found it a respectable racer, and the boat quickly earned a reputation around the marks. The continuing one-design fleets across the U.S. confirm that the original Cal 25 caught on as a competitor in a way the later, raised-cabin Cal 2-25 of 1977 never did.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The roomy cockpit has bench seating for six. Below, the Cal 25 sleeps four and is serviceable for a weekend cruise rather than a long passage.
Standing headroom is available only with the pop-top raised, which makes clear how strongly the design prioritized the flush racing deck. The cruising interior was a genuine part of the original brief—Lapworth and Jensen marketed the boat as a racer-cruiser from the start—but the accommodations are functional rather than generous.
Known Issues
The plywood-cored deck and transom are problem areas on the Cal 25. Many older boats have needed their deck plywood renewed and a beam fitted beneath the mast step. The solid hull below isn’t the concern; the cored areas above are.
Rubrails are another known problem in the class. A buyer considering an unrestored example should expect both items to feature in any honest survey.
Ownership
The Cal 25 remains affordable and relatively inexpensive to maintain. That makes it appealing to sailors who are short on cash or looking to downsize. A well-equipped example can be bought for modest money, while the simple, outboard-driven, solid-hulled one-design platform keeps upkeep within reach of a first-time owner.
The Verdict
The Cal 25 is a genuine early racer-cruiser that has aged into a sensible, inexpensive entry point for both keelboat sailing and one-design racing. The hull is honest; the deck is the project.
Pros
- Thick, solid fiberglass hull that rarely gives trouble
- Lively, well-mannered rig that resists being overpowered
- Active one-design racing fleets across the U.S.
- Low purchase price and modest maintenance burden
Cons
- Plywood-cored deck and transom prone to rot and needing renewal
- Rubrails are a known problem area
- Standing headroom only with the pop-top raised
- Older boats often need mast-support beam work
