Design and Construction
The 25-2 has a full-bodied, round-bilge hull, a shallow fin keel, and a skeg-hung rudder. Its solid-GRP construction is simple, while a former Yachting Monthly editor described the boat as well built and handsome.
Contest quoted displacement at 2.1 t, while the British review gave a figure of 2,350 kg. Ballast is 950 kg in a short-keel configuration. The boat measures 7.43 m overall, with a 6.10 m waterline and a beam of 2.49 m. She is beamy for her length, while the relatively short waterline keeps wetted surface modest in relation to her mass.
Rig and Handling
The Contest 25-2 carries a moderate masthead sloop rig with 21.53 m² of sail. Period test sailors found her light and stable on the helm and considered her a good sea-boat. In the same reviewer’s view, that steadiness, together with the shallow fin and skeg-hung rudder, made her suitable both as a family cruiser for beginners and for passage racing.
The specified auxiliary is a 10 hp Volvo Penta MD6 diesel, enough to hold station and make harbor in the light-air conditions where the hull’s stability pays off.
Accommodation
Below deck, the 25-2 has five berths, a single amidships head, and no pilot house. Cabin height is 1.85 m. Yachting Monthly described the interior as comfortable and spacious, with good headroom, a practical galley, and a berth plan that serves a small crew without feeling cramped for a 24-footer.
The round-bilge hull and 8ft 3in beam give the saloon and quarter berths more room than the boat’s length alone might suggest.
Verdict
The Contest 25-2 is a compact Zaal cruiser-racer with a stout fin, a forgiving helm, and a roomy five-berth interior that punches above its 24-foot length. It is a sensible used-classic candidate for a first cruising family or a club racer looking for a simple, solid, Dutch-hulled sloop from the mid-1970s.
Pros
- Well-built, handsome solid-GRP hull
- Shallow fin and skeg-hung rudder
- Light, stable helm; recognized as a good sea-boat
- Roomy five-berth interior with 1.85 m headroom and a practical galley
- Suitable for beginners and passage racing alike
Cons
- Short production run from 1974 to 1980, with only 113 hulls built
- Modest 10 hp auxiliary and 21.5 m² sail area suit light-air cruising more than heavy-weather speed
