Contest 25-2 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Contest 25-2 means looking at Dick Zaal's 1974–1980 successor to Contest's original 25, a 24-foot masthead sloop of which 113 were built. These are cruiser-racers with solid-GRP round-bilge hulls, a shallow fin, and a skeg-hung rudder — simple boats whose used appeal rests on a roomy five-berth interior and a steady helm rather than on complex systems.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 25-2 carries the same five-berth plan with a single amidships head and no pilot house, standing 1.85 m in headroom. The practical galley and comfortable, spacious saloon noted in period reviews are standard to the class, so layout variation between boats is minimal. Buyers should expect the beamy 8ft 3in interior volume rather than a customized footprint, and judge condition rather than configuration.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Cabin heating and a freezer are commonly fitted on these boats, the two upgrades most often seen in the market and the ones that matter most for shoulder-season cruising and provisioning. Beyond those, equipment tends to be original-spec or owner-added without a dominant pattern, so a buyer should verify the Volvo Penta MD6 10 hp diesel and the moderate masthead rig rather than assume modern conveniences.
What to Inspect
The hull uses simple construction with solid-GRP round-bilge molding. A buyer's survey should therefore focus on age-related wear typical of a 1970s solid laminate: rudder stock and skeg attachment, the shallow-fin keel joint, and the MD6's running condition.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical market for the Contest 25-2 is the Netherlands, where most examples are listed. For a shopper, the takeaway is a short checklist: confirm the hull number falls in the 25001–25115 range, verify the MD6 starts and cools cleanly, check the skeg-hung rudder for play, and note whether heating and a freezer are already aboard. It is a straightforward, well-built small cruiser-racer best judged on condition and completeness rather than on scarce optional gear.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Contest 25-2. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26 | 1 | $7,477 | — |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $8,694 | +16.3% |
Where they're listed
Contest 25-2 listings appear across 1 country. Netherlands has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $8,086 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Dory 25 | 24.83' | $ 9,000 | 29 | 8 |
| Contest 25-2You are here | — | $ 8,086 | 2 | 0 |