At just over 25 feet long and 2,315 pounds displacement, the 25-2 is a compact, trailerable multihull. Its amas fold inward so the boat can fit into a standard slip or shipping container. Unfolded, it becomes a 19-foot-wide sailing platform with a rotating spar and a daggerboard main hull.
Design and Construction
The 25-2 has a central main hull flanked by two smaller amas. Its foam-sandwich fiberglass composite construction is stiff, strong, and light. There’s no heavy keel; stability comes entirely from the amas.
The hull and deck are hand-laid and cored with Divinycell, except in way of the keel, and the foam-cored construction renders the boat unsinkable. Quorning gave the boat higher-volume floats, with outrigger volume of 150 percent, providing great stability and high acceleration. The floats also introduced a wave-piercing design influenced by multihull racing trends. Their reverse-rake bows were a first for the Dragonfly line.
The asymmetric floats provide lift to windward. In sailing mode, they extend ahead of the main hull, placing buoyancy well forward and maximizing diagonal stability. Total float buoyancy is greater relative to displacement than on any earlier Dragonfly.
A foam-core centerboard in the main hull is controlled by two cockpit lines. Its spring-release down clutch protects the board if it strikes the ground.
Rig and Sail Handling
The Dragonfly 25-2 is a fractional sloop with a rotating spar, offered in touring and sport editions. The touring model has an aluminum mast and a slightly smaller sail plan. The sport version’s carbon mast is five feet taller and adds 54 square feet of mainsail area alone; a retractable bowsprit for flying sails is standard.
Both masts rotate to improve airflow over the mainsail. A self-tacking fractional jib runs on a curved track just forward of the mast, while the mainsheet works on a cockpit traveller. Sail-control lines lead aft to clutches and two coach-roof winches.
The mast can be raised or lowered using the boom as a fulcrum, together with the mainsheet and a self-tailing cabin-top winch. Factory bow and stern cradles support the mast on deck.
Writing in Practical Boat Owner, David Harding test-sailed hull #2 of the Sport with float rudders. Later Sport versions adopted a single central rudder, which is now standard on both editions.
With the centerboard raised, draft is just over a foot; lowered, it reaches almost five feet. Under sail, the boat stays fairly flat, accelerates like a sports car, heels slightly, and then settles as the amas dig in. In the right wind it sails comfortably at more than 15 knots and can exceed 20 knots when conditions favor.
Folding System
The amas rotate around a vertical axis, swinging inward and aft while remaining flat. This reduces the beam from 19 feet to 7 feet 7 inches, as Practical Sailor documented, while increasing the boat’s length from 25 to 30 feet. Control lines led to deck winches lock each ama in place.
The folded beam allows the boat to use a standard slip and means no special towing permits are needed. The folded boat will also fit inside a standard shipping container for distant cruising.
Accommodations
Below, white gelcoat surfaces combine with pale plywood bulkheads and cabinetry. Large windows bring plenty of light into the open interior.
Two full-length settees face each other across a removable swing table, which can also serve as a cockpit table. Placing the table and seat-back cushions in the center aisle creates a comfortable double berth. Forward, the V-berth will accommodate a child or short adult. Sleeping accommodations allow for three adults.
The starboard galley has a hand-pump faucet and a portable burner that stows in the sink. A 40-liter water tank is filled from the foredeck. To port is a small locker, while a portable refrigeration unit sits beneath the companionway and can be reached from either the cabin or the cockpit.
There’s standing headroom at the companionway and sitting headroom farther forward. A portable chemical toilet fits beneath the V-berth behind a privacy curtain. An optional cockpit tent effectively doubles the living space.
Trailering and Auxiliary Power
One person can trailer, launch, and rig the 25-2 without a crane. The complete trailer-included package weighs 4,000 pounds, light enough for a mid-size SUV or light pick-up to tow without strain.
The recommended auxiliary is a 4–6 hp outboard, mounted either in a transom well or on a bracket. Gas and electric options are available.
The Verdict
The Dragonfly 25-2 combines serious multihull performance with a practical folding system in a trailerable, entry-level package. Its high-volume, wave-piercing amas and rotating rig provide speed and stability, while the folding system and light towing weight make greater independence from marinas realistic.
The interior is compact but genuinely livable for three, thanks to its convertible furniture and optional cockpit tent. Storage, headroom, and fixed amenities remain limited, but that’s part of the compromise in a fast, folding trimaran of this size.
Pros
- High-volume, asymmetric amas provide stability, acceleration, and lift to windward
- Folds to a 7 ft 7 in beam for standard slips, shipping containers, and permit-free towing
- Can be trailered, launched, and rigged by one person
- Rotating spar and self-tacking jib support simple, fast handling
- Unsinkable foam-core construction
- Centerboard has ground-strike protection
Cons
- Interior storage is limited beyond the settees and ama hatches
- Headroom is compact, and the narrow V-berth suits only a child or short adult
- Portable burner and chemical toilet reflect the boat’s minimal fixed amenities
