Evolution 25 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for an Evolution 25 means chasing a small batch of boats: only 55 were built from 1980 to 1984 as the cruising sister to Julian Everitt’s Evolution 26 quarter-tonner. She is a 25 foot 9 inch lifting-keel sloop with a fractional rig, and the appeal is a racer-derived hull you can dry out on a sandbar yet still sail hard when the plate drops.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because many of these boats were home completed, the below-decks arrangements and the quality of fit-out vary from one example to the next. The class baseline is a more spacious and better-fitted cabin than the 26 racing version, with berths for five, a separate heads compartment, and a practical galley. A factory-finished boat will show a coherent plan; an amateur completion may rearrange those pieces entirely, so layout alone does not confirm original intent.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
With no regional sales data to lean on, equipment should be judged on what matters for the boat. The hydraulic lifting keel is the defining system and its pump, lines, and trunk seals are the upgrades that count most. A fractional rig benefits from a decent genoa and mainsail handling at the mast, while a separate heads and practical galley imply basic plumbing and stove needs. Beyond the keel mechanism and sail plan, buyer consequence centers on the core systems required for the boat’s stated functions rather than luxury additions.
What to Inspect
Build quality was not brilliant, and that flat finding should frame every survey anchor. Since many were home completed, inspect the hull-to-deck joint, the lifting-keel trunk and hydraulic actuation, and the below-decks joinery for execution quality that may fall below production standards. The variability of fit-out means electrical and plumbing runs on amateur boats deserve particular scrutiny for safe practice rather than original specification.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
No regional market data was supplied for this model, so availability can only be described as infrequent given the 55-boat run. For a shopper, the short checklist is: confirm keel hydraulics operate smoothly across the full 1 to 5 foot draught range; assess whether the interior is factory or home completed and grade it accordingly; verify the separate heads and galley are intact; and treat the racing-derived handling as a bonus requiring sailor attention. The Evolution 25 rewards the buyer who inspects the individual hull rather than the class.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dehlya 25 | 24.77' | $ 9,875 | 21 | 5 |
| MacGregor 25 | 24.92' | $ 4,500 | 13 | 7 |
| Beneteau First 25 | 24.61' | $ 8,887 | 10 | 2 |