Design and Construction
Ron Holland designed the Holland 25 as a compact performance boat for coastal sailing. Its solid-fiberglass hull carries a lead-ballasted fin keel. The 10-foot beam and 25-foot length produce a length-to-beam ratio of 2.50.
The keel contains 3,500 pounds of lead, giving the boat a 47 percent ballast ratio and making for a stiff platform. Wetted surface is about 226 square feet, while immersion is roughly 706 pounds per inch of load-waterline growth.
Rig and Handling
The Holland 25 has a fractional-sloop rig carrying 357 square feet of sail, for a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 24.76. The jib and genoa sheets are 25 feet long and 3/8-inch in diameter. The mainsheet is 62.5 feet long and the spinnaker sheet 55 feet; both are 10 mm.
Keel draft varies from 4.99 to 5.29 feet depending on load, allowing the boat to reach most marinas. Its capsize screening value is 2.63, which bars it from sanctioned ocean racing, while a Motion Comfort Ratio of 11.5 indicates a firm, hard ride. These figures reflect the design’s performance-oriented character rather than specific faults.
Accommodations and Intended Use
The accommodations are best understood in the context of the 25-foot hull and 10-foot beam. This is a light-displacement racer-cruiser with a fin keel and spade rudder, sized for short-handed coastal sailing rather than bluewater passagemaking.
Refits and Ownership
With fewer than 200 boats built since production began in 1978, the Holland 25 remains a low-volume class with limited support. Period-correct sheet specifications matter when re-rigging. The solid-fiberglass hull also avoids the repair questions associated with a cored hull.
The Verdict
The Holland 25 is a small, fast Ron Holland racer from the late 1970s. It’s narrow, stiff and lead-ballasted, with a fractional rig and an emphasis on speed. Its low comfort ratio and capsize screening value make its limitations equally clear: this isn’t a bluewater passagemaker.
Pros
- Fractional-sloop rig with 357 square feet of sail and a 24.76 sail-area-to-displacement ratio
- 47 percent ballast ratio and a 3,500-pound lead keel
- Solid-fiberglass hull
- Draft below 5.3 feet, making most marinas accessible
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.63 bars sanctioned ocean racing
- Motion Comfort Ratio of 11.5 indicates a hard ride
- Fewer than 200 built, with limited class support
