Design and Construction
The hull carries a near-vertical stem, a fine entry, and a broad stern, with twin rudders and a large cockpit that reviewers tied firmly to the Mini Transat designs of the day anchor. The lifting arrangement is the heart of the concept: a glassfibre centreplate retracts into a cast iron ballast stub, giving a minimum draught of just 2ft 3in and letting her dry out unaided with the support of the twin rudders. The post that holds the deck-stepped loads doubles as a conduit for the centreplate's lifting line, so the trunk stays out of the cabin. Displacement is 4,579 lbs with 1,481 lbs of ballast in that iron stub, and the beam stretches to 9ft 5in — width that buys the cockpit and the stern berth at the cost of a not insubstantial wetted area.
Rig and Handling
The rig is relatively small and conservative, and testers found it lacks a little power in light airs, making her no flyer when the breeze is absent anchor. In a breeze, the same sailors reported she goes well: with new sails they clocked around 4.5 knots upwind in 13–14 knots of apparent wind and topped 5 knots once the anemometer passed 20 knots. She remained well balanced, the twin rudders ensured plenty of grip, and she only spun out when the leeward rail was deliberately driven well under. She does not seem to mind being sailed upwind at 20–25° of heel. Mainsail leech control is limited by the absence of a mainsheet traveller and the presence of a high boom, a trade for cockpit safety and space rather than fine tune.
Accommodations
Below, the boat nominally has four berths, but the real story is the use of the beam. The double berth in the broad stern sits abaft the engine case and open to the galley, while forward of the galley to port and chart table to starboard the sleeping zone runs a full 8ft 9in long and 7ft 2in wide at its aft end with the table used as infill. Yachting Monthly judged the bow double one of the largest you will find on anything under 40ft. The heads is a separate compartment aft, and abaft the chart table is a pretty roomy heads compartment for the size. The galley is honest coastal kit: a single-burner hob, a sink with foot-pump for fresh water, an opening port in the coachroof, a small work surface, and a modest amount of open-fronted stowage. To reach the fridge you hinge up the whole chart table, and a cavernous cockpit locker rounds out the storage.
Engine and Propulsion
Propulsion is an inboard single-cylinder Yanmar IGM driving a two-bladed folding prop, with a transom-mounted outboard offered as an option for push-button simplicity. Under that inboard she will push along at around 5 knots in flat water and 3 to 3.5 knots in a 20-knot headwind with small chop. The engine sits forward of the stern double, which keeps the berth open to the galley as described, and the folding prop limits drag once sailing.
The Verdict
The Sun 2500 is a clever small cruiser that trades light-air sparkle for shoal-draft freedom and a startling amount of room. The lifting centreplate and twin-rudder dry-out capability open creeks and drying moorings a fixed-keel 25-footer cannot use, and the beamy hull delivers a bow berth and aft cabin that shame boats a decade larger. She is happiest when the wind fills in, and the limited mainsail control is the price of the open, safe cockpit.
Pros
- Lifts to 2ft 3in draught and dries out on twin rudders unaided
- Exceptional berth size for the length, including a bow double rivals sub-40ft boats
- Separate aft heads and a chart table in a 24ft hull
- Well balanced and grippy upwind in a breeze under twin rudders
Cons
- Conservative rig is short on power in light airs
- No mainsheet traveller limits mainsail leech control
- Not insubstantial wetted area works against her in calm conditions
