Design and Construction
David gave the 25 PS a different hull shape from the standard Lancer 25 and its Mark V update. This set it apart as a purpose-built motorsailer rather than a trailerable daysailer with auxiliary power.
The boat is built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, with a raked stem and angled transom. Below the waterline, a fixed fin keel draws 3.33 feet. An internally mounted, spade-type rudder is controlled by a wheel—an arrangement more often found on larger cruisers than on a trailerable 25-footer.
The 25 PS displaces 3,500 pounds and carries 1,250 pounds of ballast, giving it a ballast-to-displacement ratio of nearly 36 percent. That’s a substantial figure for a boat of this length and reflects a deliberately weighted keel beneath a light hull.
Rig and Handling
The Bermuda fractional sloop rig has a foretriangle measuring 29 feet high with an 8.75-foot base. The mainsail has a 29-foot luff and a 10.6-foot foot. Total sail area is about 280 square feet, divided between a 153.7-square-foot mainsail and a 126.9-square-foot jib or genoa.
The fractional rig keeps the sail plan manageable for short-handed sailing while providing enough area to drive the 20.25-foot waterline toward its calculated hull speed of 6.03 knots. With an 8-foot beam and a trailerable footprint, the boat is designed to be launched and retrieved while still offering wheel steering and a finished keelboat configuration afloat.
Accommodations
Below, the 25 PS sleeps four in two double berths. In the bow cabin, a double V-berth wraps around a drop-table. The aft cabin has a transverse double berth spanning the stern.
The galley is to starboard, just forward of the companionway ladder, and includes a stove, icebox, and sink. Opposite, on the port side, is an enclosed head with a shower. A 20-gallon freshwater tank supplies the galley and head—a modest but functional capacity for weekend coastal use in a boat of this size.
Verdict
The Lancer 25 PS is a specialized model from Lancer’s late-era Power Sailer line. It combines a trailerable footprint with wheel steering, a proper four-berth interior, and a fin-keeled hull unique among the 25-foot Lancer variants. It gives up the minimalism of a pure trailerable sailboat in favor of more sheltered cruising comfort, relying on a large outboard for the “power” half of its brief.
Pros
- Distinct motorsailer hull shape, separate from the Lancer 25 and Mark V
- Four-berth layout with a bow V-berth, aft double, galley, and enclosed head with shower
- Wheel steering and an internally mounted spade rudder in a trailerable package
- Strong ballast ratio for a 3,500-pound hull
Cons
- Limited 20-gallon water capacity for extended stays
- Outboard-dependent propulsion typical of a motorsailer, rather than an inboard diesel
