Lancer 25 PS Buyer's Guide
The Lancer 25 PS is a trailerable American motorsailer designed by Herb David and built by Lancer Yachts starting in 1985. On the used market it stands apart from the standard Lancer 25 and 25 Mark V because its hull shape differs and it was conceived as a Power Sailer — a boat meant to motor as readily as it sails, with a real cabin aft.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 25 PS shares the same core arrangement: sleeping space for four, split between a double V-berth in the bow around a drop-table and a transversal double berth in the aft cabin. The galley is fixed to starboard just forward of the companionway ladder with a stove, icebox, and sink, and the head opposite on port includes a shower. Fresh water is carried in a 20-gallon tank. Because the model is a single design rather than a series of yearly revisions, buyers are comparing condition and outfitting more than plan variations.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
As a motorsailer the boat is normally fitted with a large outboard motor, and that engine is the single most consequential piece of equipment to evaluate — its size, mount, and electrical supply define the "power" side of ownership. The rig is a fractional Bermuda sloop with about 280 square feet of sail, so a roller-furling headsail and a modern winch setup are the upgrades that most reduce effort at the dock and on the helm. Below, the galley's stove, icebox, and sink are standard, but buyers should confirm whether the head shower sump and 20-gallon tank remain serviceable rather than cobbled.
What to Inspect
The 25 PS is built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, and the wood is the most likely place for deferred maintenance to show built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. Because the design relies on a large outboard as its primary propulsion, inspect the transom motor mount, fuel routing, and battery capacity for signs of strain or amateur modification. The hull-to-deck junction and the internally mounted spade rudder controlled by a wheel should be checked for play or earlier repair, as these are load-bearing structures on a trailerable that has likely been launched repeatedly.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Lancer 25 PS is out of production and appears as a niche trailerable motorsailer rather than a high-volume class. For a shopper, the practical checklist is short:
- Confirm the large outboard and its mounting are sound and adequately powered
- Verify the four-berth layout, galley, and head shower are intact
- Check wood trim and fiberglass for weathering from trailering
- Inspect the spade rudder and wheel steering for free play
- Validate the 20-gallon water tank and plumbing are usable
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
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| MacGregor 26x | 25.82' | $ 14,500 | 61 | 19 |
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