Design and Construction
The Noelex 25 is a light displacement design with a rounded underwater profile and an uncluttered transom that gives it a quietly purposeful look. Beneath the waterline, the retractable fin centreboard and a stern rudder blade that swings away let the boat draw just 0.3 m with board up for ramp launching and 1.4 m with board down for sailing. Hull and deck are joined with a rubber fender strip, a simple detail that avoids the complexity of an inward flange or moulded joint and suits the boat's trailerable intent. The lead ballast of 272 kg sits in a 1180 kg hull, a ratio that keeps the centreboard trunk practical while preserving enough stability for a small family cruiser.
Rig and Handling
The rig is the heart of the design. A ¾ fractional layout carries only three standing components — the forestay and two cap shrouds — which meet the tapered mast 1.8 m from its 8.0 m top, leaving the upper section unsupported. The shrouds sweep back 34° to chainplates 600 mm behind the mast, with a single spreader 2.8 m up; there is no backstay and no lower shrouds. That minimalism makes the boat easy to rig, and owners report the small 25-foot mast can be stepped by two people, putting the boat on the water within 20 minutes of reaching the ramp.
The sail plan favours the main: a relatively larger mainsail and a small, light, self-tacking jib mean no winch is needed for the headsail and the main is the more important sail, the boat sailing well on that alone. In stronger winds the unsupported mast top falls away, bending the spar and flattening the main to lessen excessive heel, while the jib can be dropped without the boat rounding up as a masthead rig would. A smaller non-overlapping jib and self-tacking gear make the Noelex a good up-wind performer that copes well in stronger winds, and downwind the jib gives way to a spinnaker.
Accommodations
Below, the cabin is fitted with wood trims, companionway washboards, a main bulkhead, galley and door, and interior shelf trims. Sleeping is served by 4-inch buttoned draylon squabs and cushions, a locker for hanging oilskins, a quarter-berth shelf with plate stowage, and forward shelving around a vanity, plus a foodbin, cutlery drawer and a condiment shelf on the bulkhead. Owners describe very comfortable 4-inch foam bunks, wall-to-wall cabinsole carpet and more than ample storage for cruising, with the layout boasting six bunks — ideally two adults and four children. The cockpit itself is comfortable for four adults. A table, tinted perspex windows, hatches and a wired battery box round out a self-contained interior.
Equipment and Systems
The outboard motor sits in a cockpit well where it can be conveniently got at, on a mounting board with an outboard flap; a keel and winching system, sink waste, handholds, pulpit, stanchions, lifelines, wired navigation lights and a complete rudderstock with tiller put all deck controls to the cockpit. The standard sail suite is a main with two reefs and a jib on a self-tacking system, with a large spinnaker and pole as factory gear. Owner accounts add a self-contained water tank, toilet, stove, a stanchion-mounted Marine Kettle barbecue, a 27 MHz radio, an 8 hp auxiliary, two deep-cycle batteries, a 12 volt fridge and twin 43 watt solar panels — a level of cruising kit that one owner called a true blue-blood cruising craft.
Known Issues
The truncated owner account of Marlay Point Overnight Races in 50-knot-plus blows stops short of describing any failure, noting only that no problem had been encountered to that point.
Refits and Ownership
As a trailer-sailer the Noelex 25 rewards owners who keep the rig simple. The rubber fender strip at the hull-deck join is a wear item worth checking, and the swinging rudder blade and centreboard trunk need clean pivot gear. The easy mast step and self-tacking jib make short-handed sailing practical, and the boat's race-track record in its 25-foot trailer-sailer category suggests a durable one-design community around the class.
The Verdict
The Noelex 25 is a thoughtfully minimal trailer-sailer whose fractional rig and self-tacking jib make it genuinely easy to handle, while the lead-ballasted centreboard hull and mast-bend relief in heavy air keep it composed beyond its size. It is as at home on a ramp launch as on an overnight race, and its compact cabin is better appointed than the length suggests.
Pros
- Easy two-person rigging and 20-minute launch-to-sail turnaround
- Self-tacking jib needs no winch; main-only sailing is effective
- Centreboard and swinging rudder give 0.3 m trailing draft, 1.4 m sailing draft
- Mast-top bend flattens main and limits heel in strong winds
- Six-berth cabin with ample cruising storage and self-contained systems
Cons
- Unsupported mast top demands careful spar tuning as rig ages
- No backstay or lower shrouds limits rig redundancy
- Trailer-sailer portability trades off the fixed-keel seakindliness of larger 25-footers
