Its towing weight of 1780 kg underpins its reputation as a portable trailer-sailer rather than a fixed-keel weekender. The boat measures 7.77 m overall and 6.75 m on the waterline, with a beam of 2.5 m. Displacement is 1180 kg, including 272 kg of lead ballast.
Design and Construction
The Noelex 25’s rounded underwater profile and uncluttered transom give it a quietly purposeful look. Beneath the waterline, the retractable fin centreboard and swinging stern rudder blade reduce draft to 0.3 m with the board up, making ramp launching practical. With the board down for sailing, draft increases to 1.4 m.
The hull and deck are joined with a rubber fender strip. This simple detail avoids the complexity of an inward flange or moulded joint and suits the boat’s trailerable purpose. The 272 kg of lead ballast sits within a displacement of 1180 kg, a ratio that keeps the centreboard trunk practical while preserving enough stability for a small family cruiser.
Rig and Handling
The rig is central to the design. Its ¾ fractional layout has only three standing components: the forestay and two cap shrouds. These meet the tapered mast 1.8 m below its 8.0 m top, leaving the upper section unsupported. The shrouds sweep aft at 34° to chainplates 600 mm behind the mast, with a single spreader 2.8 m above the deck. There’s no backstay and no lower shrouds.
That simplicity makes the boat easy to rig. Owners report that two people can step the small mast and have the boat on the water within 20 minutes of reaching the ramp.
The sail plan favours the main. A relatively large mainsail works with a small, light, self-tacking jib, so the headsail needs no winch. The main is the more important sail, and the boat sails well under main alone.
In stronger winds, the unsupported masthead falls away, bending the spar and flattening the main to reduce excessive heel. The jib can also be dropped without causing the boat to round up as a masthead-rigged boat would. Its small, non-overlapping jib and self-tacking gear help make the Noelex a good upwind performer that copes well in stronger winds. Downwind, the jib gives way to a spinnaker.
Accommodation
Below deck, the cabin has wood trim, companionway washboards, a main bulkhead, a galley and door, and trimmed interior shelves. The sleeping accommodation includes 4-inch buttoned draylon squabs and cushions. Owners describe the 4-inch foam bunks as very comfortable.
The layout provides six berths, ideally for two adults and four children. Storage includes a locker for hanging oilskins, a quarter-berth shelf with plate stowage, forward shelving around a vanity, a food bin, a cutlery drawer and a condiment shelf on the bulkhead. Owners report more than ample storage for cruising, as well as wall-to-wall cabin-sole carpet. The cockpit is comfortable for four adults.
A table, tinted Perspex windows, hatches and a wired battery box complete the self-contained interior.
Equipment and Systems
The outboard sits in a cockpit well, where it’s easy to reach, and is supported by a mounting board with an outboard flap. The boat also has a keel and winching system, sink waste, handholds, pulpit, stanchions, lifelines, wired navigation lights, and a complete rudderstock and tiller. The deck controls are led to the cockpit.
The standard sail wardrobe consists of a mainsail with two reefs and a jib on a self-tacking system, with a large spinnaker and pole as factory gear.
Owner accounts describe additional cruising equipment, including a self-contained water tank, toilet, stove, stanchion-mounted Marine Kettle barbecue, 27 MHz radio, 8 hp auxiliary, two deep-cycle batteries, a 12 volt fridge and twin 43 watt solar panels. One owner called it a true blue-blood cruising craft.
Reported Heavy-Weather Use
A truncated owner account mentions Marlay Point Overnight Races sailed in winds of more than 50 knots. It 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 its rig simple. The rubber fender strip at the hull-to-deck join is a wear item worth checking, while the swinging rudder blade and centreboard trunk need clean pivot gear.
The straightforward mast-stepping arrangement and self-tacking jib make short-handed sailing practical. The boat’s race-track record in the 25-foot trailer-sailer category also suggests a durable one-design community around the class.
The Verdict
The Noelex 25 is a thoughtfully simple trailer-sailer. Its 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 help keep it composed beyond its size. It’s as well suited to a ramp launch as it is to an overnight race, and its compact cabin is better appointed than its length might suggest.
Pros
- Easy two-person rigging and a reported 20-minute ramp-to-sail turnaround
- Self-tacking jib needs no winch, and sailing under main alone is effective
- Centreboard and swinging rudder provide 0.3 m draft for launching and 1.4 m draft for sailing
- Masthead bend flattens the main and limits heel in strong winds
- Six-berth cabin with ample cruising storage and self-contained systems
Cons
- Unsupported masthead demands careful spar tuning as the rig ages
- No backstay or lower shrouds, limiting rig redundancy
- Trailer-sailer portability comes at the expense of the fixed-keel seakindliness found in larger 25-footers
