Olson 25 Buyer's Guide
The Olson 25 is a 25-foot ultralight-displacement sport boat designed by George Olson in 1984 and built first by Pacific Boats, then by Ericson Yachts, with about 130 completed. On the used market it appeals to sailors wanting a small, affordable, easy-to-handle performance platform that can still take the family out for a weekend. Knowing which builder finished your candidate matters more than most options lists.
Layouts on the Used Market
Two builder lineages define the boat you will walk onto. Pacific Boats versions are lighter, built with cored hulls and no headliner, and carry more race-friendly stanchions. Ericson boats added a headliner to neaten the interior, but that same liner makes the cabin harder to move through and complicates any later re-bedding of deck hardware. Ericson stanchions also cant inward, which shrinks effective hike-out space. Both layouts share the same 25-foot plan and masthead-sloop rig; the difference is interior access and race readiness rather than footprint.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A spinnaker is commonly fitted on brokerage boats, consistent with the design's sport-boat intent. For buyer-consequence equipment, look at navigation and cabin updates: a Raymarine tridata is a documented modern upgrade, and refreshed cabin lighting shows up on cared-for examples. The original alcohol stove is period-correct and still present on some boats. Beyond those, keep your eye on the rig — the double-spreader, inline-shroud masthead setup with a 155-percent headsail maximum is the boat's standard sailing envelope.
What to Inspect
Focus on builder-specific faults. On Ericson boats, check whether the added headliner has trapped moisture or obscured deck-hardware fasteners, since it makes re-bedding harder headliner complicates deck-hardware re-bedding. Confirm stanchion geometry: Ericson units cant inward and reduce hike-out room. On any example, verify the double-spreader rig and inline shrouds are sound and that the backstay adjuster still controls headstay tension precisely. The Pacific Boats cored hulls deserve a normal core-scan for delamination.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats appear on the used market in the United States. When shopping, prefer a Pacific Boats hull for lightness and serviceability, but do not dismiss an Ericson if the headliner and stanchions are acceptable to you.
- Identify builder: Pacific Boats vs. Ericson
- Inspect Ericson headliner for hardware-access issues
- Check stanchion angle for hike-out room
- Confirm spinnaker and rig integrity
- Verify any Raymarine tridata or updated lighting as pluses
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Olson 25. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archambault Surprise 25 | 25.1' | $ 23,592 | 34 | 7 |
| Dehlya 25 | 24.77' | $ 9,907 | 21 | 5 |
| Beneteau 25 Platu | 24.58' | $ 15,000 | 11 | 3 |