Design and Construction
The 325's defining feature is a fairly radical lifting wing keel anchor, unique for its era and still unusual today. Nearly 1.5 tonnes of ballast sits in the keel as a lead wing on a stainless steel shaft, and the winged ballast is bolted onto a set of stainless vertical shafts with the hydraulic ram between them. The keel is encapsulated within a set of skins designed to fill with water, a detail that speaks to the engineering behind a yacht meant to take the ground. Unlike the original Super Seal 26, the 325 carries all her ballast in the keel. At 7,800 lb displacement with 2,650 lb of lead ballast and a 10ft 6in beam, she is of moderate proportions for a boat of this era, and Bill Parker's aversion to broad sterns is reflected in her lines.
Rig and Handling
Upwind in about 10 knots of breeze, test sailors found her heeling quite readily yet picking up to just shy of five knots, and Yachting Monthly's reviewer described her as initially tender — a trait consistent with boats that have good ultimate stability and sail-carrying ability in heavy weather. By all accounts she is a fast and powerful all-rounder. The well-balanced rudder gives a finger-light helm in flat water, though the rudders hinge rather than lift vertically, and at 4ft 7in deep they complicate maneuvering once the keel is raised above rudder depth. With the keel up she draws just over 2ft and will sit happily on the wing with no added support, a genuine shallow-water advantage. Most examples carry wheel steering, with the pedestal set further aft than on the prototype to permit a traveller immediately forward of it. Chainplates for the caps, lowers, and continuous intermediates sit mid-side-deck in period fashion.
Accommodations
The interior is necessarily designed around the keel case, and Parker did it well. The keel's position yields a forecabin with a berth over 6ft 8in long, alongside a roomy heads to starboard reached from the forecabin or saloon. To port of the keel case sits a chart table, while the saloon and galley are comfortably proportioned with headroom just over 6ft. The drop-leaf saloon table is a beautifully made centrepiece and a Parker trademark, reportedly hosting up to ten people. An aft cabin runs athwartships beneath the cockpit. A shaft-log rather than a P-bracket reassures on a boat that periodically takes the ground, and a good deal of customisation was available from new.
Known Issues
Prospective owners should note that corrosion to the keel hydraulic ram is common given the proximity of dissimilar metals in seawater, making anodes essential. The keel fastenings to the lead keel have been known to shear off. On deck, the through-bolted chainplate arrangements are prone to water ingress, with high moisture readings frequently found in those areas.
The Verdict
The Parker 325 is a thoughtful, versatile cruiser whose lifting wing keel and shallow draft open waters closed to many of her size, while her practical, well-joineried interior supports real living aboard. She rewards an owner willing to stay on top of the keel hydraulics and deck hardware, and in trade she delivers a tender-but-capable hull that is quick upwind and easy on the helm.
Pros
- Lifting wing keel draws just over 2ft raised, sits on the wing unsupported
- All ballast in lead wing keel; shaft-log suited to grounding
- Practical interior around keel case with long forecabin berth and roomy heads
- Finger-light helm and good heavy-weather sail-carrying ability
Cons
- Keel hydraulic ram corrosion common; fastenings can shear
- Through-bolted chainplates prone to water ingress
- Rudder depth limits maneuvering with keel raised
- Initially tender in light breeze
