Design and Construction
Dalpol builds the Phobos 24.5 in solid fiberglass for both hull and deck, with an outboard rudder and a wing keel as the baseline underwater profile. The yard markets her as a universal cruiser suited to inland and internal sea waters, and YACHT notes the Polish shipyard specializes in small cruisers with this model. She stretches 25 centimeters longer and two centimeters wider than the earlier Phobos 24, a seven-and-a-half-meter hull that the German test magazine called a space miracle below deck unrivaled in its segment. Buyers could specify a different keel version and many interior configurations, and the interior wood could be finished in any customer-selected type, giving the small series a bespoke feel rare at this length.
Accommodations
Below, the Phobos 24.5 is unusual for her size. The manufacturer describes a spacious and complete interior with six berths, a bathroom, a galley with clean and outboard water, a cabinet, and many lockers and shelves, while YACHT counts sleeping space for eight and 1.65 meters of headroom. A separate wet room and oil locker add cruising utility, and the v-berth can be closed off with a sliding door while an extra full-sized berth folds down in the mess after the table is stowed. The cockpit is very large by any measure, though testers observed it could feel cramped with the planned eight crew aboard. The builder's own language promises unusual comfort for this class, and the 24-footer carries that sense of roominess into a very large outdoor workspace.
Rig and Handling
The standard rig is a fractional sloop carrying a jib, with modern on-deck equipment including a jib furler, lazy jack, and a winch that make her convenient for short-handed crews. The yard offers the jib replaced by a gennaker or a 12-square-meter genoa with a large spinnaker for lighter-air reach work. The standard version carries a centreboard and internal ballast, while a fixed keel is a shipyard option. The builder claims she is fast and easy to handle in any strength of wind, yet YACHT's test found that the generous extension and space below deck extracted a measurable compromise in sailing characteristics.
Known Issues
The only flagged trade-off is the test-reported compromise in sailing behavior against the volume below, a design balance rather than a fault.
Refits and Ownership
Because the interior can be finished in any wood and laid out in many configurations, used examples vary widely in look and function. A fixed keel in place of the standard centreboard changes both draft and ballast behavior, and the option to swap the jib for a gennaker or genoa-plus-spinnaker rig means sail plans differ hull to hull. Owners choosing a different keel version should confirm the matched ballast and handling envelope.
The Verdict
The Phobos 24.5 is a compact cruiser that punches far above its 26 feet for enclosed volume and live-aboard comfort, trading a degree of sailing sharpness for that space. She suits a couple or small family who want inland exploration with real headroom, a enclosed wet room, and berths for a crowd on occasion.
Pros
- Unrivaled interior volume and headroom for a 24-foot class hull
- Customer-selected wood and multiple interior layouts from new
- Centreboard standard with fixed-keel option for varied waters
- Modern deck gear including furler and lazy jack for easy handling
Cons
- Test sailors found sailing performance compromised by the volume below
- Cockpit can be tight with the full eight-person complement
- Standard wing/centreboard setup limits upwind bite versus fixed fin
