Santana 525 Buyer's Guide
The Santana 525 is a W. Shad Turner-designed racer-cruiser built by W. D. Schock Corp from 1977 to 1982, with 261 examples completed before the design left production. On the used market she presents as a quarter-ton one-design keelboat rather than a comfort cruiser, and a buyer should weigh the race-oriented layout against any cruising ambitions before committing.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 525 shares the same Turner hull and deck: a 24.58-foot fiberglass sloop with a reverse transom, raked stem, fractional Bermuda rig, internally mounted spade rudder on a tiller, and a fixed fin keel drawing 4.25 feet. Below, the bow cabin holds a double V-berth with the head centered underneath, while the main cabin has two straight settee berths for a four-person sleeping capacity. The galley sits on both sides of the companionway ladder. Because the class was built as a one-design, used Santana 525s should track the original layout closely rather than show major factory variants.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The design is normally fitted with a small outboard motor for docking and maneuvering, not a fixed inboard. Sail inventory is the principal variable: the 525 may carry any of several jibs and genoas plus a 209-square-foot symmetrical spinnaker for downwind racing, so a buyer should confirm the actual sails and rigging present. Period estimates list halyards and sheets in specific lengths and diameters, but these are not a market-tier feature.
What to Inspect
The available material on the 525 centers on configuration rather than defects: confirm the fractional sloop rig and sail inventory match the one-design intent, and verify the fixed fin keel and 4.25-foot draft are intact. Check the tiller-controlled spade rudder for play, and confirm the outboard mounting and companionway-galley arrangement are sound.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Used Santana 525s are found in the United States. A buyer's short checklist:
- Confirm one-design class membership and racing eligibility
- Verify keel, rudder, and tiller steering condition
- Inventory the genoa, jib, mainsail, and spinnaker
- Check the four-berth interior and split galley layout
- Confirm outboard motor and docking setup
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Santana 525. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 1 | $2,800 | — |