Design and Construction
The South Coast 25 is a solid-fiberglass monohull with wooden trim. It was offered either complete and ready to sail or as a kit for amateur completion; the kit was estimated to require 50 to 60 hours of work. Used examples may therefore vary in the quality of their amateur completion.
The boat measures 25 feet overall, with a 20.5-foot waterline and a 7.5-foot beam. It displaces 4,200 pounds and carries 1,800 pounds of ballast. These proportions make it a compact cruiser-racer rather than a bare-bones daysailer.
The hull has a spooned, raked stem and an angled transom. Below the waterline are a fixed fin keel and an internally mounted, spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller. With only 100 boats built, the class is small but coherent.
Rig and Handling
The South Coast 25 has a masthead sloop Bermuda rig, with 299 square feet of sail area and a PHRF racing average handicap of 231. Its fin keel, spade rudder, and tiller give the helmsman direct command of a light 25-footer.
The self-bailing cockpit is a practical feature on a boat of this size, shedding water that might otherwise collect in a smaller well.
Accommodations
Below, the South Coast 25 sleeps five. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin. In the main cabin, the drop-down dinette table converts into another double berth to port, while a quarter berth lies aft to starboard.
Just aft of the bow cabin, the enclosed head is to port and the galley is opposite to starboard. The galley includes an icebox and sink. A second small ice box is built into the starboard side of the lazarette, providing a degree of cold-storage redundancy unusual in a 25-foot design.
Ownership and Class Support
The South Coast Seacraft Owners’ Association keeps the class organized and racing. That’s a real asset for an owner seeking camaraderie and on-the-water activity rather than a solitary restoration project. With production long since ended and only 100 boats built, the South Coast 25 is scarce, but the active owners’ club helps mitigate the isolation that often comes with a low-production boat.
The Verdict
The South Coast 25 is a thoughtfully arranged small cruiser-racer. Its five-berth interior and two iceboxes exceed typical expectations for a 25-footer. Metcalf’s sole design is a compact, tidy package with the backing of an active class club, though the short production run and kit-built variant mean buyers should scrutinize each boat’s history.
Pros
- Sleeps five in a double bow berth, convertible dinette, and quarter berth
- Self-bailing cockpit and practical fin-keel, spade-rudder hull
- Active owners’ association that organizes racing
Cons
- Only 100 built, limiting supply on the used market
- Kit version means amateur-completion quality may vary
