Design and Construction
The South Coast 25 is a monohull of solid fiberglass construction with wooden trim, offered either complete and ready-to-sail or as a kit for amateur completion — the kit estimated at 50 to 60 hours of work anchor. At 25 feet overall with a 20.5-foot waterline, a 7.5-foot beam, and a displacement of 4,200 pounds carrying 1,800 pounds of ballast, the design reflects a compact cruiser-racer proportion rather than a barebones daysailer. The hull carries a spooned raked stem and an angled transom, with a fixed fin keel and an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by tiller. South Coast Seacraft built the design in the United States, and the modest production run of 100 boats makes the class a small but coherent one.
Rig and Handling
The boat is rigged as a masthead sloop with a Bermuda rig, carrying 299 square feet of sail area and a PHRF racing average handicap of 231 anchor. The spade rudder and fin keel combination, paired with the tiller, gives the helmsman direct command of a light 25-footer. The self-bailing cockpit is a practical touch for a boat of this size, shedding water that would otherwise pool in a smaller well.
Accommodations
Below, the South Coast 25 sleeps five. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin, while a drop-down dinette table forms a second double berth on the port side of the main cabin, and a quarter berth lies starboard aft anchor. The enclosed head is just aft of the bow cabin on the port side, and the galley sits opposite on the starboard side just aft of the bow cabin, equipped with an icebox and a sink. A second small ice box is built into the starboard side of the lazarette, giving the boat a measure of cold-storage redundancy unusual in a 25-foot design.
Ownership and Class Support
The boat was available both finished and as a kit, meaning used examples may show varying degrees of amateur completion. The existence of the South Coast Seacraft Owners' Association keeps the class organized and racing, a real asset for an owner who wants camaraderie and on-the-water activity rather than a solitary restoration project anchor. With only 100 built and production ended, the model is scarce, but the active club mitigates the isolation that usually accompanies low-production boats.
The Verdict
The South Coast 25 is a thoughtfully laid-out small cruiser-racer whose five-berth interior and twin ice boxes punch above typical 25-foot expectations. Metcalf's sole design is a compact, tidy package with class-club backing, though the short production run and kit-built variant mean buyers must scrutinize individual hull history.
Pros
- Sleeps five with double bow berth, convertible dinette, and quarter berth
- Self-bailing cockpit and practical fin-keel/spade-rudder hull
- Active owners' association organizes racing
Cons
- Only 100 built; limited supply on the used market
- Kit version means variable amateur-completion quality
