Design and Construction
The hull is a solid fibreglass shell with a thick laminate, and surveyors noted both that mass and a beautifully slippery underwater profile, traits that help explain the boat’s reputation for taking rough weather if necessary anchor. Ballast of about 2,512 lb in iron on a 5,180 lb displacement gives a ballast-displacement ratio near 48 percent, and the 22-foot waterline on a 27-foot 4-inch overall length keeps the wetted surface manageable. The 501 retained the 500’s hull but introduced a redesigned coachroof and updated interior moldings, with a twin bilge-keel option joining the fin. The fin-keel 500 draws 5 feet; the bilge version just 3 feet 6 inches.
Rig and Handling
A masthead sloop of 317 square feet on the 500, the Trapper earns repeated praise for a quick turn of speed that can embarrass some modern yachts anchor. Owners and test sailors alike found her a fast boat in her day with good sailing characteristics, and in just 15 knots of breeze she can hit six knots very quickly. The flip side sits at the helm: the original 500’s rudder can be heavy to handle, especially under power, a trait worth weighing against her otherwise lively performance.
Accommodations
The Trapper is a spacious design well suited to family cruising, with just under 6 feet of headroom near the companionway. The dinette layout leaves a gangway to one side, and the boat was built to sleep six — a settee berth opposite the dinette and a quarter-berth under the cockpit. That stated capacity drew a period owner’s caveat that six on an 8.5-metre boat is rather too many. The original galley offered no worktop unless you count putting the lid on the sink, a constraint the 501’s extended galley addressed.
Known Issues
The class had no history of osmosis, and the solid hull construction shows no reported structural fault. The one documented handling shortfall is the original 500’s heavy rudder under power, which stems from the pre-1980 steering geometry rather than any reported structural fault. The 501’s modified rudder was part of that redesign.
Ownership and Refits
The 500 originally carried an 8 hp Yanmar engine in at least one well-documented example, while the spec record lists a 12 hp gasoline RCA/Dolphin as the standard plant — a gap that tells a buyer to verify what sits in the bay. Fuel capacity is modest at about 5 gallons, consistent with a boat built for sailing rather than motoring. The 501’s interior molding updates and extended galley make later hulls the more civilized cruisers, but both share the same robust hull and quick hull form.
The Verdict
The Trapper 500/501 is a Canadian-derived cruiser that punches above its length under sail, wrapped in a thick solid hull that has aged without osmosis scares. The 501 refines the accommodation and steering; the 500 keeps the simpler layout and the heavier helm. Either makes a capable family weekender if the engine and galley suit your plans.
Pros
- Quick, modern-embarrassing turn of speed on a slippery hull
- Thick solid hull with no class history of osmosis
- Spacious, family-oriented interior with quarter-berth option
- 501 brought extended galley and modified keel/rudder
Cons
- Original 500 rudder heavy, especially under power
- Original galley lacks real worktop
- Stated six-berth capacity tight for the length
- Modest fuel capacity and engine-make ambiguity between examples
