Vancouver 25 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Vancouver 25 means chasing one of just 28 fiberglass cruisers that Robert B. Harris designed and that were built in Taiwan for the Canadian Vancouver 25 Yacht Company starting in 1983. These 29-foot long-keel sloops are infrequent brokerage offerings, and a buyer should approach the search knowing the model is out of production and that any example will carry the quirks of a small, traditional cruiser rather than a modern volume-built boat.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Vancouver 25 shares the same four-berth cruising interior: a double V-berth forward, a straight settee in the main cabin, and a single berth in the starboard aft cabin. Mid-boat on the starboard side, the galley holds a two-burner stove and a sink, the head sits portside just aft of the bow cabin, and a navigation station is built beside the companionway steps on the port side. With 71 inches of headroom and a 21.67-foot waterline, the boat presents a consistent layout across the tiny production run, so a buyer evaluates condition and equipment rather than alternative factory plans.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used fleet, cabin heating, a bimini, and a dodger are commonly fitted, which together tell a buyer that most survivors were kept as sheltered coastal cruisers rather than bare-bones racers. The heating matters most for shoulder-season use in a 29-foot hull with limited passive warmth, while the bimini and dodger clusters address cockpit exposure under the tiller-steered long keel's steady but exposed helm. Beyond those, the standard Yanmar 1GM 15-horsepower diesel and the masthead sloop rig with bowsprit and boomkin define the boat; a buyer should verify the engine and sail handling gear rather than expect extensive owner-added systems.
What to Inspect
A survey should focus on the fundamentals of a 1980s Taiwanese contract build with a solid fiberglass hull and fixed long keel. The keel-mounted rudder and tiller steering deserve close inspection for wear at the rudder stock and tiller connection, and the bowsprit and boomkin extremities should be checked for deck joint and fastening integrity given their overhang loads. The Yanmar 1GM diesel is the sole propulsion unit across the class, so engine hours, cooling, and mount condition are central to any purchase decision.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical market for these boats is the United States, where the rare example may surface through specialist brokers or private sellers. A buyer's short checklist: confirm the hull number against the 28-boat production, survey the long keel and rudder stock, test the Yanmar 1GM, and verify the galley, head, and nav station are intact. Expect to compromise on immediacy given the limited build count, and budget for heating, bimini, and dodger if the specific boat lacks them.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Vancouver 25. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Dory 25 | 24.83' | $ 9,000 | 29 | 8 |
| Vancouver 27 | 27' | $ 21,558 | 15 | 6 |