Design and Construction
The Victoire 25 measures just over 25 feet overall, with a 20-foot waterline and an 8.2-foot beam. Its length-to-beam ratio is 3.04, a moderately beamy proportion for a small cruiser of the late 1960s.
The boat displaces 4,180 pounds and carries a lead-ballasted fin keel. Draft ranges from roughly 3.77 to 4.07 feet, depending on load, allowing the boat to settle into shallow marinas that deeper-keeled quarter-tonners cannot reach, as the draft is about 1.15–1.25 meters.
Both the hull and deck are solid fiberglass, while the interior joinery is mahogany, consistent with Dutch production practices of the period. The wetted surface is about 193 square feet, and the immersion rate is about 741 pounds per inch. That describes a stiff, slow-sinking hull that resists sudden changes in trim as crew or stores move aboard.
Rig and Handling
The Victoire 25 has a masthead rig, the standard ocean-cruiser configuration of its day rather than a fractional rig. Its ballast-to-displacement ratio is close to 42 percent, and its capsize screening value is 2.04. Those figures place the design firmly in the small-family-cruiser category rather than at the racing end of the spectrum.
The reported hull speed is 5.99 knots, reflecting what the 20-foot waterline permits. This is a boat designed to carry five people and their gear, not to surf.
Accommodations
Below, the Victoire 25 has five berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. The 8.2-foot beam makes room for the berth arrangement without the cramped transverse settees typical of narrower 25-footers.
Mahogany joinery gives the cabin a traditional, enclosed feel. Overall, the interior is arranged for weekend cruising with a small crew rather than daysailing with a single pipe berth.
Known Issues
On an older example, the mahogany interior is the one construction point that calls for attention. Dried-out joints or released fastenings can appear. The period description records the material itself, however, rather than any reported failure.
Verdict
The Victoire 25 is a late-1960s Dick Koopmans design that does what its numbers suggest. It is a lead-ballasted, fin-keel cruiser with modest draft, enough beam for five berths, solid fiberglass construction, and a mahogany cabin. It remains a straightforward small sailboat from the early Victoire line.
Pros
- Loaded draft of roughly 3.8–4.1 feet helps with marina access
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck, with no core to become wet
- Length-to-beam ratio of 3.04 supports a genuine five-berth layout
- Lead ballast and a ballast ratio near 42 percent provide stable cruising manners
Cons
- Mahogany interior requires careful inspection of the aged wood
- Masthead rig and 5.99-knot hull speed limit light-air performance
