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Olson 25
Designer: George Olson  ·  Builder: Pacific Boats/Ericson Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1984
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About the Olson 25

George Olson's compact 25-footer represents a compelling blend of performance and practicality that made it a standout choice for sailors seeking speed without sacrificing coastal cruising capability. Built by Pacific Boats and later Ericson Yachts from 1984 onward, this masthead sloop earned recognition for punching well above its weight class in both racing and day sailing applications. With its fin keel and spade rudder configuration, the Olson 25 delivers responsive handling and impressive upwind performance thanks to a generous sail area of 294 square feet. The design's 44.8% ballast-to-displacement ratio provides solid stability while maintaining the light displacement characteristics that George Olson championed throughout his career. This translates to a boat that accelerates quickly in light air and maintains momentum through wind transitions. The extremely low comfort ratio of 10.75 clearly identifies this as a performance-oriented design rather than a traditional cruiser, though the 130 boats built suggest strong market acceptance among sailors who prioritized sailing excitement over accommodation space. Best suited for coastal waters, bay sailing, and club racing, the Olson 25 offers an engaging helm and competitive potential that made it a popular choice for sailors transitioning from dinghies to keelboats.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 25.00 ft / 7.62 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 21.20 ft / 6.46 m
Beam 9.00 ft / 2.74 m
Max Draft 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Displacement 2,900.00 lb / 1,315 kg
Ballast 1,300.00 lb / 590 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 294.00 ft² / 27.31 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer George Olson
Builder Pacific Boats/Ericson Yachts (USA)
First Built 1984
Number Built 130
Associations Olson 25
Related Sailboats Clipper Marine 26 · Cormorant Gt 26 · First Class 8 Beneteau · Dehler 25 · Catalina 22
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 162
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 23.19
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 44.83
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 135.88
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 10.75
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.53
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.17 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 4.45
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 681.75 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 23.13
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 32.00 ft / 9.75 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 9.58 ft / 2.92 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 28.00 ft / 8.53 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
SA Fore 153.28 ft² / 14.24 m²
SA Main 140.00 ft² / 13.01 m²
SA Total (100%) 293.28 ft² / 27.25 m²
Est. Forestay Length 33.40 ft / 10.18 m
How It Compares

vs. Catalina 22, Clipper Marine 26, Cormorant Gt 26, Dehler 25, First Class 8 Beneteau

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Olson 25 ★
25.0 ft
Catalina 22
23.8 ft
Clipper Marine 26
24.7 ft
Cormorant Gt 26
25.6 ft
Dehler 25
24.8 ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
25.4 ft
LWL
Olson 25 ★
21.2 ft
Catalina 22
19.3 ft
Clipper Marine 26
20.1 ft
Cormorant Gt 26
20.8 ft
Dehler 25
21.8 ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
21.7 ft
Beam
Olson 25 ★
9.0 ft
Catalina 22
7.7 ft
Clipper Marine 26
8.0 ft
Cormorant Gt 26
8.2 ft
Dehler 25
8.3 ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
8.2 ft
Displacement
Olson 25 ★
2 lbs
Catalina 22
2 lbs
Clipper Marine 26
2 lbs
Cormorant Gt 26
2 lbs
Dehler 25
3 lbs
First Class 8 Beneteau
3 lbs
Ballast
Olson 25 ★
1 lbs
Catalina 22
550 lbs
Clipper Marine 26
540 lbs
Cormorant Gt 26
1 lbs
Dehler 25
1 lbs
First Class 8 Beneteau
1 lbs
Sail Area
Olson 25 ★
294 sq ft
Catalina 22
212 sq ft
Clipper Marine 26
260 sq ft
Cormorant Gt 26
240 sq ft
Dehler 25
254 sq ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
316 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Olson 25 ★
162 s/nm
Catalina 22
276 s/nm
Clipper Marine 26
249 s/nm
Cormorant Gt 26
—
Dehler 25
198 s/nm
First Class 8 Beneteau
—
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Olson 25 ★
23.2
Catalina 22
19.8
Clipper Marine 26
23.3
Cormorant Gt 26
19.1
Dehler 25
18.6
First Class 8 Beneteau
23.8
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Olson 25 ★
44.8 %
Catalina 22
24.4 %
Clipper Marine 26
22.5 %
Cormorant Gt 26
44.6 %
Dehler 25
45.9 %
First Class 8 Beneteau
37.1 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Olson 25 ★
10.8
Catalina 22
11.1
Clipper Marine 26
10.8
Cormorant Gt 26
12.1
Dehler 25
13.2
First Class 8 Beneteau
12.8
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Olson 25 ★
2.53
Catalina 22
2.34
Clipper Marine 26
2.39
Cormorant Gt 26
2.31
Dehler 25
2.24
First Class 8 Beneteau
2.24
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Olson 25 ★
135
Catalina 22
139
Clipper Marine 26
132
Cormorant Gt 26
141
Dehler 25
139
First Class 8 Beneteau
136
Hull Speed
Olson 25 ★
6.2 kts
Catalina 22
5.9 kts
Clipper Marine 26
6.0 kts
Cormorant Gt 26
6.1 kts
Dehler 25
6.3 kts
First Class 8 Beneteau
6.2 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Olson 25 ★
4.5
Catalina 22
3.9
Clipper Marine 26
4.5
Cormorant Gt 26
3.9
Dehler 25
3.8
First Class 8 Beneteau
4.5
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