1981 cal 25 sailboat

The Cal 25 & History

The Cal 25 is one of the most popular and successful Cals ever built. Over 2,000 hulls were constructed, and although they were designed over 40 years ago, they remain one of the more popular one-design racing yachts throughout the U.S. with fleets in Detroit, MI; Annapolis, MD; New Orleans, LA; Long Beach, CA and more.

The boat was designed by Bill Lapworth and made by Jensen Marine in Costa Mesa, CA.

They are also one of the first boats to be designed as Racer/Cruisers which have both a cruising interior, but are set up for racing. They are also quite affordable, and relatively inexpensive to maintain. A well equipped Cal25 can be had for around $4000. Problem areas include the plywood cored deck, and transom. But the hull is solid glass and rarely has any problems.

The Everyman Boat: The Cal 25 – SpinSheet

Cal25 Specs
C. William Lapworth
Jensen Marine
Calgan Marine
Bangor Punta
Owner's Manual & Brochure
National Historical
Chesapeake Historical
Detroit Historical
Long Beach Historical
Why choose a Cal 25

C. William Lapworth 1919-2006

Excerpts from an interview conducted in 2004:

William “Bill” Lapworth was perhaps the foremost West Coast Naval Architect in the post World War II period. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he attended and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in marine engineering and naval architecture. After serving in the navy during World War II, Lapworth settled on the west coast and became partners with Merle Davis who had a yacht design office in Los Angeles. Davis died less than a year later.

At first, Lapworth paid the bills by doing surveying work.

Soon he was designing a series of light displacement racing sailboats that began to win or place highly on the East and West Coasts, beginning with Flying Scotsman and Nalu II, 46′ — a four time Class C Transpac race winner and first overall in 1959. Next came the 50′ sloop Ichiban, second overall in the 1961 Transpac. By 1958, more than 70 of the wooden L-36′ sloops had been built; but, by then fiberglass was becoming the material of choice.

All this attracted the attention of boat builder Jack Jensen who, one day walked in to Lapworths office and, with a handshake, was to form one of the most successful relationships in yachting history.

The first boat boat for Jensen was a 24 footer which Jensen proposed to be called the Lapworth 24. But Lapworth felt that since he had previously designed a 24 footer for someone else, a new name was called for.

According to Lapworth, this is when they decided on the name ‘Cal’ boats.

Together, Lapworth and Jensen produced thousands of boats including the Cal 20 (the most successful with more than 1,900 boats produced from 1961 to 1972), 24, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 36, 39, 40, and 46. The Lapworth/Jensen association continued until the Jensen’s death in 1980.

In is later years Lapworth kept his own Cal 46 which he said was the favorite of all his designs.

Jensen Marine/Cal Boats

Founded by Jack Jensen and originally located at Costa Mesa, CA. The company first sold the centerboard LAPWORTH 24 designed by Bill Lapworth. The Lapworth’s 24 sold well. The name was first changed to CALIFORNIA 24 and then CAL 24. The name Cal stuck with the company until it closed in 1986.

The 24 was a success and Jensen hired Lapworth to design several more yachts including a 27 foot pop-top racer/cruiser. (there would ultimately be 3 Cal 27’s)

The CAL 40 was introduced in 1963. These yachts became one of the most celebrated production racings yachts of all time.

Bangor Punta purchased Jensen Marine in 1965*.

Boats were still listed as being built by Jensen Marine for a number of years after this date. Jensen Marine also built RV/Motor homes for few years at the Costa Mesa plant.

The Cal Yacht factory was moved to Tampa, Florida in January of 1981. The factory remained in Tampa until March of 1985. It was then moved to Fall River, Massachusetts and was managed by Jim Hunt, son of yacht designer C. Raymond Hunt. Bangor Punta also owned O’Day Yachts and Prindle Catamarans.

Later there was Siegler Marine, Starcraft Sailboat Products, and then finally just Cal Boats. If all the later takeovers are included, Cal boats continued to be built until 1989.

(Eds. note: An attempt was made to list the boats as they were named by the manufacturer. For example, the second version of the CAL 30 was called the CAL 2-30. In cases where a later model used the same name as an ealier one, the boat is listed here with a unique identifier in parenthisis, such as CAL 24 (HUNT)to designate it as a separate model.)

Calgan Marine Ltd. (CAN)

Founded by Al Nairne. Based in Vancouver, BC. During a visit to California, Nairne saw a CAL 20, and was so impressed that he made arrangements with Jack Jensen of Jensen Marine to build Cal boats in Canada. Calgan built some 300 Cals (20′ 25′ 28′ 29′), and developed its own line of Crown/Calgan sailboats, at its plant on Crown Street in North Vancouver, BC.

Bangor Punta Corp.

Bangor Punta Corporation (traded on the NYSE under BNK) was an American conglomerate and Fortune 500 Company founded in 1964. It bought out O’Day Corp. and Jensen Marine as well as a number of other well-known companies primarily in the pleasure craft, firearms and general aviation industries. It was acquired by Lear Siegler, Inc. in 1984.

Owner’s Guide Original Cal25 Brochure 1987 Nat Constitution SeaBreeze Newsletter Chesapeake Fleet History Fleet Captain’s Commentary 1989 Detroit News Letter Cal Clews Detroit Boat Show Late 60s Long Beach report on 1980 Nationals Schreiber Detroit Fleet History Long Beach Newletter – W. Wright

The Cal 25 National Class Association

By Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki reprinted here with Permission of The Detroit Free Press Love to own a sailboat but leery of those boat-show price tags? Stop worrying. There are used boats out there that are every bit as much fun as a new boat, and that leave you enough cash to pay for the slip. One good candidate is the Cal 25, said Peter Wenzler, Bayview Yacht Club’s race chairman.Wenzler has a Cal 25 named O. Henry, and he’s sold on this class of boats for beginners and advanced sailors alike.

“It’s very affordable,” Wenzler said. “You can get into them for about $2,000 (see the Classifieds ) at the low end and about $5,000 at the top.” Beginners will like its stability. The boat doesn’t carry an excessive amount of sail. This means it’s not likely to blow over in an unexpected breeze. It has a roomy cockpit with bench seating for six, and it sleeps four.

Experienced sailors will like the one-design racing in a competitive fleet. Don’t be put off by the PHRF rating of 222. It doesn’t matter what the numbers are when you’re on the starting line jockeying for position — you’ll have your share of thrills.

They just won’t die Cal 25s were built from 1965 to 1972, but the class just won’t die. Bill and Sally Martin of Ann Arbor are two of the most experienced sailors in the area. Their Santa Cruz 70, Stripes, is a consistent Port Huron to Mackinac contender in the big boat class. They started sailing in a Cal 25 called Getaway. They had the boat for six years and then did what most big boat sailors do: progressively moved up in size until they landed in their 70-footer.

Recently their son found an old Cal 25, and the Martins are back to racing with the Cal 25 fleet in the National Offshore One-Design Regatta, commonly called the NOODS, and the annual end-of-season race from Bayview Yacht Club to the North Channel.

Their new Cal 25’s name is reminiscent of the days when the Martins named three of their boats, including the current one, Stars and Stripes. Then Dennis Conner stole the name for his America’s Cup boat and the Martins re-christened theirSanta Cruz 70 Stripes. The new Cal 25? It’s named Stars &.

“It was in the boneyard. The best thing that could have happened to it was a mercy killing,” Martin joked about his new boat. He restored the boat a little more meticulously than the average Cal 25 owner. He won’t say how much he’s spent on it — he says he doesn’t even know.

‘The best deal going’ But talking to Martin, it’s clear it’s a labor of love. “It is the best deal going,” Martin said. “I think in particular in the Detroit area for a boat, because it can do everything you want it to do. If you want to go out with your family and day-sail, it’s easy to sail. If you want to take your family and go overnight, you can do it. And if you want to race it, it’s got an incredibly great one-design class.” “And …they are dirt cheap,” Martin said.

Wenzler said many of the older boats need to have the decking plywood replaced and a support beam placed under the mast. Some of the boats on the market have had this repair.

But if it hasn’t been done, it’s a job the owners can do by themselves, Wenzler said. He even offered to tell Cal 25 owners how to do it, if they just stop in and see him at work. He’s manager of Thomas Hardware in Grosse Pointe Farms, where many local sailors go for their nautical needs. “In the last three or four years, we’ve had a real resurgence of the class,” Wenzler said. “With a little elbow grease, it doesn’t take much to get them competitive.”

Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki can be reached at by E-mail at pwalsh@freepress.com

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Where have you sailed your Cal 25?

A roomy pocket-cruiser that’s a breeze to sail

It’s not hard to understand why the original Cal 25 appealed to so many sailors. It was relatively inexpensive, easy to maintain, comfortable below deck and fun to sail. Jensen Marine built 1,848 of these compact racer-cruisers between 1965 and 1976, making the Cal 25 one of the company’s most popular boats. But like most things, there was room for improvement and changing preferences among the sailing community resulted in the Cal 25-2, also known as the Cal 25 MkII.

C. William “Bill” Lapworth designed both sloops and successfully incorporated suggestions into the updated model. He widened the beam from 8 feet to 9 feet, beefed up the toerail height, increased the cabin standing room, added privacy to the head, and made it possible for buyers to opt for an inboard diesel instead of an outboard engine.

From 1977 to 1983, Jensen Marine, which in 1965 was purchased by Bangor Punta Marine in Cosa Mesa, California, built 392 Cal 25-2s, many of which can be found sailing in California, Texas, the Great Lakes and the southern reaches of the Eastern Seaboard.

First impressions

The Cal 25-2 is Lapworth’s second-generation cruiser. Unlike the original Cal 25, which featured a trunk cabin and was recognized for its flat-top deck, the Cal 25-2 has a raised cabin and a distinctly different profile.

At first glance, the newer design incorporated wider side decks that made it easier for sailors to move fore and aft, and the shrouds were attached inboard rather than to the outside of the hull, further clearing the side deck passageway. The toerails were beefed up to a height of nearly 2 inches.

More surprises were in store below deck. The interior was reconfigured with 5 feet 10 inches of headroom in the saloon, and 5 feet 6 inches in the head, which previously had no privacy screen. The V-berth was made roomy enough for two full-size adults, so it became possible for a small family to cruise comfortably for more than an overnight.

Construction

The Cal 25-2 was constructed using the traditional hand-laid fiberglass layering process. It is considered a sturdy boat that has withstood the test of time. The design featured a fin keel with spade rudder and tiller steering. The keel encapsulated 2,000 pounds of lead, eliminated concern about failing keel bolts and giving the well-balanced hull a displacement of 4,500 pounds.

What to look for

Like any older boat, the Cal 25-2 may exhibit wear from general use, repeated seasonal haul outs and relaunchings that cause the hull to flex or distort, and lax maintenance. Some owners have expressed concern about excessive mast compression as evidenced by fiberglass crazing at the maststep on deck or near the interior cabin liner just beneath it. Potential buyers should inspect for cabintop sag in that area. Indicators of excessive compression also include slack standing rigging and failure of the sliding head privacy door to operate smoothly. Through-hull fittings should also be inspected for wear and standing rigging checked for swage cracks. Based on reports from owners, the electrical system may also require attention if it was improperly installed after the original purchase.

Any spongy areas on the foredeck could be the result of water infusion in the fiberglass layers and subsequent delamination, often caused by leaky chainplates.

“Cal did a very good job with delamination by getting the excess resin out during production,” said Tennessee yacht broker Chris Rooke who has two Cal 25-2s in his inventory.

The Cal 25-2 is a well-designed and nicely equipped masthead sloop. Although only 25 feet long it has the appearance of a larger boat, partially due to its 9-foot beam that allows for wide decks. The traveler is located on the bridgedeck just before the opening to the companionway, where it doesn’t interfere with those seated in the cockpit.

The boat has tiller steering. Stainless bow and stern pulpits along with stainless stanchions provide a rugged support system for the boat’s lifelines. A stainless swim ladder is attached to the stern.

Although the original winches are not self-tailing, they are strategically positioned and adequate in number, as are the cleats. The cabintop features wooden grabrails, the foredeck a hinged hatch.

Rooke has sold several Cals over the past 20 years and he’s quick to point out the main cabin in the Cal 25-2 “isn’t simply big, it was laid out to be lived in.” He noted, for example, the head compartment closes with a sliding door, ensuring privacy without sacrificing valuable cabin space. The boat has five full-size berths—two settees, a quarter berth and room for two adults in the V-berth. The galley is laid out efficiently with a 4.5-cubic foot icebox, two-burner alcohol stove, single-basin stainless sink, and a 21-gallon freshwater tank. Dinner is served on a fold-down dinette table.

While the original Cal 25 relied on an outboard engine, the Cal 25-2 offered the options of a 15-horsepower gasoline OMC Saildrive, an 11-horsepower Universal 5411 inboard diesel, or an 11-horsepower Yanmar inboard diesel. Like any engine, it should be inspected for oil and fuel leaks, worn belts, tired gaskets, secure mounting bolts and overall alignment.

The Cal 25-2 performs remarkably well in light winds, mostly thanks to its tall rig, generous 314 square feet of sail area, flat bottom and balanced keel. The mainsail is on the small side, making it easy to handle and pair with a variety of headsails or roller-furling adjustments. The boat has a traveler and boom vang to help tweak the sails.

We had the opportunity to sail a Cal 25-2 last summer in windy San Francisco Bay. It was easy to see why fans of this boat describe it as nimble and balanced. The deep keel and wide beam make it less tender. Sailing downwind was effortless. The boat also points nicely, as we found during a fast run from the San Francisco Marina to Sausalito and a jog around Alcatraz and Angel Island. Waves splashed the cockpit whenever we were on a beam reach. And since the bay has a strong tide near the Golden Gate Bridge, it wasn’t surprising the boat pounded as we headed upwind in a chop.

Roomy below deck, ruggedly constructed, affordable and fun to helm, the Cal 25-2 sails like a bigger boat, making it an ideal choice for daysailing or coastal cruising with a small family.

LOA 25’3”; LWL 22’; Beam 9’; Draft 4’6”; Draft shoal 3’6’; Displacement 4,500 lb.; Ballast 2,000 lb.; Sail area 314 sq. ft.

SAILING’s Value Guide

(5-sailboat rating system)

PRICE: The asking price for a Cal 25-2 ranges from $5,000 to $10,000. (3.5 sailboats)

DESIGN QUALITY: The Cal 25-2 was designed by C. William “Bill” Lapworth and is often cited for its comfort, efficiency, roominess and ease of handling. The boat features a spade rudder and fin keel, and is known for its well-balanced helm. Lapworth was responsible for many Cal designs, including the most-popular Cal 20 and the much-admired Cal 40. (3.5 sailboats)

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: Jensen Marine, purchased by Bangor Punta Marine in 1965, built the boats in California with hand laid-up fiberglass and quality materials, including stainless steel, aircraft-grade aluminum and interior teak. (3 sailboats)

USER-FRIENDLINESS: Known for its responsiveness and balance, the Cal 25-2 features roller furling and a boom vang. Owners say the tiller is so balanced a 60-pound person can easily handle the boat in 25 knots of breeze. (3.5 sailboats)

SAFETY: The 9-foot beam and wide side decks with inboard shrouds make it easy for sailors to move fore and aft. The cockpit offers protection from the weather and features a bridgedeck to keep water from entering the cabin. (3 sailboats)

TYPICAL CONDITION: The condition of a Cal 25-2 can range from needing only TLC to a boat needing costly upgrades, such as self-tailing winches, upgraded electronics and instrumentation, self-steering system and new sails. (2.5 sailboats)

REFITTING: Many owners have added self-tailing winches, replaced the portable toilet, upgraded the stove to non-pressurized alcohol, added self-steering and brought control lines back to the cockpit. (2.5 sailboats)

SUPPORT: The Cal 25 Owners Association www.Cal25.org maintains an active presence online. Jensen Marine is no longer in business. (3.5 sailboats)

AVAILABILITY: Five Cal 25-2s were for sale in the U.S. in early 2019. The boat was in production for seven years from 1977 to 1983, and 392 boats were built. Another version under license was built and sold in Brazil as the Martinique 25, which had a shoal draft of 3 feet, 5 inches. (2.5 sailboats)

INVESTMENT AND RESALE: Given that a Cal 25-2 in top condition sells for between $8,000 and $10,000 and has all the features of a 27-footer, makes it a great buy for a used compact cruiser. The boat is a great value, as one broker put it, “You couldn’t make a Cal 25 with an inboard diesel today for less than $95,000.”(3 sailboats)

Overall SVG Rating: 3 sailboats

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Sailboat Guide

1981 Cal 25

Description

Seller's Description

Reubilt engein and transmisson 2020.Lived on the boat since 2012.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
LOA: Length overall in feet
Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Flush deck with ‘pop top’ companionway. One of the most popular CAL models. A completely different design from the later Cal 2-25.

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United States

1981 Cal 25 | Cal 25

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Description.

My home since 2012.

Seller peterjohansson
Manufacturer Cal
Length 25 ft / 7.62 m
Beam 8.0 ft / 2.44 m
Draft 4.5 ft / 1.37 m
Displacement ?
Condition Good
Location Florida, United States
Material: Fiberglass
Rigging: Other
Hull: Monohull
Keel: Fin Keel
Sailboat Type: Other
Covering(s): Bimini Top
Cabin Layout: V-Berth
Fresh Water: 5 gallons / 18.93 kg
Holding Tank: ?
Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons / 18.93 kg
Engine Make: Universal
Engine Model: Universal
Fuel: Diesel
Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons
Engine Hours: 100 hrs
Horsepower: 11 hp
Propulsion: Inboard
Steering: Single Wheel
# of Cabins: 1
# of Bathrooms: 1.0
Bathroom Layout: ?
Garmin Autopilot
Batteries (Marine)
Battery Charger
Manual Bilge Pump
Flatscreen TV

Rig / Sails

Furlingjib System
2 Burner Stove
Cockpit Table
Fire Extinguishers
Life Jackets
Anchor Chain

Sailboat's Location

Photo gallery.

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