Appreciate if current or prior owners can summarise how these sail. I am well aware of the yacht and the background to it - they seem very much like a Tophat with a full keel and keel hung rudder - albeit the PR25 keel looks a bit shorter as expected since it is designed well after the TH. Also they have a fractional rig with self-tacking headsail with obvious short handed sailing benefits. So very generally do they sail at speeds similar to a TH, or close? What other similar sized yachts do they sail at speed similar to - say a Cav26?. They seem to be well built - is the keel cast iron or lead and is it fully encapsulated? Any structural issues? What is the headroom? Only looking to use for inshore work. Thanks in advance.
There is one in my mooring field with an outboard on the stern. It's been here nearly 2 years and I have not seen it leave the mooring yet! I've had a close look at it while I was talking to the owner. Topsides are much higher than a Tophat and it seemed lively on the mooring so I suspect a lighter displacement than a Tophat. I reckon with an inboard diesel they would be a better boat than the outboard adding weight in the wrong place.
Great thanks. Yes the TH displacement is listed as 2540kg on sailboatdata whereas the PR25 is 2050kg on some sites. Certainly agree re inboard.
Hi r13. I didn't buy it, but I came very close to to it a fair while ago around 1991.
The following is from memory, so dont quote me - the brainbox is a bit faulty, but:
Was designed not to a rule, but for racing and comfortable cruising on the Parramatta River (hence the PR) and Syd Harbour. Can't remember the (local) designer sorry.
Some sold as bonded hull and deck only for home fitout, but there was an internal moulding available as well which only needed timber trim to be added before installing extras etc. Some had factory fitted timber. Was also offered as complete fitted hull ready to rig.
Pretty sure it wasn't a full moulded long keel, but a cutaway molded keel, with a skeg(I think) or keel hung(maybe?) rudder.
Surprisingly roomy inside with great, if not full, headroom in main cabin (i'm 6'2"). This one had the moulded interior.
Designed to use a (usually 2nd hand) rig from the 5.5m class. Deck stepped I think. Like the gear from Etchells of today, there were lots of sails and rigs available from 5.5 owners who were updating.
Only got to sail it twice, both midweek, so no real comparison to others, but I recall it handled comfortably and pointed well too. It felt like it was quicker than my mates Dads TH, but like I said - hard to tell.
I think the inboard was about 12hp.
Built solidly, the only structural problems I'd heard of were hull/deck joins, and bulkhead under the mast step. The bulkhead had already been addressed in this one. Some of the amateur fit-outs were rubbish apparently.
FWIW, I hope this helps.
(read paragraph 2 again)
Great thanks Azure, much appreciated.
I have the Aust Sea Spray March 7 1980 review of the boat which indicates co-designers Bob Hodgins (a founder and life member of PRSC) and Ray Nattras, the latter also being the grp guru builder.
Yes the initial boat was mast keel stepped then the follow on ones deck stepped.
Good input on the sailing performance there, thanks.
Agree the amateur fit out syndrome casts a wide net across many yacht types.........of course many are well done.
