Overview

 The Noelex 25 has a rounded underwater profile with a retractable fin centreboard and a stern rudder blade that swings away.  It is a light displacement design with attractive performance-enhancing fine lines. The appearance is enhanced by an uncluttered transom; the outboard motor is inside the cockpit in a well where it can be conveniently got at.

The standing rigging is simplicity itself, a ¾ fractional rig – there are only three parts to the standing rigging, the forestay and two cap shrouds, they join the mast 1.8 metres from the top. The top section of the tapered mast is unsupported.   The shrouds are swept back 34° and attached to the chainplate fittings some 600 mm rearward of the mast base.  There is a spreader fitted 2.8 m up from the mast base. There is no backstay. There are no lower shrouds.

Being a fractional rig the N25 has a relatively larger mainsail and a smaller non-overlapping jib, unlike a masthead equivalent. The small, light, self-tacking jib is easily manageable, the sheeting loads are down and no winch is required. The main is the more important sail; the boat sails well with just a main alone. For downwind sailing the jib is substituted by a spinnaker.

In windy conditions the jib can be taken in without the boat rounding up unlike masthead rigs. In stronger winds the unsupported top portion of the mast falls away bending the mast, flattening the sail and thereby lessening the tendency for the boat to heel excessively.

This arrangement leads to a sailboat that is easy to rig and easy and satisfying to sail, is a good up-wind performer and copes well in stronger winds.

Specifications