Hi Mal, welcome to forum. You right, Many Roberts 25 were build here.
Large quantity was sold as a shell with two option of two cabins.
You see many different interiors. Roberts is not popular choice.
Bay cruiser..calm weather...long weekend is ok.
Belive, shell was strongly build, but for offshore, wouldn't touch it.

Only buy a Roberts yacht if you intend owning it for the rest of your life. Experienced yachtsmen don't go near them. They are hard to sell.

LooseChange said..

Just how is he supposed to fit that on a trailer? He did say in his post he wants a trailer boat.

Well you would have to be pretty game to put a Roberts 25 on a trailer.

OK thanks... so I'm going cold on the Roberts 25 fast. What exactly is the problem with them?
Noelex 25s sell for 30k here and I don't want to spend that. Gazelle sell around 12k. .. any comments on these?

Hi mate, I'm up north and sail a tracker now but spent sometime around trailer yachts when I lived in Canterbury.

it really depends on what you want in a boat... for a race machine and a lively but safe trailer yacht the N22 is hard to beat even by much larger boats. Space inside is pretty limited though.

The Gazelles both MK 1 and 2 are top boats, a MK 1 (starlight) took a family right around nz. Slightly smaller inside than the n25 but only barely, slightly quicker and usually cheaper.

Also on the list for larger cruising trailer yachts should be the young 780 and the Trojan. Trojans are very spacious and can be had for a very good price usually.

i'd highly recommend the Aquarius 22 for what you are after, way more room than the n22, handle well and you should find a tidy one for circa 10k. Easier to tow than the slightly bigger but much heavier 25 ft boats. That's a pretty important consideration if you are hauling up to the alpine lakes.

the other one to look at is the Catalina 7.

if you google nztya, they have a page with info on most boats and handicap info so you can compare speed and SRI.

good that you've gone cold on the Roberts 25, there are much better boats for the $$$ out there.

good luck

Thanks
the boat really needs to be trailer able to suit us and bigger than our Noelex 22. Keeler would be nice but we sail lakes a lot and fairly limited in coastal sailing around Dunedin.
We have a Nissan patrol so towing isn't such a problem. The 22 is unbraked on a single axle trailer so I'm expecting tandem axle braked to travel more smoothly...
looking at a gazelle next week now.
I'd like something I could sail down to Stewart Island...

Hi anyone on this forum actually own a roberts 25 other than me? We are very happy with ours. All boats are a compromise though and yes they are a bit slow especially below 10 knots and can be a bit rolly especially in a chop but we only sail in the ocean as we live on the Sunshine Coast. She is fine to sail to moreton bay. of course not suitable to cross and ocean. And I would not trailer her either.

come on all you "floating caravan" owners where's the passion for eh boat you have bought and love

There is one anchored about three boats to leeward of my yacht in the Burnett Heads boat basin. I have never seen anybody on it ever.
It looks neat and is probably a production model.

It is just as soon as you attach the word "Roberts" to a yacht, it is a fair indication it will be a dog to sail.