Title: Evolution 25 Review
Jolly Roger - October 29, 2007 01:55 PM (GMT)
Evolution 25 Review
LOA 25ft 9inch (7.85m)
LWL 22ft 4inch (6.85m)
Beam 9ft 4inch (2.54m)
Keel type V.L.B. daggerboard
Draft Keel up 1ft 0inch (0.30m)
Draft keel down 5ft 0inch (1.52m)
Displacement 3000lb (1.633kg)
Ballast 1.600lb (726kg)
Sail Area 272sq ft (25.27sq m)
Engine 5 bhp outboard
Headroom 5ft 2inch (1.57m)
Designer Julian Everitt
Builder Evolution Yachts
Evolution's Cruising Version of their good-looking 26 has a higher coachroof and less sail, but the same slipper hull and retractable ballast fin. The result a versatile machine with good accommodation and excellent handling characteristics.
Light, responsible and weatherly, she tacked through less than ninety degrees, could be sailed round in circles without adjusting the sheets, or manoeuvred under mainsail alone. Downwind in a Force 4-5, she fair galloped along, lurching a little, but never maliciously : uphill she carried her way, crisply, through sloppy seas of Christchurch Ledge, and generally fizzed a bit.
Evolution 25 and Evolution 26 (inset)
On the other hand, and in common with numerous modern boats, reducing mainsail area by means of conventional slab reef - ing and a coachroof - mounted halyard winch, is easy for two but a scramble for one. You come aft to lower the sail, then forward to pull down the leech. As we said when we sailed the GK24 (PBO 131) marking the halyard to make sure you can cast off the right amount, can simplify matters, but of course, all sorts of options are possible, and whether you plump fot jiffty reefing, or substitute a mastmounted halyard winch, Evolution will try to meet your needs.
As Alan Foulkes-Jones, their sales manager, took pains to point out "the bad old take-it-or-leave-it attitude adopted by firms in the past is simply unacceptable today," To prove the point our demo boat had a foreshortened starboard settee to make room for a hanging locker : an arrangement preferred by her owners, and executed by the builders on their behalf.The remaing berths are all sensibly proportioned, with one exception: the dinettte-double which measures only 3ft 2inch across. Most couples will find it narrow. Headroom is about 6ft aft, tapering by 4 or five inches amidships. Stowage space is good and the galley well equipped. On a detached level, the odd caravan-style catch was criticised, while the chart table with its toylike supporting chains looked somewhat suburban and has now been replaced with a strut. The general standard of workmanship below, though adequate, is simple rather than sophisticated.More advavanced is the hydraulic mechanism used to raise the keel. It certainly looks a lot neater than a jockey Winch, which is what you get on the 19 and 22. Of course the big advantage with hydraulies is ease of operation, or should be: I found it a bit of a struggle. in that respect it contrasts sharply with the one on the B25 (PBO 160) which due, largely to the pivoted swing-keel, seemed far more powerful, and meant you could pump, in relaxed fashion, while seated at the tiller, On the Evolution you really need to stand up. Still she sailed well, even the 800lb. fin almost half-way up,though were she mine, I think I might make some wedges to climinate slop between keel and box.
Should you raise the keel while sailing, in the first place? Evolution, unlike some builders, say yes a quailified yes, one should add: clearly in spite of an additional 800lb. of internal ballast. it would be foolish to raise too much, in high winds. Nevertheless it was good to see proper locking mechanism for the half-up position. I particularly liked the cockpit. Sensibly proportioned side benches, less than two feet apart, allow you to brace your legs without stretching: raised plinths on the bridgedeck carry the sheet winches well inboard, to save leaning out (see picture Below) everything falls readily to hand.
Less commendable is the selfdraining arrangement. Two flexible tubes run straight from the sole to skin fittings where they rely on Jubilee Clips to hold them in place.Ideally, they should cross over to allow efficient draining with the boat heeled. They should also fit sea-cocks so you can switch off if the tubes break or split. Another criticism here: something better and more permanent than a piece of webbing should be used to restrain the fuel tank which lives on a fiddled shelf in the starboard locker. Thanks to good side decks and super, two-foot high stanchions, going forward is easy. The Tall pulpit also won praise, but it felt a bit whippy, and would benefit from extra bracing a couple of horizontal tubes on the side maybe
Above: This is the standard layout
Deck meets hull. Note unguarded prop a worry when drying out
Flat bow sections to reduce wetted area and promote lift .
Right:The BMW two-blader which folds flat when sailing
Again the sharp-edged bow roller could do with a slight rounding off, cable glands positioned forward of the main mast might be vunerable,there are no ventilators, and the anchor well needs a catch. All obvious details, but ones which Evolution should look at. Whether or not the rigging screws should be toggles is debatable.
Athwartships-mounted U- bolts certainly allow a degree of sideways movement, but toggles would also tend to reduce vibration fatigue.
As already intimated the fractional rig is similar to that used on the 26, but in standard form, uses a conventional, rather than adjustable backstay. Now while many of us would view that as perfectly sensible, there may be those who would like the opportunity of exploiting this rig to the full, so why not offer a choice Evolution thought that a sensible suggestion , and went further: " why not offer the larger 26 rig itself, as an option, as well". Sounds like a good idea.
There's already a choice of engines, 7 or 12hp BMW diesels.We tried the smaller model fitted with a 13 by 9 folding prop., which seemed only just enough. Certainly, for serious family cruising, where an engine may be called upon to help out, or even takeover, in bad weather, the 12hp model would be essential.
The BMW Engine
Minimum hull lay-up comprises three layers of 450gm CSM, plus two 600gm rovings: decks us a balsa sandwich, gel coats are sprayed.
All in all, a likeable well conceived boat, not without shortcomings perhaps, but one which deserves closer inspection nonetheless.
by David Lincoln
LOA 25ft 9inch (7.85m)
LWL 22ft 4inch (6.85m)
Beam 9ft 4inch (2.54m)
Keel type V.L.B. daggerboard
Draft Keel up 1ft 0inch (0.30m)
Draft keel down 5ft 0inch (1.52m)
Displacement 3000lb (1.633kg)
Ballast 1.600lb (726kg)
Sail Area 272sq ft (25.27sq m)
Engine 5 bhp outboard
Headroom 5ft 2inch (1.57m)
Designer Julian Everitt
Builder Evolution Yachts
Evolution's Cruising Version of their good-looking 26 has a higher coachroof and less sail, but the same slipper hull and retractable ballast fin. The result a versatile machine with good accommodation and excellent handling characteristics.
Light, responsible and weatherly, she tacked through less than ninety degrees, could be sailed round in circles without adjusting the sheets, or manoeuvred under mainsail alone. Downwind in a Force 4-5, she fair galloped along, lurching a little, but never maliciously : uphill she carried her way, crisply, through sloppy seas of Christchurch Ledge, and generally fizzed a bit.
Evolution 25 and Evolution 26 (inset)
On the other hand, and in common with numerous modern boats, reducing mainsail area by means of conventional slab reef - ing and a coachroof - mounted halyard winch, is easy for two but a scramble for one. You come aft to lower the sail, then forward to pull down the leech. As we said when we sailed the GK24 (PBO 131) marking the halyard to make sure you can cast off the right amount, can simplify matters, but of course, all sorts of options are possible, and whether you plump fot jiffty reefing, or substitute a mastmounted halyard winch, Evolution will try to meet your needs.
As Alan Foulkes-Jones, their sales manager, took pains to point out "the bad old take-it-or-leave-it attitude adopted by firms in the past is simply unacceptable today," To prove the point our demo boat had a foreshortened starboard settee to make room for a hanging locker : an arrangement preferred by her owners, and executed by the builders on their behalf.The remaing berths are all sensibly proportioned, with one exception: the dinettte-double which measures only 3ft 2inch across. Most couples will find it narrow. Headroom is about 6ft aft, tapering by 4 or five inches amidships. Stowage space is good and the galley well equipped. On a detached level, the odd caravan-style catch was criticised, while the chart table with its toylike supporting chains looked somewhat suburban and has now been replaced with a strut. The general standard of workmanship below, though adequate, is simple rather than sophisticated.More advavanced is the hydraulic mechanism used to raise the keel. It certainly looks a lot neater than a jockey Winch, which is what you get on the 19 and 22. Of course the big advantage with hydraulies is ease of operation, or should be: I found it a bit of a struggle. in that respect it contrasts sharply with the one on the B25 (PBO 160) which due, largely to the pivoted swing-keel, seemed far more powerful, and meant you could pump, in relaxed fashion, while seated at the tiller, On the Evolution you really need to stand up. Still she sailed well, even the 800lb. fin almost half-way up,though were she mine, I think I might make some wedges to climinate slop between keel and box.
Should you raise the keel while sailing, in the first place? Evolution, unlike some builders, say yes a quailified yes, one should add: clearly in spite of an additional 800lb. of internal ballast. it would be foolish to raise too much, in high winds. Nevertheless it was good to see proper locking mechanism for the half-up position. I particularly liked the cockpit. Sensibly proportioned side benches, less than two feet apart, allow you to brace your legs without stretching: raised plinths on the bridgedeck carry the sheet winches well inboard, to save leaning out (see picture Below) everything falls readily to hand.
Less commendable is the selfdraining arrangement. Two flexible tubes run straight from the sole to skin fittings where they rely on Jubilee Clips to hold them in place.Ideally, they should cross over to allow efficient draining with the boat heeled. They should also fit sea-cocks so you can switch off if the tubes break or split. Another criticism here: something better and more permanent than a piece of webbing should be used to restrain the fuel tank which lives on a fiddled shelf in the starboard locker. Thanks to good side decks and super, two-foot high stanchions, going forward is easy. The Tall pulpit also won praise, but it felt a bit whippy, and would benefit from extra bracing a couple of horizontal tubes on the side maybe
Above: This is the standard layout
Deck meets hull. Note unguarded prop a worry when drying out
Flat bow sections to reduce wetted area and promote lift .
Right:The BMW two-blader which folds flat when sailing
Again the sharp-edged bow roller could do with a slight rounding off, cable glands positioned forward of the main mast might be vunerable,there are no ventilators, and the anchor well needs a catch. All obvious details, but ones which Evolution should look at. Whether or not the rigging screws should be toggles is debatable.
Athwartships-mounted U- bolts certainly allow a degree of sideways movement, but toggles would also tend to reduce vibration fatigue.
As already intimated the fractional rig is similar to that used on the 26, but in standard form, uses a conventional, rather than adjustable backstay. Now while many of us would view that as perfectly sensible, there may be those who would like the opportunity of exploiting this rig to the full, so why not offer a choice Evolution thought that a sensible suggestion , and went further: " why not offer the larger 26 rig itself, as an option, as well". Sounds like a good idea.
There's already a choice of engines, 7 or 12hp BMW diesels.We tried the smaller model fitted with a 13 by 9 folding prop., which seemed only just enough. Certainly, for serious family cruising, where an engine may be called upon to help out, or even takeover, in bad weather, the 12hp model would be essential.
The BMW Engine
Minimum hull lay-up comprises three layers of 450gm CSM, plus two 600gm rovings: decks us a balsa sandwich, gel coats are sprayed.
All in all, a likeable well conceived boat, not without shortcomings perhaps, but one which deserves closer inspection nonetheless.
by David Lincoln