Rhodes Meridian 25 Sloop

Description

The Rhodes Meridian Sloop (most commonly known as the Meridian 25 or Seafarer Meridian 25) is a classic fiberglass pocket cruiser designed by Philip Rhodes (his design #719) in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Introduced in 1960, it was one of the early fiberglass transitions for Rhodes, blending his elegant traditional styling with modern low-maintenance construction. The first hulls were built in the Netherlands by G. de Vries Lentsch Jr. (a respected yard shifting to GRP) and imported/sold by Seafarer Yachts (Long Island, NY). Later versions were produced directly by Seafarer in the U.S., leading to some variations in details (e.g., hardware, trim, or minor modifications). It was marketed as a versatile trailerable cruiser suitable for coastal hopping, weekend overnights, or light offshore use—compact yet accommodating for 2–4 people, with a generous sail plan for good light-air performance and a forgiving, balanced helm. Owners often describe it as "sweet" under sail, dry in a chop, and surprisingly capable for its size, though not a lightweight racer by modern standards. It's part of Rhodes' prolific output of attractive, seaworthy designs from that era (alongside the Vanguard 32, Reliant 41, and others we've discussed like the Swiftsure 33 or Chesapeake 32).