MG Spring 25
1987
The second half of the 1980s saw sailing brought to the fore in the form of Howards’ Way, the prime time BBC1 drama set on and around the River Hamble. Many viewers with a boating background found the two innovative yachts that featured in the series, the Sadler Barracuda 45 and MG Spring 25, more interesting than the cheesy storylines.
Both were twin rudder designs by Tony Castro that combined sparkling performance with comfortable accommodation. The Barracuda was an ultra-light displacement boat able to plane at speeds close to 20 knots in the right conditions, yet with the twin rudders providing good control.
This was a step change from the then IOR derived high end racing yachts that were heavy, hard to control downwind, and had little hope of sustaining such speeds for more than an occasional surf.
In addition to its twin rudders – a definite novelty at the time – the Spring had a relatively shallow wing keel. A large fractional rig provided plenty of power in light airs, though needed to be reefed earlier than many of its contemporaries as the breeze increased. The smaller size meant it needed to be proportionately heavier than the Barracuda, but it still offered good performance, both on the racecourse and for family cruising.
Given its performance credentials, perhaps the biggest surprise about the Spring 25 is its accommodation, which is almost palatial compared to similar sized yachts of only a decade before. There’s a small double quarter cabin, aft heads compartment, functional galley, forward facing chart table with its own seat, plus berths for a further four people in the saloon and open plan forepeak.