Cal 29
Description
The Cal 29, also known as the Cal 2-29 in some contexts but distinct as an earlier model, is an American cruiser-racer sailboat designed by William "Bill" Lapworth and built by Jensen Marine from 1968 to 1972. It was one of the early models in the Cal line, designed for coastal cruising with competitive racing capabilities under PHRF (typical rating ~168-180). The boat combines a solid fiberglass hull, a fixed fin keel, and a spade rudder, offering a balance of performance, comfort, and seaworthiness for small families or couples. Approximately 600-800 units were built, and its durable construction has made it a sought-after classic in the used market, with prices ranging from $8,000 to $20,000 depending on condition. It’s praised for its lively sailing qualities and spacious interior for its size but requires maintenance on aging systems like the Atomic 4 gas engine and rigging. The later Cal 2-29 (1974-1977) improved on its design with a skeg rudder and more interior volume.
Construction Details
| Designer | C. William Lapworth |
|---|---|
| Length | 29.000 ft |
| LOA | 29.000 ft |
| LWL | 24.000 ft |
| Beam | 9.250 ft |
| Displacement | 8000 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 37 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 12.33 ft |
| p | 31.67 ft |
| e | 12.25 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 ft | 12.33 ft | 31.67 ft | 12.25 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 31.67 ft - (9653 mm) |
| Foot | * 12.25 ft - (3734 mm) |
| Leech | * 33.27 ft - (10141 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.02 ° |
| Diagonal | * 33.56 ft - (10229 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | * 199.33 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 25 ft - (7620 mm) |
| Foot | 12.167 ft - (3709 mm) |
| Leech | 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 77.94 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.61 ft - (2929 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 19.39 ° |
| Area | * 120.14 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 35.083 ft - (10693 mm) |
| Foot | 16.83 ft - (5130 mm) |
| Leech | 34.42 ft - (10491 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 131.06 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.16 ft - (4926 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * -2.24 ° |
| Area | * 283.51 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 28 ft - (8534 mm) |
| Foot | 14.25 ft - (4343 mm) |
| Leech | 22.83 ft - (6959 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 93.84 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 11.57 ft - (3527 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 17.29 ° |
| Area | * 161.98 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 36 ft - (10973 mm) |
| Foot | 18.75 ft - (5715 mm) |
| Leech | 33.5 ft - (10211 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 140.06 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.27 ft - (5264 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.47 ° |
| Area | * 310.9 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 36.5 ft - (11125 mm) |
| Foot | 19.92 ft - (6072 mm) |
| Leech | 34.5 ft - (10516 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.04 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.5 ft - (5639 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.32 ° |
| Area | * 337.66 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 35.5 ft - (10820 mm) |
| Foot | 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Leech | 33.5 ft - (10211 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.12 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.51 ft - (5642 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.83 ° |
| Area | * 328.53 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 35.25 ft - (10744 mm) |
| Foot | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Leech | 33.75 ft - (10287 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 130.25 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.06 ft - (4895 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 0.69 ° |
| Area | * 283.1 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 38 ft - (11582 mm) |
| Foot | 21 ft - (6401 mm) |
| Leech | 36 ft - (10973 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 598 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 37.05 ft - (11293 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 22.19 ft - (6764 mm) |
| Foot | * 22.19 ft - (6764 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 699 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | 21 ft - (6401 mm) |
| Foot | 10.67 ft - (3252 mm) |
| Leech | 15.42 ft - (4700 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 61.15 % |
| Length Perp | * 7.54 ft - (2298 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 26.6 ° |
| Area | * 79.17 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMTRYSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 13.5 ft - (4115 mm) |
| Foot | * 11.72 ft - (3572 mm) |
| Leech | * 10.62 ft - (3237 mm) |
| Length Perp | * 10.62 ft - (3237 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * -25 ° |
| Area | * 60 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.