BoatsCal 2-29

Cal 2-29

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1974–1978

An upgraded cruising variant of the standard 29, featuring enhanced equipment and a masthead rig

Designed by C. William Lapworth, built by Jensen Marine.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Cal 2-29, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Miss Lone Star

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 25 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 25
CoastalBluewater

1.85 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.85
LightHeavy

258 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 258
EasygoingPowered-up

16.9 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.9
TenderStiff

42% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 42%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

What the fleet has seen

The Cal 2-29, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Cal 2-29 is a 29-foot masthead sloop designed by C. William Lapworth and built by Jensen Marine from 1974 to 1978 as a cruising variant of the Cal 29. It features a fin keel with a spade rudder, an 8.8-meter length overall, a 2.8-meter beam, a 1.4-meter draft, and displaces 3628 kg. Standard features included a diesel engine, pressurized shower, pedestal steering, an electric bilge pump, and a shore power system. Aboard *Sailing Miss Lone Star*, a Cal 2-29 named Miss Lone Star, the crew manages a 150% genoa and two non-self-tailing winches, which complicates single-handed sailing.2:27 The boat uses a 9.9-horsepower Johnson outboard for auxiliary power. *Sailing Solé* observed a Jensen 29, a variant of the Cal 29, sell for $1,375 at a Long Beach Marina auction.2:23

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Cal 2-29 on video

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen sold
$1,375Median asking

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.9
Displacement / length
258.4
Comfort ratio
25.0
Capsize screening
1.85
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
793
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1974–1978
Units built
387
Designer
C. William Lapworth
Builder
Jensen Marine, Bangor Punta Corp

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Islander Yachts Bahama 309.12 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 1973-1985 production masthead sloop sharing its hull with the Islander 30 MKII and featuring a balanced fin keel
Catalina Yachts 288.69 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 1991 masthead sloop featuring a 38% ballast ratio and multiple configurations including wing keel and tall rig options
Pearson Yachts 309.08 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA prolific Bill Shaw design with over 1,000 built, this masthead sloop features a fin keel and spade rudder
Lancer 30-28.99 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA masthead sloop derived from the original C&C 30 molds, offering a stable fin-keel platform for coastal cruising
C&C Yachts 30-29.12 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA performance-oriented masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by C&C for balanced club racing
Ranger Yachts 29 (Mull)8.71 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1970s masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, offering a balanced 1.98 capsize screening for coastal cruising

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Cal 2-29, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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