Cal 2-29

BoatsCal 2-29

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

US$1,375Median asking

Sold at auction for $1,375
from Sailing Soléseen June 202514:36

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

Diesel Overheating Dinghy Pump Hack3:07 from Practical Sailor

Pearson Yachts 309.08 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Bill Shaw-designed masthead sloop with over 1,000 hulls built, balancing a stiff 43% ballast ratio for coastal cruising

Pearson 30 Sailboat Review from Practical Sailor

Bristol Yachts 29.99.12 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 1977-1986 masthead sloop featuring a tall rig option and a choice between fixed keel or keel-centreboard configurations

HOW TO BUY A CHEAP SAILBOAT - $20,000 or less!4:41 from Practical Sailor

Islander Yachts 309.02 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA raised-deck masthead sloop with a shallow 1.12-metre draft, produced briefly as a distinct variant of the Islander 29

The Cheapest Tiny House You Won't Have To Build - Ep 272 - Lady K Sailing4:48 from Lady K Sailing

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

Ep. 33 Interview with Richard1:11 from Sailing Into Oblivion

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

EP#328 San Diego Sailing with Justin14:43 from Sailing Into Oblivion

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Cal 29A prolific Lapworth design with over 1000 hulls produced, balancing a masthead rig with a nimble fin keel and spade rudder Cal 2-30A distinct fractional sloop design from Lapworth, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for balanced handling Cal 2-27The second of three distinct Lapworth 27-footers, this masthead sloop was also marketed as the Canadian-built Crown 28 Cal 2-24The first of Lapworth's finer-bow designs, this fractional sloop was drawn for improved windward performance Cal 2-34A high-aspect masthead sloop built for two years to optimize the original hull for IOR rating performance Cal 28Originally marketed as the California 28, this early masthead sloop features a fin keel and spade rudder configuration

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.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Cal 2-29

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue