Design and Construction
Rex Marin built the 29/291 in solid fiberglass, both hull and deck, with a fin keel carrying iron ballast of 2,205 pounds against a displacement of 5,071 pounds. The beam is a modest 8.86 feet on a 22.97-foot waterline, giving a length-to-beam ratio of 3.26 and a ballast ratio near 37 percent. Beyer’s hull form is a fin with spade rudder, drawing 5.41 feet light and up to 5.71 feet under load. The wetted surface runs about 247 square feet, and the immersion rate is roughly 714 pounds per inch — meaningful numbers for anyone judging how she sits and responds to gear weight. With a displacement-length ratio of 235, the design lands in the “moderate racer” band rather than the heavy cruiser class, and the comfort ratio in the low twenties marks her as lively without being punishing.
Rig and Handling
The boat carries a fractional sloop rig with a reported sail area of 350 square feet, and the rig itself is larger than that of 85 percent of comparable sailboats significantly overrigged for the size. With the ISO reference sail the sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 16.3, rising to 18.8 with a 135 percent genoa, so she is built to move in modest air. The theoretical hull speed is 6.4 knots, and the capsize screening value of 1.91 places her in sensible company for a coastal design. Under power, the alternatives are a Yanmar 1GM10 giving about 4.2 knots calculated maximum and a Volvo Penta MD5 at about 3.7 knots, both turning a shaft drive. None of this makes her a lightweight planing hull, but the numbers describe a responsive, easily driven cruiser.
Accommodations
Below, the Aphrodite 29 provides five berths with a galley and a toilet, and the interior is finished in teak as was standard for the era. The 8.86-foot beam limits cabin width, but the five-berth count and separate head mark her as a genuine weekender rather than a daysailer with a pipe berth. The teak joinery is period-typical rather than a distinguishing luxury, and the compact footprint follows directly from the narrow hull.
Known Issues
Because the boat was sold to be home-completed, the quality of each individual hull may vary considerably from one example to the next. The iron keel is a point worth noting: unlike lead, iron ballast is vulnerable to corrosion if the coating is compromised, and a home-finished hull may not have received the same protection as a factory build. The kit nature of the entire run means that structural details, deck hardware bedding, and engine installation quality were left to the builder of record on each boat rather than a single production line.
The Verdict
The Aphrodite 29/291 is a small, well-proportioned Beyer design that punches above its length in rig and sail plan, with a moderate-racer displacement profile and a practical five-berth interior. The hundred-boat run and kit-built origin mean condition varies widely, so the design’s strengths are best judged hull by hull. For a sailor wanting a responsive 29-footer with teak below and a serious rig, she rewards careful selection.
Pros
- Fractional sloop rig significantly larger than most peers, easily driven with a genoa
- Five berths with galley and head in a 29-foot fiberglass hull
- Moderate-racer displacement and comfort ratios suit lively coastal cruising
Cons
- Entire production sold as kits, so build quality varies by individual boat
- Iron keel ballast susceptible to corrosion if coating fails
- Narrow 8.86-foot beam limits interior volume
