Aphrodite 29/291 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Aphrodite 29/291 means looking at a small, kit-built Carl Beyer design from the Swedish yard Rex Marin, with a hundred examples started in 1980 and the first twenty sold as the 291 before the name changed. Because every boat was offered for home completion, no two will present the same build standard, and the buyer’s task is less about model reputation than about the specific hull in front of you.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 29/291 is a 29-foot fractional-sloop cruiser with a fin keel and spade rudder, drawing about 5.4 feet. Below she carries five berths with a galley and a toilet, finished in teak. The narrow beam keeps the cabin compact, but the berth count and separate head make her a real weekender rather than a daysailer.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, a self-tacking jib and an autopilot are commonly fitted, which together make short-handed coastal sailing straightforward on a boat of this size. The original engine alternatives were a Yanmar 1GM10 or a Volvo Penta MD5 on shaft drive, and a buyer should confirm which is installed and its condition. Beyond those, the kit-built nature means navigation and canvas work were often owner-chosen, so assess each boat’s sail-handling setup on its own merits.
What to Inspect
The defining risk on this design is the home-completed construction: because the boat was sold to be finished by the buyer, the quality of each hull may vary, so inspect hull-to-deck joints, bulkhead bonding, and hardware bedding closely for signs of amateur work home-completed quality variation. The keel is iron rather than lead, so check the fin for rust bloom, blistering paint, or section loss where coating has failed iron keel corrosion risk. Confirm the engine installation — whether Yanmar or Volvo — is securely mounted and that the shaft drive alignment looks correct, since the boat was offered as a kit.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in Germany and Sweden. Before committing, walk the following checks:
- Verify hull and deck joints for even, professional finish
- Probe the iron keel for corrosion or coating failure
- Confirm which engine is fitted and review its mounts
- Test the self-tacking jib and autopilot if equipped
- Check teak interior for rot around ports and hardware
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Aphrodite 29/291. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 26 | 1 | $26,201 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $22,708 | -13.3% |
| May 26 | 1 | $18,632 | -17.9% |
Where they're listed
Aphrodite 29/291 listings appear across 2 countries. Germany has the most listings with 2 (66.7%), followed by Sweden.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sadler 29 | 28.42' | $ 17,596 | 69 | 13 |
| Hallbery Rassy 29 | 29.2' | $ 43,462 | 59 | 13 |
| Vindö 40 | 30.94' | $ 22,744 | 32 | 7 |
| Hanse 291 | 29.2' | $ 23,032 | 13 | 4 |
| Delphia 29 | 28.2' | $ 39,712 | 7 | 0 |
| Aphrodite 29/291You are here | — | $ 22,708 | 3 | 0 |