Cal 29 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Cal 29 means looking at a Lapworth-designed Jensen Marine cruiser-racer built between 1968 and 1972, with roughly 600 to 800 examples produced. These are early-Cal fiberglass boats carrying a Universal-Atomic Atomic 4 gasoline engine and a masthead-sloop rig, and they turn up as used Cal 29s as accessible coastal cruisers with a real turn of speed under PHRF.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Cal 29 is a 29-foot monohull with a 24-foot waterline and a beam just over nine feet, configured as a masthead sloop with a fixed fin keel and spade rudder. Below, the boat is known for a roomy interior relative to its length, which on the used market reads as a practical coastal cabin rather than a stripped race shell. The 8,000-pound displacement and 3,350-pound lead ballast give a stable platform, while the 4-foot-6 draft keeps it suited to shallow harbors. Buyers should expect the original coastal-cruising layout rather than any later reconfiguration.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market the Cal 29 commonly carries a chartplotter, air conditioning, and Starlink connectivity — equipment clusters that speak to navigation, cabin comfort, and offshore communications rather than barebones racing. For a buyer, a fitted chartplotter means the helm station is already modernized for coastal navigation, air conditioning signals a boat equipped for warm-weather liveaboard or extended anchoring, and Starlink indicates an owner who invested in remote connectivity. Beyond those, the defining original equipment remains the Atomic 4 gasoline engine and the period rigging, neither of which the brief lists as upgraded categories but both of which shape ownership cost.
What to Inspect
The Cal 29's aging systems from the build era drive the inspection focus. The design requires maintenance on aging systems including the Atomic 4 gas engine and the original rigging, so a survey should confirm the engine's condition, fuel-system integrity, and the standing rigging's remaining life. Because the boat combines a solid fiberglass hull with a spade rudder, inspect the rudder stock and hull-to-deck junction for any deterioration that decades of service could conceal.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Cal 29 is typically found in the United States market. For a shopper, the takeaway is a boat with lively sailing character and a spacious cabin, but one that demands a clear-eyed look at its gasoline engine and rigging before purchase.
- Confirm Atomic 4 engine condition and fuel system
- Inspect original rigging for age and corrosion
- Verify spade rudder and solid hull integrity
- Check for chartplotter, air conditioning, Starlink as common fittings
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Cal 29. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25 | 2 | $4,900 | — |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $12,000 | +144.9% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $8,000 | -33.3% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $7,900 | -1.3% |
Where they're listed
Cal 29 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $7,950 | 2 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BENETEAU First 29 | 29.67' | $ 21,994 | 34 | 4 |
| Jensen 2-30 | 30.2' | $ 5,948 | 10 | 3 |
| Custom 29You are here | — | $ 7,950 | 2 | 1 |