Dehler 29 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Dehler 29 means looking at a Judel/Vrolijk-designed performance cruiser that wore the title of Germany's 1997 Yacht of the Year. She is a 28-foot 8-inch fractional sloop with a long waterline, a tiller-driven cockpit, and a finished interior that hides a real aft double — a different animal from the heavier cruisers of her size on the brokerage pages.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 29 was built as a daysailer, club racer, and small cruiser, and her belowdecks plan reflects that mix. The forward V-berth runs so far forward it ends in a point; one reviewer found it tight for two, though the builder lists the bunks as long enough to sleep on. The saloon wraps around a folding table with seating for six, and a step in the sole is a quirk buyers should walk through. The port galley is compact but functional with a pressureless alcohol stove, opposite a small nav station. The standout is the aft cabin tucked under the cockpit to port: a legitimate double with a wardrobe. Heads are to starboard and notably roomy, with a wet locker. On deck, the tiller folds or removes for dockside space, and the split stern pulpit gives ladder access.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used boats commonly carry an autopilot, chartplotter, hot water, and teak decks as standard-fitted equipment. Less often seen but a meaningful owner upgrade for offwind sailing are a gennaker or spinnaker, and some boats have cabin heating added. The standard rig took a Furlex roller-furling headsail on the test boat and offers a babystay option; a rigid vang and cockpit-led slab reefing are standard. Buyers should note the standard boat has no bow anchoring hardware, so any ground tackle setup is an owner addition.
What to Inspect
The hull and deck are hand-laid balsa-cored and laminated together in the mold, with the cast-iron keel externally fastened to glassed-in steel floors — check those steel floors for corrosion at the keel joint. The rudder stock is solid aluminum, and most deck fittings are backed by aluminum plates molded into the deck; verify chainplate ties to the hull stringers are intact. The V-berth's pointed forward end and the small nav station are design traits, not damage. The standard Volvo Penta 10-horsepower diesel with saildrive has adequate access from behind the companionway, so confirm saildrive seal condition as on any such installation.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats typically appear in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Spain. For a shopper, the checklist is short: confirm keel-floor corrosion, saildrive seal health, and chainplate stringer integrity; verify whether bow anchoring gear was owner-added; and decide if the pointed forward berth suits your crew while the aft double and spacious head carry the cruising case.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Dehler 29. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 12 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $111,872 | — |
| Aug 25 | 2 | $55,295 | -50.6% |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $63,744 | +15.3% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $61,118 | -4.1% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $99,329 | +62.5% |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $115,881 | +16.7% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $83,904 | -27.6% |
| Apr 26 | 6 | $66,566 | -20.7% |
| May 26 | 2 | $75,164 | +12.9% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $64,094 | -14.7% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $52,440 | -18.2% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $51,858 | -1.1% |
Where they're listed
Dehler 29 listings appear across 4 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 8 (42.1%), followed by Germany and Switzerland.
Country view
19 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $58,209 | 8 | 1 | 42.1% |
| Germany | $66,716 | 6 | 2 | 31.6% |
| Switzerland | $76,980 | 3 | 0 | 15.8% |
| United Kingdom | $61,118 | 2 | 0 | 10.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dehler 34 | 33.13' | $ 43,992 | 92 | 19 |
| Dehler 31 | 30.84' | $ 29,017 | 39 | 6 |
| BENETEAU First 29 | 29.67' | $ 21,997 | 34 | 4 |
| Dehler 28 | 27.89' | $ 27,061 | 22 | 6 |
| Dehler 29You are here | — | $ 69,338 | 21 | 3 |
| Delphia 29 | 28.2' | $ 39,738 | 7 | 0 |