Design and Construction
The Feeling 29 is a 27-foot-10-inch fiberglass pocket cruiser with a 24-foot-9-inch waterline and a 10-foot-3-inch beam. It displaces 6,394 pounds and carries 2,645 lb of ballast.
The hull is solid, hand-laid fiberglass, built for durability and low maintenance. Its fin-keel and skeg-hung-rudder arrangement was credited in the original review with balanced handling and protection.
Kelt offered several keel alternatives, including a fixed fin and a drop, or lifting, keel. Both used iron rather than lead in those variants. Depending on load, the fin-keel version draws about 5.3 to 5.6 feet. The drop-keel version reduces draft to roughly 2.1 to 2.4 feet, allowing the boat to settle into shallow marinas.
With a ballast ratio near 46 percent and a length-to-beam ratio of 2.79, the hull is beamy for its length but carries enough weight down low to stand up to its rig.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Feeling 29 carries a fractional sloop rig. Its measurements are:
- I: 34.8 feet
- J: 10.3 feet
- P: 33.5 feet
- E: 9.9 feet
Period assessments described the boat as quick and close-winded, yet light and responsive. It performs especially well in light air while retaining the comfort needed for coastal and family cruising or short offshore passages. Its light displacement, however, can slow it in serious seas.
The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 14.7 using the ISO reference sail and 17.4 with a 135 percent genoa. The capsize screening value is 2.09, while the relative speed performance figure is 66. Wetted surface is about 290 square feet, and the immersion rate is near 1,000 pounds per inch.
Accommodations
Below, the Feeling 29 provides a spacious interior for its size. It can sleep up to six in three areas: double forward and aft cabins, plus the saloon settees. A galley and head serve the accommodation.
That amount of space is unusual in a 28-foot hull. It suits the boat’s stated role as a family coastal cruiser and keeps the cabin from feeling cramped during a weekend aboard.
Known Issues
The only caution inherent in the design is its light-displacement behavior in heavy seas, as noted by reviewers. This is a handling characteristic rather than a defect.
The iron keel variants also invite galvanic attention compared with their lead-ballast siblings.
Refits and Ownership
Surviving examples are still sailed and listed in Europe, including the UK and France, as affordable classics. The simple, solid-GRP hull also makes ownership approachable.
Because the Feeling 29 came with several keel options, buyers should confirm which variant a particular hull carries. Draft and grounding behavior differ sharply between the lifting- and fixed-keel versions.
The Verdict
The Feeling 29 is a well-considered small cruiser that trades some offshore heft for lively light-air performance and a roomy cabin. Its production run was also large enough to keep spares and knowledge in circulation.
Pros
- Quick, close-winded handling and light-air responsiveness
- Roomy, three-area accommodation for up to six
- Shallow-draft lifting-keel variant for marina access
- Solid fiberglass hull for low-maintenance ownership
Cons
- Light displacement can slow the boat in serious seas
- Iron keel variants invite galvanic attention compared with lead-ballast siblings
