Design and Accommodations
Mazza's brief for the 29.5 was openness over enclosure. The interior shows more space than his previous Hunter designs, achieved by minimizing bulkheads, omitting the chart table, and leaving the forward berth unenclosed. The forward compartment is separated from the main cabin only by a curtain, and its U-shaped settee backs directly against the forward berth in a arrangement the designer compared to the 1975 C&C 24. Wraparound settees run right out to the hull sides, and the dining table is large enough to double as a nav station, with chart storage provided. The aft berth is set across the beam and will accommodate a seven-and-a-half-foot sleeper plus a partner. Overhead, the standard VHF and the electrical panel are both mounted in the ceiling for access. The cockpit is larger than those on many 40-footers, and a swim platform spans a generous width aft.
Rig and Sail Plan
The rig drops the backstay entirely, relying on swept-back spreaders and heavy main-shroud tension to support the mast. Sail area shifts into a mainsail with an exaggerated roach made possible by the absent backstay, while the headsail is cut small and easy to tack. A 3:1 manual mainsheet runs just forward of the helm and can be trimmed from the steering position or from a house-top winch. For offwind work the boat carries an asymmetrical spinnaker set from a retractable pole—efficient on reaches, less so dead downwind.
Construction
The keel is moulded as a fiberglass unit integral to the hull, with an internal casting set in place and a lead bulb-and-wing casting bolted on. The rudder hangs on a fiberglass shaft shaped like a flat timber section, embedded in the blade and passing through a circular bearing in the hull; that shaft saves more than 100 pounds over the stainless version it replaced fiberglass rudder shaft is more than 100 pounds lighter. The hull is solid fiberglass below the waterline.
Handling and Liveability
With a ballast-displacement ratio near 36 percent and a comfort ratio in the high teens, the 29.5 favors settled cruising over racer edginess. The wide beam and open cabin make her a volume-forward 29-footer, and the big cockpit with walk-through swim platform suits anchorage lounging more than regatta tactics. The small jib keeps short-handed tacking simple, while the mainsheet's dual trimming stations let a lone helmsperson or crew manage power without traversing the cockpit.
The Verdict
The Hunter 29.5 is a volume-driven coastal cruiser from the mid-1990s, trading traditional compartmentalization for an airy, sociable interior and a cockpit that punches above its length. The backstayless rig and lead-wing keel are thoughtful production solutions, and the lightweight rudder shaft shows real engineering intent. Privacy is thin and the nav station is improvised, but for a couple or small family the boat delivers livable space few rivals matched.
Pros
- Open, bright interior with wraparound settees to the hull sides and a beam-wide aft berth
- Cockpit larger than many 40-footers with a broad swim platform
- Backstayless rig with small, easily tacked jib and dual-position mainsheet control
- Integral fiberglass keel with bolted lead wing and lightweight fiberglass rudder shaft
Cons
- Forward berth separated only by a curtain; no enclosed headsail or chart-table privacy
- No dedicated chart table; navigation done at the dining table
- Asymmetrical spinnaker weak on dead runs
