Design and Accommodations
Mazza’s brief for the 29.5 favored openness over enclosure. Compared with his previous Hunter designs, the interior offers more space by minimizing bulkheads, omitting a dedicated chart table, and leaving the forward berth unenclosed.
Only a curtain separates the forward compartment from the main cabin. The U-shaped settee backs directly against the forward berth, an arrangement the designer compared with the 1975 C&C 24. Wraparound settees extend to the hull sides, while the large dining table doubles as a navigation station, with chart storage provided.
The aft berth runs across the beam and can accommodate a seven-and-a-half-foot sleeper plus a partner. Overhead, the standard VHF and electrical panel are mounted in the ceiling for access.
Outside, the cockpit is larger than those on many 40-footers. A broad swim platform spans the stern, adding to the boat’s usable space at anchor.
Hull, Keel, and Rudder
The Hunter 29.5 measures 29 feet 6 inches overall, with a 10-foot-6-inch beam. Displacement is 7,500 pounds, including 2,680 pounds of iron ballast, and the fin keel draws four feet. The hull is solid fiberglass below the waterline.
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. The shaft is embedded in the blade and passes through a circular bearing in the hull. This fiberglass rudder shaft is more than 100 pounds lighter than the stainless version it replaced.
Rig and Sail Plan
The rig dispenses with a backstay, relying instead on swept-back spreaders and heavy main-shroud tension to support the mast. Without a backstay, the boat can carry a mainsail with an exaggerated roach. The headsail is correspondingly small and easy to tack.
A 3:1 manual mainsheet runs just forward of the helm. It can be trimmed from the steering position or from a house-top winch, allowing either a lone helmsperson or crew to manage the mainsail without crossing the cockpit.
For offwind sailing, the boat carries an asymmetrical spinnaker set from a retractable pole. It works efficiently on reaches but is less effective dead downwind.
Handling and Liveability
With a ballast-displacement ratio near 36 percent and a comfort ratio in the high teens, the Hunter 29.5 favors settled cruising over racer edginess. Its wide beam and open cabin make it a spacious 29-footer, while the large cockpit and walk-through swim platform are better suited to relaxing at anchor than to regatta tactics.
The small jib simplifies short-handed tacking, and the two mainsheet trimming positions make sail handling more convenient for a small crew.
The Verdict
The Hunter 29.5 is a volume-driven coastal cruiser from the mid-1990s. It trades traditional compartmentalization for an airy, sociable interior and a cockpit that punches above the boat’s length. The backstayless rig and lead-wing keel are thoughtful production solutions, while the lightweight rudder shaft shows real engineering intent.
Privacy is limited, and the navigation station is improvised rather than dedicated. For a couple or small family, however, the boat provides livable space that few rivals matched.
Pros
- Open, bright interior with wraparound settees extending to the hull sides
- Beam-wide aft berth
- Cockpit larger than those on many 40-footers
- Broad swim platform
- Backstayless rig with a small, easily tacked jib
- Mainsheet control from two positions
- Integral fiberglass keel with a bolted lead wing
- Lightweight fiberglass rudder shaft
Cons
- Forward berth separated only by a curtain; no enclosed headsail or chart-table privacy
- No dedicated chart table; navigation is done at the dining table
- Asymmetrical spinnaker is weak on dead runs
