Hunter 29.5 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The 29.5 was produced in a single interior arrangement — an open-plan saloon with a U-shaped dinette forward, a compact galley to port, a head and hanging locker to starboard, and an athwartships double berth tucked under the cockpit aft. Despite the absence of a traditional forward stateroom, the V-berth is serviceable for two, separated from the main saloon by the dinette rather than a bulkhead or door, which keeps the cabin feeling airy but limits privacy to a curtain. The 29.5 effectively ships in one configuration, but examples that served as bareboat or club charters do appear alongside privately owned examples, and those boats will typically show more wear on upholstery, galley fittings, and companionway hardware.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

A bimini is commonly fitted on used examples — the large, open cockpit practically demands sun protection, and most owners have addressed this early. The molded swim platform is standard equipment rather than an upgrade, but a chartplotter at the helm is frequently encountered, reflecting the practical needs of coastal cruising sailors who have kept these boats current with basic navigation electronics. A dodger is a frequent owner upgrade, as is a cockpit shower — both natural companions to a boat used for weekend cruising and extended stays at anchor. Hot water systems appear on a meaningful share of used examples, usually as a later addition tied to engine-heat exchange. Short-handed sailing setups — clutches at the mast, upgraded cockpit-led controls, and occasionally an autopilot — are also seen on boats whose owners sailed regularly without crew.

What to Inspect

The Hunter 29.5 has several areas that merit careful inspection on any used example.

The deck is cored with balsa, which is an efficient structural choice but demands that every fitting penetration remain properly bedded. Window and port leaks are a known and anticipated concern on this model — the five ports per side, in four different shapes, create a large number of potential leak points, and any evidence of water intrusion around the cabin trunk windows should prompt a thorough moisture-meter survey of the surrounding deck core. Soft or spongy deck areas near chainplates, stanchion bases, or port frames are a red flag.

The keel arrangement is genuinely innovative but worth understanding before you buy. Hunter used a fibreglass keel moulded as part of the hull, with internal ballast and a lead bulb/wing casting bolted up through the fibreglass from below. The lead shoe at the bottom is designed to absorb grounding impacts, but if the boat has been aground hard, inspect the keel-to-hull joint for cracking or delamination, and look carefully at the bolts and their through-hull bedding for any sign of movement or corrosion. The design intent was sound, but execution depends on the hull's history.

The rudder shaft is a fibreglass composite rather than stainless steel — destructive testing confirmed it is stronger and significantly lighter than the stainless alternative it replaced, but it is still worth inspecting for any signs of cracking, bearing wear, or water ingress at the hull penetration.

The B&R rig eliminates the backstay using swept-back spreaders under high shroud tension. This means the shrouds run from the deck to the forestay-mast intersection, and those chainplates carry substantial load. Inspect chainplate through-deck fittings carefully for any cracking, bedding failure, or rust staining. The mainsheet system runs from the helm console forward to the mast and back to a cabin-top winch — check blocks, clutches, and cam cleats for wear. Tacking downwind requires care to avoid the mainsail pressing against the spreaders, so look at the sail's leech for chafe at that point.

The Yanmar two-cylinder diesel is a proven, widely-supported engine, but access for routine maintenance is limited in its standard installation beneath the companionway steps; confirm the engine box can be lifted clear and that oil, impeller, and filter access is workable. Check zincs, the raw-water impeller housing, and the exhaust elbow carefully. Storage is genuinely limited on this design — the athwartships aft berth eliminates the cockpit seat lockers that would otherwise provide the bulk of below-deck stowage — so inspect what storage exists for signs of moisture, mildew, or neglect.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The 29.5 was built through the mid-to-late 1990s and appears regularly on the used market in the United States and the United Kingdom, with the largest concentration along the US East Coast and in the Great Lakes region. Hunter's broad production numbers mean that the support network — sailmakers, riggers, and yards familiar with the boat — is accessible in most sailing markets.

For a buyer who wants a roomy coastal cruiser with a forgiving rig and straightforward systems, the 29.5 delivers genuine value. Go into any survey with this checklist:

• Moisture-meter the entire balsa-cored deck, paying particular attention to all window and port surrounds
• Inspect the keel-to-hull joint and lead shoe for grounding damage or cracking
• Check the fibreglass rudder shaft and its hull bearing for wear or water intrusion
• Examine chainplate through-deck fittings for bedding failure and rust staining
• Verify the engine box lifts clear and that routine service items are accessible
• Survey all standing rigging and spreader-to-shroud contacts for chafe and corrosion
• Check the mainsail leech along the spreader sweep line for chafe damage
• Assess storage areas and soft furnishings for signs of chronic moisture or neglect