Design and Construction
The fiberglass King's Cruiser 29 measures 28.5 feet overall with a 23.25-foot waterline, an 8.25-foot beam, and a moderate 4.92-foot draft on a fin keel with skeg-hung rudder. Displacement sits at 6,000 pounds with 3,100 pounds of ballast, a ratio that gives the hull a steady, predictable posture. Period assessments credited the Åbo-built hulls with high-quality construction, and the fiberglass iteration was specifically praised for retaining the original's balanced lines and performance while reducing upkeep. The design gained a following in both Europe and the United States, a reach that speaks to its portable appeal rather than any single market push.
Rig and Handling
As a masthead sloop the King's Cruiser 29 carries a rig with a 33.15-foot foretriangle height and a 10.72-foot base, paired with a 27.92-foot mainsail luff and 8.67-foot foot. The sail plan suits the boat's stated roles: family coastal cruising, club racing, and short offshore passages such as cross-Channel or Baltic use. Reviewers described the design as seaworthy, and the combination of moderate beam, fin keel, and skeg-hung rudder supports the kind of balanced handling that made Sundén's earlier folkboat-derived work respected among cruising sailors.
Accommodations
The interior was praised as comfortable yet compact for its size, a description that fits a 28.5-foot hull with an 8.25-foot beam pressed into cruising service. The cabin made no pretense of volume beyond its length, but the layout served the boat's coastal and short-passage brief without the empty spectacle of larger replicas. Practicality rather than grandeur defined the belowdecks experience.
Known Issues
The construction record for this design draws praise rather than caveat. The fiberglass version was praised for high-quality construction and for durability with low maintenance, and no chronic structural weakness is part of the published assessment.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership economics were part of the boat's original pitch: the design was praised for reasonable pricing, and the fiberglass version's low-maintenance emphasis translated into fewer recurring hull chores than its wooden ancestor demanded. With a single diesel and a compact cruising envelope, the King's Cruiser 29 fits an owner who wants a classic Scandinavian hull without the restoration burden of the earlier wooden 28.
The Verdict
The King's Cruiser 29 is a thoughtfully evolved folkboat-lineage cruiser that traded the wooden predecessor's upkeep for fiberglass durability while keeping Sundén's balanced, seaworthy hand. It is a small, honest boat for coastal and short offshore work, with a compact interior and a construction record that draws praise rather than caveat.
Pros
- High-quality fiberglass construction with low maintenance emphasis
- Balanced lines and proven seaworthiness from a Sundén design
- Comfortable, compact interior suited to its length
- Reasonable original pricing and broad European/US following
Cons
- Compact accommodation limits liveaboard appeal
