Design and Construction
C&C Design shaped the 29-3 as a purposeful coastal cruiser rather than a stripped racer. The fiberglass hull runs to a raked stem and a plumb transom, and the 3,000-pound ballast sits in a fin-keel arrangement drawing 5.17 feet, with an optional shoal keel at 4.17 feet for thinner water. A skeg-mounted rudder supports the stern, and the 38.46 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio, paired with a displacement-length figure of 268.31, marks her as a moderately loaded cruiser with a comfort number around 22 — steady-ish motion, not featherweight. The 6.49-knot hull speed is the natural ceiling for her 23.5-foot waterline.
Rig and Handling
The 29-3 is a masthead sloop on a Bermuda rig, with a 40-foot mast height from the waterline and a sail plan totaling roughly 374 square feet. The foretriangle measures 35 feet at the I height and 12.83 feet at the J base, while the mainsail luff is 30 feet with a 10-foot foot, giving a 150-square-foot main and a 224-square-foot jib or genoa. That spread of canvas on a 7,800-pound hull produces a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 15, enough to keep her moving in modest breeze without being overcanvased for a short-handed couple. The standard 5.17-foot draft and skeg rudder give predictable tracking; the shoal keel trades some bite for gunkholing reach.
Accommodations
Below, the cabin stands 72 inches tall, a full six feet, so most adults move without ducking. The fresh water tank holds 24 U.S. gallons, a modest cruising supply that suits weekend anchors rather than long self-supported passages. The interior volume implied by the 10-foot beam and 28.67-foot length reads as a compact two- or three-person layout rather than a crowded racer conversion.
Engine and Propulsion
Power came from a flexible list: a well-mounted outboard was original equipment, and the boat may be fitted with a Japanese Yanmar diesel of 8, 12, or 15 horsepower, or a 15-horsepower gasoline engine. The Yanmar diesels span the 8-to-15-horsepower band cited for the model, giving buyers a quiet, slow-turning option at the low end and more push for a heavy-air marina exit at the top. The outboard well keeps the stern simple and the cabin sole dry if the installation is sound.
The Verdict
The Lancer 29-3 is a C&C-designed cruiser of sensible proportions: a 10-foot beam and 7,800-pound displacement make her roomy and stable for her length, and the optional shoal keel broadens where she can wander. The rig is straightforward to handle, and the engine options let an owner match propulsion to budget and noise tolerance. The 24-gallon water capacity and compact cruiser brief argue for coastal use rather than bluewater ambition.
Pros
- C&C Design cruiser pedigree with stable 38 percent ballast ratio
- Optional 4.17-foot shoal keel alongside standard 5.17-foot fin
- Flexible propulsion: outboard well or 8–15 hp Yanmar diesel
- Full 72-inch cabin headroom on a 10-foot beam
Cons
- Only 24-gallon fresh water capacity limits range
- Renamed Lancer 30 in 1982, complicating model search
- Gasoline engine option less ideal for enclosed cruising
