Design and Construction
Don Martin's Half Ton racer-cruiser was built by Cooper Enterprises in fibreglass with wood trim, a construction approach that kept the 29 light enough for the race course while preserving the visual warmth of a traditional cabin. The hull carries 2,500 pounds of ballast against a 6,200-pound displacement, a 40-percent ballast ratio that gives the boat a stiff platform for her length, and the fixed fin keel draws 4.75 feet. An internally mounted spade rudder sits aft of the fin, and the raked stem completes a profile tuned for the International Offshore Rule Half Ton class rather than casual coastal cruising alone. At 28.58 feet overall with a 22.50-foot waterline, the Martin 29 sits at the compact end of the racer-cruiser spectrum yet carries full keelboat appointments.
Rig and Handling
The Martin 29 is rigged as a Bermuda-rigged masthead sloop, with an I foretriangle of 36.00 feet and a J base of 11.40 feet feeding a 205.20-square-foot jib or genoa, while the mainsail's 31.50-foot luff and 9.50-foot foot yields 149.63 square feet, for a total sail area of 354.83 square feet. The masthead sloop plan and moderate sail area suit the boat to both club racing and short-handed passage-making within the Half Ton framework. A Swedish Volvo MD6A diesel of 12 horsepower drives the boat for docking and manoeuvring, with a 12-U.S.-gallon fuel tank supporting that auxiliary role rather than long motoring. The design's hull speed is 6.36 knots, a figure consistent with the 22.50-foot waterline and the light 6,200-pound displacement.
Accommodations and Systems
Below, the Martin 29's 9.25-foot beam and 24-U.S.-gallon fresh water capacity mark her as a racer-cruiser first, with tankage sized for weekend racing and coastal hops rather than extended liveaboard use. The Volvo MD6A's 12-horsepower output is expressly for docking and manoeuvring, underscoring that the boat's pace comes from sail rather than engine. Wood trim over the fibreglass structure gives the interior a period character that distinguishes her from later all-white production cruisers, while the recreational keelboat designation confirms her dual role on the race circle and the anchorage.
The Verdict
The Martin 29 endures as a purpose-built International Offshore Rule Half Ton racer-cruiser with a Don Martin pedigree and an active class club that keeps the design competitive on the racecourse. Her fibreglass-and-wood-trim construction, 40-percent ballast ratio, and masthead sloop rig deliver a stiff, handy 29-footer whose limited fuel and water capacity clearly signal her racing ancestry over cruising range. With Cooper Enterprises closed since 1990, spares and class knowledge now flow through the Half Ton Class community rather than a builder's support line.
Pros
- Designed by Don Martin as a dedicated International Offshore Rule Half Ton racer-cruiser
- Stiff 40-percent ballast ratio with 2,500 lb in a 6,200 lb hull
- Active Half Ton Class club still organizing racing events
- Masthead sloop rig with 354.83 sq ft of sail for lively performance
Cons
- Only 12 U.S. gallons of fuel and 24 U.S. gallons of water limit cruising range
- Out of production since Cooper Enterprises closed in 1990
- 12 hp Volvo MD6A is auxiliary-only, not a motoring platform
