Design and Construction
The hull is a solid fiberglass layup, and the deck follows the yard's conventional solid fiberglass practice. At a length-to-beam ratio of 2.76, the Mirage 29 is a beamy design by the standards of her size, and that width is what lets her claim interior room well beyond the norm for similar sailboats — period comparison put her as roomier than 82% of comparable designs anchor. The 33.82 ballast-to-displacement ratio and 2.22 capsize screening figure place her firmly in the cruiser camp rather than the racer's measure. Her theoretical hull speed as a displacement hull of this length is 6.6 knots, and an immersion rate of about 886 pounds per inch means she sits heavily for her length when loaded.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Mirage 29 is rigged as a masthead sloop with a 400-square-foot sail area and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.83, a moderate figure that suits a cruising brief. The standing and running rig dimensions show the mainsail, jib/genoa, and spinnaker halyards each run 25.7 meters (84.2 feet) on 8 mm line, while the jib and genoa sheets measure 8.8 meters (29 feet) and the mainsheet 22.1 meters (72.5 feet), all on 10 mm anchor. The spinnaker sheets run 19.4 meters (63.8 feet), and the cunningham, kicking strap, and clew outhaul are 8 mm controls of 2.9, 5.8, and 5.8 meters respectively. These are the lengths a rigger needs when recommissioning or replacing worn control lines.
Accommodations
The Harlé layout trades the fine entries and narrow topsides of earlier performance cruisers for a wide, flat sectional form that maximizes living space below. The comparison that ranks her roomier than 82% of similar designs is the clearest signal of intent: this is a boat meant to be lived on at anchor and at a marina slip as much as sailed hard. The 17.86 comfort ratio reinforces that she was tuned for settled motion and load-carrying rather than sparkling upwind acceleration.
The Verdict
The Mirage 29 is a pragmatic Harlé pocket cruiser: beamy, solidly built in single-skin fiberglass, and engineered for volume and settled cruising rather than race-circuit speed. Her rig dimensions make her easy to re-rig from spec, and her comfort-oriented ratios suit a couple or small family coastal program.
Pros
- Exceptionally roomy for her length, outspacing 82% of comparable designs
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with lead ballast
- Fully documented rigging lengths and diameters for easy maintenance
Cons
- Moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air performance
- Heavy immersion rate means she loads deeply when provisioned
