Design and Construction
The Moody 29 has a solid-fiberglass hull, fin keel, and spade rudder. It displaces 7,300 pounds, including 2,750 pounds of iron ballast. Its 38 percent ballast ratio is higher than that of 34 percent of comparable designs.
With a length-to-beam ratio of 2.81, the boat is notably roomy—more spacious than 79 percent of similar designs. Its displacement-length ratio of 210 places it among “moderate racers,” while 69 percent of similar designs are heavier.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The masthead-sloop rig has a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.52. The underwater body has about 279 square feet of wetted surface.
Sheet specifications call for 3/8-inch line throughout: 29.5 feet for the jib sheets, 29.5 feet for the genoa sheets, 65 feet for the spinnaker sheets, and 73.8 feet for the mainsheet.
Draft is about 4.5 feet, depending on load, which is shallow enough for modest marinas. The calculated top speed is 6.1 knots, compared with a theoretical maximum of 6.7 knots. Immersion is 912 pounds per inch.
Accommodation and Sea Kindliness
The broad beam provides enough interior volume for a couple or small family cruising along the coast.
The Motion Comfort Ratio is 18.6, making the Moody 29 more comfortable than 24 percent of similar sailboats. Its capsize screening value is 2.16, which would bar it from ocean racing under that criterion.
Engine, Refits, and Ownership
Standard power comes from a 20-horsepower Bukh DV20ME diesel driving a shaft. Parts support for a Bukh of this vintage can be sporadic, so an engine with a documented service history is worth a premium.
The boat’s light displacement also helps make haulout straightforward.
Verdict
The Moody 29 is a beamy, light-displacement coastal cruiser with unusually generous interior volume and a forgivingly shallow draft. Its numbers characterize it as a moderate cruiser rather than a bluewater boat.
Pros
- More interior space than 79 percent of similar designs
- Shallow draft of about 4.5 feet, easing marina access
- Solid-fiberglass hull and 38 percent ballast ratio
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.16 limits ocean-race eligibility
- Comfort ratio is better than only 24 percent of comparable boats
- Parts for the Bukh DV20ME can be difficult to source
