Sunbeam 29.1 Buyer's Guide
The Sunbeam 29.1 is a 2023-introduced performance luxury daysailer from the long-running Austrian Sunbeam yard, built as a smaller sibling to the 32.1 and aimed at owners who want a stylish weekender more than an out-and-out cruiser. On the used market she appears as a lightly built, trailerable boat with a swing keel and a minimalist interior, so a buyer should judge her as a day-and-weekend platform rather than a voluminous small cruiser.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because the 29.1 was sold as a configurable weekender, layouts vary by what the first owner specified. The core below-decks plan is minimalist: a triangular double berth forward, two settee berths, and a dominant centreboard box that doubles as the saloon table plinth. There is no aft double berth. The small galley and full heads were optional from new, and the wet cell could be left out entirely, so some boats will have only the bare moulded port-side section. Huge coachroof windows and two hatches bring in light, but headroom stays at 1.40 metres under the superstructure. A buyer should confirm whether the pantry and wet cell modules are present or were never fitted, since both can be added later.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used examples often carry a short-handed setup, which suits the boat's below-deck-led halyards and self-tacking jib. For buyer consequence, the meaningful equipment clusters are power and energy, sail handling, and ground tackle. Power comes from a standard 4 kW electric pod drive on lithium batteries, with a solar panel area moulded into the deck structure to run instruments and fridge; a Vetus diesel alternative exists on some boats. Sail handling centres on the backstayless rig with optional carbon mast and laminate sails, plus Harken Performa winches that may be electric in the cockpit. Ground tackle includes an integrated bowsprit with an optional electric anchor solution and a movable anchor gallows.
What to Inspect
The twin-rudder steering uses more linkage friction than a single blade, so check the stainless shafts and roller bearings for free movement. The jib sheets only to one side, which is a design fact rather than a fault but worth noting for trim. More importantly, interior storage is scarce and the yard fitted no sea toilet, so verify any retrofitted wet cell and its plumbing. The swing-keel hydraulics, steering rods, and optional autopilot lie outside the hull under a stern hatch; confirm the hatch seals and that the 800-kilogram swing keel moves fully within 30 seconds by hand pump or optional electric unit.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in Germany, Greece, and Switzerland. For a shopper, the checklist is short: confirm keel operation and rudder bearing condition, verify whether galley and heads modules are fitted or retrofittable, check the electric drive batteries and solar provisioning, and decide if the minimal storage and low headroom suit your weekending style.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Sunbeam 29.1. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25 | 1 | $163,829 | — |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $163,829 | 0.0% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $148,822 | -9.2% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $137,671 | -7.5% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $137,671 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Sunbeam 29.1 listings appear across 2 countries. Greece has the most listings with 2 (66.7%), followed by Switzerland.
Country view
3 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | $137,671 | 2 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Switzerland | $148,822 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanse 291 | 29.2' | $ 22,932 | 13 | 4 |
| Sunbeam 29.1You are here | — | $ 137,671 | 3 | 0 |