Design and Construction
Peterson’s late-seventies lines produced a hull with a length-to-beam ratio of 2.88 and a beam of just over ten feet, proportions that yacht-database comparisons rank as more spacious than 73% of similar designs anchor. The solid fiberglass hull carries 2,850 pounds of lead ballast at a 41% ballast ratio — higher than half of comparable sailboats — which explains the 2.14 capsize screening value that would bar her from sanctioned ocean racing yet speaks to a stiff, domesticated profile. Her 278 displacement-length ratio confirms the heavy-cruiser categorization and underpins the 19.8 Motion Comfort Ratio, a figure more forgiving than 31% of sister designs. The wetted surface runs about 269 square feet, and the immersion rate of 799 pounds per inch means she sits heavily and moves slowly in response to load.
Rig and Handling
As a masthead sloop the US 29 carries a 395-square-foot sail plan above a 5.58-foot fin keel. The standing and running gear follow period norms: jib and genoa sheets are specified at 29.5 feet with 3/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet at 73.7 feet, and spinnaker sheets at 64.9 feet, all 3/8-inch anchor. The theoretical hull speed sits at 6.3 knots with a calculated maximum near 4.8 knots, consistent with a displacement hull of this length and weight. The spade rudder and moderate draft let her into most marinas, with the draft varying between 5.58 and 5.88 feet depending on load.
Accommodations and Systems
Tankage is modest and clearly period: 20 gallons of fresh water and 15 gallons of diesel in a single Volvo Penta MD7 inboard at 13 horsepower anchor. The 20-gallon water capacity and 15-gallon fuel capacity frame her as a weekender or coastal cruiser rather than a long-range liveaboard. No interior layout detail survives in the record, but the beamy hull and heavy-cruiser displacement suggest volume ahead of performance.
The Verdict
The US 29 is a straightforward late-seventies Peterson cruiser-racer derivative built by a volume yard, with a heavy-displacement hull, generous beam for her length, and conservative systems. She rewards the sailor who values stability and interior room over speed, and who accepts modest tankage and a capsize screening value outside ocean-race limits as the price of that composure.
Pros
- Beamier and more spacious than most similar 29-foot designs
- High ballast ratio for a stiff, stable feel
- Solid fiberglass hull with lead ballast
Cons
- Categorized as a heavy cruiser with limited theoretical speed
- Capsize screening value excludes ocean racing
- Small water and fuel capacity for extended cruising
