Westerly Merlin 29 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Westerly Merlin 29 means looking at the tail end of the Merlin line, with the 29 designation marking the transom-extended final batch. These are Ed Dubois designs built by Westerly Yachts in Hampshire, and the surviving examples are concentrated in one regional market.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Merlin 29 is a 29-foot sloop with a sugar-scoop transom carrying a transom-hung rudder. Below she offers three cabins and six berths: a forecabin with vee berths that convert to a double, a saloon with a port settee double and a starboard single that backs the aft-facing chart table, and an aft cabin with a 74-inch double berth. Saloon headroom is 6 feet. Buyers will find both fin-keel versions drawing 5 feet 4 inches and bilge-keel versions drawing 3 feet 5 inches, the latter suited to drying moorings. Interior finishes differ by build batch — some boats have light ash veneers and vinyl headlinings, while later ones may show varnished plywood in the saloon — so layout feel varies more than the dimensions suggest.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, autopilots and chartplotters are commonly fitted to Merlin 29s, reflecting a baseline of modern navigation and steering assistance you can expect to inherit rather than add. Beyond those, the boats left the factory with a Bukh or Volvo diesel of 18 to 20 hp.
What to Inspect
Every Merlin hull was moulded to Lloyds standards and issued a Lloyds Hull Construction certificate, so confirm that paper travels with the boat anchor. Because interior finishes varied, check the condition of veneer bulkheads and headlinings — later boats with varnished plywood saloon linings may show wear differently from earlier foam-vinyl examples anchor. Verify which engine is installed: most carried 20 hp Bukh units, but some later 29s have 18 hp Volvo diesels, and the lower horsepower should factor into your assessment anchor. Inspect the sugar-scoop transom and transom-hung rudder bearing for stress, as this was the defining structural change from the Merlin 28.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Merlin 29s are typically found in the United Kingdom. For a buyer, the checklist is short and concrete:
- Confirm the Lloyds Hull Construction certificate is present
- Identify the engine make and horsepower (Bukh 20 hp vs Volvo 18 hp)
- Inspect transom extension and rudder-hung steering gear
- Assess interior finish type and condition (ash veneer, vinyl, or plywood headlining)
- Decide between fin and bilge keel for your cruising grounds
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Westerly Merlin 29. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $21,597 | — |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $12,186 | -43.6% |
Where they're listed
Westerly Merlin 29 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 3.
Country view
3 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $19,634 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BENETEAU First 29 | 29.67' | $ 21,952 | 34 | 4 |
| Westerly Merlin 28 | 27.06' | $ 17,446 | 30 | 5 |
| Westerly Merlin 29You are here | — | $ 19,634 | 3 | 0 |