Design and Construction
Ed Dubois drew the Regatta 290 as a development of the Merlin 28, and the boat sat within the three-range model structure Westerly adopted that year, sitting alongside the Oceans and Victorias ranges. The hull carries 7,694 pounds of displacement, with ballast of either 2,987 or 3,329 pounds depending on the keel configuration chosen. The twin-keel option continues a Westerly tradition of bilge-keeled cruisers, here giving a draft of just three feet four inches that suits shoal-water cruising, while the fin-keel version reaches five feet for more upwind bite. The aft-cockpit layout places the helm and primary controls behind the cabin trunk in the conventional pattern for a boat of this size.
Rig and Handling
Rigged as a masthead sloop and identified by the sail code R290, the 290 carries a 208-square-foot mainsail with a 236-square-foot No. 1 genoa and a 129-square-foot No. 1 jib. The sail plan is moderate for a 29-footer, and the 330 square feet of total working sail area sits against a displacement that keeps the boat in the light-displacement cruiser bracket rather than the heavy offshore type. The twin-keel version trades some windward ability for the ground-tolerance of its three-foot-four-inch draft, while the fin-keel model uses its deeper blade to hold a line closer to the wind.
Accommodations
Below, the Regatta 290 sleeps seven across its layout and carries a single head. The seven-berth count is generous for a 29-foot hull and reflects Freivokh's interior work for the Regatta range, packing maximum sleeping capacity into the beamy 9-foot-11-inch hull. The single head serves the full berth complement without a second bathroom space, a typical compromise in a boat of this length built to entertain a crew or family.
The Verdict
The Regatta 290 is a rare, short-run Dubois design that distilled Westerly's late-1990s Regatta philosophy into a compact and configurable 29-footer. With only eleven built, it is an uncommon sight, but the twin-keel option and seven-berth interior make it a distinctive pocket cruiser for shoal draft waters.
Pros
- Choice of fin or twin keels for draft flexibility
- Seven berths in a 29-foot hull
- Dubois design lineage from the Merlin development path
Cons
- Only eleven built, limiting spares and owner-network scale
- Single head for a seven-berth layout
