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Davidson 29
Designer: Laurie Davidson  ·  Builder: First Cabin Marine  ·  First built: 1994
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About the Davidson 29

Designed by renowned New Zealand naval architect Laurie Davidson, this 29-footer represents a rare opportunity for sailors seeking a performance-oriented coastal cruiser with serious pedigree. Davidson, famous for his America's Cup designs and high-performance racing yachts, applied his expertise to create a boat that balances speed with livability in a compact package. Built by First Cabin Marine for just two years in the mid-1990s, only two examples of this model were ever completed, making it an exceptionally rare find. The hull features Davidson's signature fin keel with bulb and spade rudder configuration, delivering the kind of crisp handling and upwind performance that made the designer's name legendary in racing circles. With a displacement of 7,100 pounds and 2,400 pounds of ballast, the boat offers excellent stability for coastal cruising while maintaining enough lightness for spirited sailing. The masthead sloop rig provides 500 square feet of sail area, giving it impressive performance potential. The comfort ratio of 16 indicates a boat designed more for sailing enjoyment than accommodation luxury, while the capsize screening formula of 2.34 suggests it's best suited for protected waters and coastal adventures rather than offshore passages.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 29.75 ft / 9.07 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 26.25 ft / 8.00 m
Beam 11.25 ft / 3.43 m
Max Draft 6.00 ft / 1.83 m
Displacement 7,100.00 lb / 3,221 kg
Ballast 2,400.00 lb / 1,089 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 500.00 ft² / 46.45 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Laurie Davidson
Builder First Cabin Marine
First Built 1994
Last Built 1995
Number Built 2
Related Sailboats ["X 302" · "First 300 Beneteau" · "Olson 29" · "J30" · "First 29 Beneteau"]
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 117
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 21.72
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 33.8
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 175.24
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 16
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.34
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.87 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 3.59
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,055.18 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 21.74
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 42.50 ft / 12.95 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 37.50 ft / 11.43 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 13.08 ft / 3.99 m
SA Fore 255.00 ft² / 23.69 m²
SA Main 245.25 ft² / 22.78 m²
SA Total (100%) 500.25 ft² / 46.47 m²
Est. Forestay Length 44.16 ft / 13.46 m
How It Compares

vs. First 300 Beneteau, J30, Olson 29

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Davidson 29 ★
29.8 ft
First 300 Beneteau
29.7 ft
J30
29.8 ft
Olson 29
29.7 ft
LWL
Davidson 29 ★
26.3 ft
First 300 Beneteau
29.1 ft
J30
25.0 ft
Olson 29
27.5 ft
Beam
Davidson 29 ★
11.3 ft
First 300 Beneteau
9.8 ft
J30
11.2 ft
Olson 29
9.3 ft
Displacement
Davidson 29 ★
7 lbs
First 300 Beneteau
6 lbs
J30
7 lbs
Olson 29
3 lbs
Ballast
Davidson 29 ★
2 lbs
First 300 Beneteau
2 lbs
J30
2 lbs
Olson 29
1 lbs
Sail Area
Davidson 29 ★
500 sq ft
First 300 Beneteau
477 sq ft
J30
444 sq ft
Olson 29
365 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Davidson 29 ★
117 s/nm
First 300 Beneteau
—
J30
—
Olson 29
99 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Davidson 29 ★
21.7
First 300 Beneteau
21.5
J30
19.5
Olson 29
24.9
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Davidson 29 ★
33.8 %
First 300 Beneteau
36.1 %
J30
—
Olson 29
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Davidson 29 ★
16.0
First 300 Beneteau
17.0
J30
16.4
Olson 29
10.1
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Davidson 29 ★
2.34
First 300 Beneteau
2.08
J30
2.34
Olson 29
2.44
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Davidson 29 ★
175
First 300 Beneteau
122
J30
—
Olson 29
—
Hull Speed
Davidson 29 ★
6.9 kts
First 300 Beneteau
7.2 kts
J30
6.7 kts
Olson 29
7.0 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Davidson 29 ★
3.6
First 300 Beneteau
4.5
J30
3.0
Olson 29
6.2
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