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Snapdragon 29
Designer: Thames Structural Plastics/Thames Marine  ·  Builder: Thames Marine (Uk)  ·  First built: 1971
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About the Snapdragon 29

Introduced in 1971 by Thames Marine, this British-built cruiser represents a practical approach to coastal sailing with its distinctive twin keel configuration. The fiberglass construction and masthead sloop rig make the Snapdragon 29 an accessible choice for sailors seeking versatility in shallow waters and tidal areas. The twin keel design stands as this boat's defining characteristic, allowing it to dry out safely in harbors and explore shallow anchorages that would be off-limits to traditional deep-draft vessels. With a draft of just 3.25 feet and beam of 9.50 feet, she offers impressive stability while maintaining the ability to navigate challenging coastal waters. The substantial ballast of 3,000 pounds provides reassuring stability for her 7,500-pound displacement. Performance-wise, the Snapdragon 29 delivers respectable sailing characteristics with her 300 square feet of sail area driving a hull speed of 6.56 knots. The comfort ratio of 22.66 suggests a motion that favors stability over speed, while the capsize screening formula of 1.94 indicates good seaworthiness for coastal cruising. This design appeals particularly to sailors interested in exploring tidal waters, beach cruising, and coastal adventures where shallow draft capability opens up numerous anchoring possibilities unavailable to conventional keel boats.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 29.00 ft / 8.84 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
Beam 9.50 ft / 2.90 m
Max Draft 3.25 ft / 0.99 m
Displacement 7,500.00 lb / 3,402 kg
Ballast 3,000.00 lb / 1,361 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 300.00 ft² / 27.87 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Twin Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Thames Structural Plastics/Thames Marine
Builder Thames Marine (UK)
First Built 1971
Associations Snapdragon, Mirage and Invaders Association
Related Sailboats Gk 29 Westerly · Contest 29 · Cal 29 · Northern 29 · Bayfield 29
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
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
12.57
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
40
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
242.2
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
22.66
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
1.94
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. 6.56 kn
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. 814.67 pounds/inch
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make BMC
How It Compares

vs. Bayfield 29, Cal 29, Contest 29, Gk 29 Westerly, Northern 29

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Snapdragon 29 ★
29.0 ft
Bayfield 29
29.0 ft
Cal 29
29.0 ft
Contest 29
29.0 ft
Gk 29 Westerly
29.0 ft
Northern 29
29.0 ft
LWL
Snapdragon 29 ★
24.0 ft
Bayfield 29
21.8 ft
Cal 29
24.0 ft
Contest 29
24.0 ft
Gk 29 Westerly
27.6 ft
Northern 29
21.3 ft
Beam
Snapdragon 29 ★
9.5 ft
Bayfield 29
10.2 ft
Cal 29
9.3 ft
Contest 29
8.3 ft
Gk 29 Westerly
10.3 ft
Northern 29
9.0 ft
Displacement
Snapdragon 29 ★
7 lbs
Bayfield 29
8 lbs
Cal 29
8 lbs
Contest 29
8 lbs
Gk 29 Westerly
6 lbs
Northern 29
7 lbs
Ballast
Snapdragon 29 ★
3 lbs
Bayfield 29
3 lbs
Cal 29
3 lbs
Contest 29
3 lbs
Gk 29 Westerly
3 lbs
Northern 29
3 lbs
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Snapdragon 29 ★
Bayfield 29
237 s/nm
Cal 29
183 s/nm
Contest 29
234 s/nm
Gk 29 Westerly
Northern 29
192 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Snapdragon 29 ★
12.6
Bayfield 29
Cal 29
Contest 29
6.9
Gk 29 Westerly
Northern 29
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Snapdragon 29 ★
40.0 %
Bayfield 29
35.3 %
Cal 29
41.9 %
Contest 29
38.8 %
Gk 29 Westerly
50.0 %
Northern 29
51.7 %
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Snapdragon 29 ★
242
Bayfield 29
368
Cal 29
258
Contest 29
274
Gk 29 Westerly
127
Northern 29
337
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