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Cal 2-29

Built 1974–1978 by Jensen Marine

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About the Cal 2-29

Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.

Illustration of a Cal 2-29
Illustration, not a photo of this model. AI-generated illustration of a typical mid-size cruising sloop.
Built
1974–1978
Builder
Jensen Marine
Designer
C. William Lapworth
Length
29 ft
Waterline
24 ft
Beam
9.25 ft
Draft
4.5 ft
Displacement
8,000 lb
Ballast
3,350 lb
Hull / keel
fin keel
Rig
sloop
Propulsion
inboard
Fuel
20 gal
Number built
387
Stern thruster
not fitted
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
  • Fuel 20 gal
    “A 20 gallon regular gas fuel tank ... under the cockpit sole” — owner's manual, pages.sssnet.com · “Tankage, fuel 20 gal” — search excerpt (1976), sailingtexas.com · “A 20 gallon regular gas fuel tank is located under the cockpit sole” — owner's manual (1977 Cal 29 guide), richardanderson.net
    Two of the builder's Cal 29 owner's guides, one from 1977, give a 20 gal tank under the cockpit sole for the gas-inboard Cal 29. The 2-29 is the cruising version of that hull with a standard diesel, and a 1976 2-29 listing also says 20. Likely the same tank, but no builder figure for the 2-29 itself was found.
  • Water unknown
    “water 30” — search excerpt (1976), sailingtexas.com · “Water is supplied to the sink from a 25 gallon fresh water tank under the forward double berth.” — owner's manual (1977 Cal 29 guide), richardanderson.net
    Our earlier figure was 40 gal, from a spec database; a 1976 2-29 listing says 30, and the builder's 1977 Cal 29 owner's guide gives 25 for the base Cal 29. The 2-29 brochure is said to list extra cruising equipment, so its water may be larger than the Cal 29's; unresolved.
  • Water heater unknown
    “Water is supplied to the sink from a 25 gallon fresh water tank under the forward double berth” — owner's manual (1977), richardanderson.net
    The 1977 Jensen owner's guide describes a 25 gal tank feeding the galley sink, an optional alcohol stove and an optional 12 V battery system. Hot water and shore power aren't mentioned, though the guide never says there was none.

Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.

Thrusters and steering — where this comes from
  • Stern thruster not fitted
    Our earlier figure of none has no source, and nothing was found either way.
  • Steering unknown
    “includes, as standard equipment, a diesel engine, pressurized shower, pedestal steering, vanity with medicine chest” — search excerpt, sailboatdata.com · “It added a Farymann 12 hp (9 kW) diesel engine, a pressurized shower, pedestal steering” — search excerpt, en.wikipedia.org · “Steering= wheel” — spec database, pages.sssnet.com
    Pedestal wheel steering was standard on the 2-29 (the Cal brochure as quoted by sailboatdata and Wikipedia), but no source says whether the pedestal drives a cable and quadrant or a geared steerer. A guide online labelled 1977 Cal 29 is really the original Cal 29 owner's guide (standard outboard, varnished tiller), not the 2-29's.

Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.

Sources disagree on water tank — left blank rather than guessed.

Cruising-equipped version of the Cal 29 (1968-1974, 624 built, Atomic 4 gas) on the same hull; the 2-29 added a diesel, pressure water, pedestal steering, shore power and extra water tankage as standard. Both versions were built concurrently for a time; more than 1,000 of the two combined. Sources read do not state whether the hull is solid or cored.

Engines fitted

Generator

Owner's guide mentions only an optional 12 V battery with master switch and fuses; no AC system or generator.

Known problems for this model

Model sources (6)

sailboatdata.com · sailboatdata.com · forums.sailboatowners.com · en.wikipedia.org · pages.sssnet.com · richardanderson.net

Other Cal models

Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.