This proven design from renowned builders- Bristol, make this a special little Yacht. The design fundamentals and ease of handling make her a perfect boat to start your sailing adventures. She is equally at home short tacking up rivers (easy with only 4ft 3ins draft) or take advantage of her high ballast/displacement ratio and sturdy construction and cruise to the Bahamas.
This proven design from renowned builders- Bristol, make this a special little Yacht. The design fundamentals and ease of handling make her a perfect boat to start your sailing adventures. She is equally at home short tacking up rivers (easy with only 4ft 3ins draft) or take advantage of her high ballast/displacement ratio and sturdy construction and cruise to the Bahamas.
The following are excerpts from a write-up on a Bristol 29.9 from the Bristol Owners website
The Bristol 29.9 came out in 1977 as a way to tap into the market for roomier, more modern sailboats while maintaining the Bristol reputation for tough, seaworthy vessels.
Designed by Halsey Herreshoff, the 29.9 is a departure from his earlier full-keel designs for Bristol, with a long fin keel and a rudder protected by a full skeg.
“Herreshoff … located the engine way aft for better utilization of interior space. This, plus ample beam and over six feet of headroom, provide exceptional spaciousness and convenience for her size,” the Bristol brochure said.
The 29.9 is a beamy 10 feet, 2 inches that even allows for a small chart table at the head of the quarter berth on the port side, a rarity in this size of sailboat.
Otherwise, it was traditionally styled with a V berth up front, with a head to port and hanging locker to starboard behind it and a salon with double settees, one of which converts to a small double.
The galley had two versions: In one, the sink was traditionally located near the companionway hatch, where it could get in the way of someone not watching where he is going. In the second model, it is forward of the stove.
As with most sailboats, Bristol built too many berths — six. The 29.9 can carry a couple comfortably, as well as a couple of small children, or two couples who don’t mind being up close and personal.
The 29.9 came out as Bristol was transforming itself into a top-notch sailboat builder, so the gear was all best quality for the time and the wood was mahogany and teak. The cabins were beautifully finished.
In a September 2011 online comment, one owner vouched for the seaworthiness of the 29.9: “You can take a 29.9 anywhere and in any weather you are dumb enough to sail (in). We’ve owned Paloma since she was almost new and sail offshore most of the time. We have sailed her all over the Gulf of Mexico, including the 600+ mile trip to Isla Mujeres several times and the Galveston to Vera Cruz race three times,” said John Shasteen of Houston Tx., owner of Paloma, a 1979 Bristol 29.9.
“Twice, over the years, we have been caught in Force 10 storms, the most recent was in March of ’08 – according to Coast Guard New Orleans, and confirmed by Coast Guard South Padre, the winds were 50-60, gusting higher and seas were 28-30 feet in the area were were in — we ran before the storm for some 36 hours before it finally abated – we worried for ourselves, but not for Paloma.”
We’re confident that once we’re finished with our refit, Pegu Club is going to take us anywhere we want to go.
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