Olson 29
Description
The Olson 29 is a high-performance American racer-cruiser designed by George Olson (a Santa Cruz, California-based designer and builder known for ultralight displacement boats or ULDBs, including the iconic Olson 30). It was built by Pacific Boat Works (Santa Cruz, CA) starting in 1984–1985 as an updated evolution of the Olson 30, sharing the same hull but with forward-thinking changes: an elliptical keel and rudder for better efficiency, a fractional sloop rig for easier handling and power control, and an open transom for weight savings and modern aesthetics. Production was very limited—only 25–27 hulls were built (per owner databases and class history), making it quite rare today. It's renowned for spirited performance (light displacement for planing/surfing downwind, good upwind pointing with the fractional rig), stiffness, and fun factor—competitive in PHRF/MORC racing (ratings ~93–114) while offering basic cruising amenities (compact interior with 4–5 berths, small galley/heads, and storage for weekend/coastal use).
Construction Details
| Designer | George Olson |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pacific Boat Works |
| Length | 29.000 ft |
| LOA | 29.670 ft |
| LWL | 27.500 ft |
| Beam | 9.330 ft |
| Displacement | 3600 lb |
| Ballast | 1950 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.580 ft |
| Year Built | 1984 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 34 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 11 ft |
| p | 32.50 ft |
| e | 11.50 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 ft | 11 ft | 32.50 ft | 11.50 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Olson 29 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 32.5 ft - (9906 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11.5 ft - (3505 mm) |
| Leech | * 33.95 ft - (10348 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.98 ° |
| Diagonal | * 34.09 ft - (10391 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | 186.66 ft² |
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Olson 29 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 28.59 ft - (8714 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14.6 ft - (4450 mm) |
| Leech | * 24.78 ft - (7553 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.65 ft - (3856 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 180.88 ft² |
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Olson 29 - GENOA
| Luff | * 33.95 ft - (10348 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 17.79 ft - (5422 mm) |
| Leech | * 31.91 ft - (9726 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.5 ft - (5029 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 280.16 ft² |
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Olson 29 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 33.95 ft - (10348 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 19.8 ft - (6035 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.8 ft - (6035 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 571.38 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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