We covered the Sunbeam 32.1 recently, and hot on its heels is a smaller sibling, the Sunbeam 29.1, as this long-running Austrian yard updates is range of ultra-modern, stylish weekenders.

The yard believes there is more of a market in luxurious dayboats and weekenders than basic small cruising yachts. It takes many of its cues from the 32.1 and aims for much the same concept – that of being a boat that’s easy to sail, with decent sailing performance and large, open spaces for sailing and socialising despite its diminutive size.

To achieve this, Sunbeam has stripped out much of the cruising clobber it believes its customers don’t want, so boat owners can step aboard and sail with minimal faff.

All lines are led aft to the coamings under the novel coachroof cowlings to just forward of the helm – unusually this boat has tiller steering driving twin rudders positioned well outboard – leaving space at the forward end of the cockpit for guests to relax and sit back. The bathing platform is the fixed open end of the cockpit, rather than the electric slide-out flush platform of her bigger sister, but there’s still plenty of space for easy access to the water with a fold-out bathing ladder stowed under a panel in the deck.

Compact galley and heads below deck.

Below decks, she reflects the brand’s new minimalist aesthetic. The small galley and the full heads are optional, but I’d imagine few will want to be without them. There isn’t space for an aft double berth in this boat, so accommodation is restricted to the triangular double at the forward end of the saloon – perfectly adequate for a couple for a day or two. Huge coachroof windows and two large hatches let in lots of light, though gone are the radical hull windows of the 32.1.

Despite the open-plan layout below, the full GRP frame and stringers have been laminated into the hull, as have joinery and bulkheads.

The dimensions of the boat – one centimetre under 9m long and 2.49m wide, and with a displacement of 2,000kg – mean that she is road-trailable, thanks in part to her electric-hydraulic lifting keel which gives her a draught of just 85cm when raised, and a full 1.85m when lowered.

With 35% of her weight in the keel (700kg) and a sailplan that promises a generous 47m2 of canvas upwind, plus a Code Zero or gennaker flown from the bowsprit downwind, this boat should be a pretty lively performer, though not a race boat per se. Standard auxiliary propulsion will be a 4kW electric pod drive with 8.2kWh batteries.

The Sunbeam 29.1 is due to debut at Boot Düsseldorf in January 2024.

Sunbeam 29.1 specifications

LOA: 8.99m / 29ft 6in
Hull length: 8.99 / 29ft 6in
LWL: 7.90 / 25ft 11in
Beam: 2.49 / 8ft 2in
Draught: 0.85m (2ft 9in) – 1.85m (6ft 1in)
Sail area: 47m2 / 506 sq ft
Displacement: 2,000kg / 4,409 lbs
Ballast: 700kg / 1,543 lbs
Price: From €124,900
Contact: www.sunbeam-yachts.com

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