Axopar 29

Fast and functional, with the Axopar 29, no stone goes unturned.

Looking to maintain dominance in a sector of the market they pioneered, Axopar have hit the water running with their new 29. Replacing the highly successful Axopar 28, this boat, with the option of Mercury’s formidable 400hp V10 outboard, has an impressive new hull and a notable list of design features.

We took a walk around the Axopar 29 at it’s launch at Boot 2024. Take a look

Upstaging the 28 was not an easy task, but with the benefit of hindsight, Axopar have taken this twin-step deep-vee design to the next level. They claim efficiency gains of 30% on a like-for-like basis founded on displacement. The 29 is a slightly larger boat, but the new hull makes it somewhat more efficient than its predecessor. Much of this efficiency is based on tweaking the hull steps, but it has also been gained by widening the rakish forefoot a bit – consequently providing more buoyancy and internal space but still keeping its dagger-like qualities. The most visible difference in the 29 is extra bow flare. This allows the boat to be fitted with a blunt forepeak, enabling forward dockside access; but the primary purpose of flaring the bow is to provide a drier ride. In stern seas, the extra forward buoyancy of the new hull will benefit the 29 when riding up and over wave patterns, an aspect that was not the 28’s strongest sailing point. To further enhance its big-sea credentials and safety on board underway, the 29 has higher topsides than the 28, which tend to make it look bigger than it is.

Engine options are all Mercury. The base choice is a single 300hp V8 Verado, which will take this vessel to around 38–40 knots. For those that want the extra reassurance of a twin rig, there is the option of twin 200hp V6 Mercury FourStrokes, which will provide around 44 knots. However, Mercury’s new 350hp and 400hp V10 outboards will fully release the hull’s potential. The 400hp V10 produces a claimed 48 knots, and a respectable 2.4–2.8 nmpg at low cruising speeds of between 25 and 30 knots. It is, of course, fitted with Mercury’s joystick (JPO) for easy berthing, which with bow thruster integration enables this system to be used with a single-engine set-up.

The wet bar option on the XC takes away the aft cabin.

There are two versions of the 29: the Cross Cabin (XC) and the Sun Top (ST). The XC is an archetypal Axopar, with its fully enclosed wheelhouse and reverse-slope windscreen. The ST is a ‘wind in your hair’ open boat with a long T-top fitted with an electric sunroof. Both boats share the same forward heads design taken from the 28, which puts this compartment on the foredeck in front of the helm. Officially known as the ‘multi cabin’, it is accessed by hingeing up the forward-facing bow seat, which rides up on gas struts revealing some rather clever folding teak steps. With the bow seat hatch shut, you can sit on the toilet, and behind it is a folding sink, which you would likely not know was there. You are also provided with easy access to the system electrics and circuit breakers, courtesy of a hatch in the aft bulkhead. The crucial difference between this compartment and that found on the 28 is that the volume and depth is larger, meaning this area is no longer just a heads compartment, but can double up as a small sleeping cabin with the optional mattress cushions. The foredecks on both boats are fitted with a U-shaped seating area, which converts to a sunbed using the small table and cushions that are stowed in one of the under-seat lockers. Side deck access on the XC is improved over the 28 with some ‘sculpturing’ which has been done to make deck movement easier than it was on the former.

The multi cabin is accessed through the forward bow seating.

The toilet sits under the berth.

The folding sink is a novel idea.

Forward access to the aft cabin requires the back seat to be folded up.

The design of the ST is remarkable insomuch as it manages to provide a large table (taken from the Axopar 45), which with the helm seats reversed provides dining space for eight. The surrounding U-shaped sofa easily converts to a giant sunbed, whose curved seat back can be configured for aft- or forward-facing occupants in sunbed mode. It can also be set up to create a bench seat behind the helm seats. The beauty of all these configurations is that their proximity to the helm and the tall wrap-around windscreen means that those sprawled out behind the skipper are also kept sheltered from the wind blast.

The aft cabin has a sunbed on top.

The Wet Bar version has a large storage area behind the crew seats.

Seating for three behind the helm seats in the XC.

The XC takes a different approach to boating needs and, not surprisingly, will be the more popular option for UK waters. The wheelhouse is accessed by two substantial sliding doors that shut with battleship-like precision. All-round visibility is outstanding, headroom has been increased over the 28, and the helm has been designed to accommodate the latest generation of widescreen MFDs. The XC comes in two configurations: Wet Bar and Aft Cabin. The Wet Bar version has a large galley across the back end of the wheelhouse, while the aft cabin on the latter boat, in the same manner as the 28, is accessed by lifting up the port-side seating behind the helm, or by lifting the sunbed roof of the cabin. Axopar have done a good job of stretching this cabin to use every inch, and being open plan to the wheelhouse, it is far from cramped. It is also illuminated by a long stern window. This version of the XC makes up for the lack of a full-size galley with a sink located beneath the folding navigator’s seat and a top-opening cool box under the helmsman’s seat. There is also the option of a small wet bar/BBQ in the port quarter, located in what otherwise would be a fender locker.

The multi cabin steps can fold flat to create an infill section for the bed.

The aft cabin looking back.

You can access the aft cabin through the sunbed.

Axopar have designed both these boats based on customer feedback and hindsight, and it shows. Innovation and functionality may be bywords in yacht design, but no stone has been left unturned with the new 29, and not a single square inch has been wasted. The first vessels have just arrived in the UK, pricing starts at £180,000 (inc. VAT) for the ST with a 350hp V10 Mercury.

Specifications

LOA: 9.4m
Beam: 2.98m
Displacement: 2.8 tonnes (excl. engines)
Fuel capacity: 400L
Berths: 2
CE rating: B/C
Engine options: 2 x 200hp Mercury V6s, 1 x 300hp Mercury V8 or 1 x 350hp/400hp Mercury V10