I am searching the availability of plan/s for the Duncanson 29 or it's approx. equiv. Compass 29. Essentially I wish to view the design detail in plan and cross-section and other useful elevation. Can anybody point me in the right direction to acquire/purchase same. Thank you. Nautique.

Try here,

groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/compass-yacht-group

Are you thinking of building? I have a nearly completed duncanson 10 metre for sale at about 10% of its value

Hey Andy59

Certainly send me the details I would be interested, am just hunting for a boat at the moment....

Not sure why you compare the Duncanson 29 with a Compass 29. The Duncanson sails well at a reasonable speed, the Compass doesn't.

Two 29 footers, but very different
as a previous owner of Duncanson29 ..Cascade..
I would not touch Duncanson29 any more
Would not mind to own Compas 29.

Hi Andy - not looking to build a Duncanson 29 but to restore one. I would be interested to know where you have sourced your plans from (methinks Quinns here in SA/Adelaide might be one source - they have built a few over time) so that I can follow suit. Would also be interested to know where to source used or new bits from (S.A. or elsewhere), I'm particularly interested in a steering wheel and pedestal, and spars. Tks for your response Andy. Cheers Barry/Nautique.

Thank you, I will. Nautique.

Hello MorningBird. Not attempting a comparison. I'm aware there is an ancestral connection between a Dunc 29 and Compass 28, though there is conjecture about which gave birth to which, and I'm not particularly interested other than for design similarities - though on balance argument seems to favour John Duncanson having the Compass in mind when conceiving the Dunc 29. Cheers, Nautique.

Hi Charriot; you could be right. Happy sailing. Nautique.

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Charriot said..
Two 29 footers, but very different
as a previous owner of Duncanson29 ..Cascade..
I would not touch Duncanson29 any more
Would not mind to own Compas 29.

Having done a short coastal voyage from Lake Macquarie to Port Stephens (or is it Stevens??), I would never own one of those yachts.

Not sure the relevance or purpose of that comment Cisco. But otherwise this is a good forum for useful information. Thank you all. Nautique.

My apology. I should have been more specific. The voyage I did was on a Compass 29 and from that experience I have determined I would never own one.

I have no experience of Duncanson 29s.

Hi Nautique
this wheel and pedestal will be coming off the boat in july when i convert to tiller steering.

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Nautique said..
Hi Andy - not looking to build a Duncanson 29 but to restore one. I would be interested to know where you have sourced your plans from (methinks Quinns here in SA/Adelaide might be one source - they have built a few over time) so that I can follow suit. Would also be interested to know where to source used or new bits from (S.A. or elsewhere), I'm particularly interested in a steering wheel and pedestal, and spars. Tks for your response Andy. Cheers Barry/Nautique.

Hi Nautique
John Duncanson designed the boat to built by assembling all the internal furniture and bulkheads from CNC cut marine ply and epoxy. The hull was then formed over the framework using end grain balsa and 600g eglass. I will post some pics if you are interested

I will send you a PM re the mast and pedestal i have for sale

Cisco, could you be more specific re your critique of the Compass 29? Pointing? Speed? Hull motion? Weather helm?

Hi Andy

That's very interesting and lost likely useful information. More pics sounds splendid, wld love to see. I have responded to yr PM accordingly. Many thanks for your information and offers - greatly appreciated.

Nautique, AKA Barry.

Yara, my sister had a Compass 29 which I sailed quite a few times. A roomy well laid out little boat that is solid and very forgiving, but:
- They are very slow compared to just about anything else that length. The Swanson 28 is probably worse.
- They do not point very well at all. New sails helped but 60-65 deg off the wind was pushing it.
- They suffer from lots of weather helm. My sisters had a bow sprit for the forestay and an inner stay with a stay sail but even with the extra sail area forward it still suffered badly.
I have sailed one Duncanson 29 (my first yacht was a Dunc 26) and I thought it sailed well and was a nice boat.

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Yara said..
Cisco, could you be more specific re your critique of the Compass 29? Pointing? Speed? Hull motion? Weather helm?

Yes. For me yachts are all about practicality.

1. If the yacht is not slippery through the water, it is not practical. Compass 29s are a dog in the water, be it under sail or motor. The Compass 29 I sailed on had the same engine (Yanmar 2 QM 15) as my Lotus 9.2 has. The difference in speed with engine is at least 1.5 knots.

2. Access. On a yacht the busiest area is the companionway from cockpit to cabin. Compass 29s do not have a sliding hatchway. Going below from cockpit to cabin is literally a pain in the neck/back/head.

3. Design. While the might look pretty sitting at a marina, they are NOT pretty to sail. Common knowledge is that a Compass 28 is a lot better boat to sail than a Compass 29.

4. Saleability. There are a heap of them for sale. There has to be a message in that.

5. Cabin layout. The stbd quarter berth is a pit in which it is very difficult to rest let alone sleep. The stbd galley is a snack bar only and not suitable for cooking on longer passages. The port side dinette is barely big enough for two to eat at, let alone entertaining guests.

6. Sailing ability. We did not get much chance to sail on that voyage due to conditions but we did roll out the head sail and it did nothing to steady the horrible motion in the seaway.

I could go on but I won't. I think they are a dog of a boat.

If you can find one of these for $30,000, you should buy it like I did.

sailboatdata.com/sailboat/lotus-92

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MorningBird said..
Yara, my sister had a Compass 29 which I sailed quite a few times. A roomy well laid out little boat that is solid and very forgiving, but:
- They are very slow compared to just about anything else that length. The Swanson 28 is probably worse.
- They do not point very well at all. New sails helped but 60-65 deg off the wind was pushing it.
- They suffer from lots of weather helm. My sisters had a bow sprit for the forestay and an inner stay with a stay sail but even with the extra sail area forward it still suffered badly.
I have sailed one Duncanson 29 (my first yacht was a Dunc 26) and I thought it sailed well and was a nice boat.

I've sailed a Northerner 28. This was the fore runner of the Compass 28/29 but with timber furniture. At the time I thought it went well but when the wind freshens they just wont go to windward. They are also cramped inside. I looked after my mates boat a few months ago and often went to my boat directly afterwards and was surprised how roomy my boat was in comparison. And my boat is narrower than other 30 footers.

The Compass 28 sails far better than the 29.