WhatÕs she like in port and at anchor?

The 290 is undoubtedly spacious for a 29ft boat due to her ample beam and plumb ends. Her internal layout makes the most of the available space, although some might balk at the position of the heads, forward of the saloon.

This boat is ideally suited to a couple, using the forepeak to sleep if they’re not over 5ft 8in tall, otherwise the roomier double berth in the aft cabin. Stowage is reasonable in both cabins, in bins below the berths, although it can be awkward to get at.

The saloon is wide and the seating comfortable, and once the table leaf is raised there’s easily space for four to eat in comfort or six to take drinks. The woodwork is good quality and creates a warm ambience, although the white headlining keeps it bright and modern-looking, too. The heads door is a squeeze to get through, but head- and elbow-room is good once inside and it’s a much more pleasant experience than on many others I’ve tried on boats of this size. It has all the mod cons including a shower, lockers and hatches to keep it fresh, furthermore the GRP insert means it’s easy to keep clean. Her galley is excellent for a 29-footer, with room for a properly-sized cooker and fridge and enough worktop space to enable easy food preparation.

She also has a large cockpit which, with the tiller hinged up, can easily accommodate six when socialising.