Axopar 29 Cross Cabin Video Review: The New 29, Shown by Its Designer
By the YachtWay editorial deskUpdated October 2026Video walkthrough6 min read
The Axopar 29 Cross Cabin replaces the 28 and was unveiled at the Düsseldorf boat show. Jan-Erik Viitala, Axopar's founding partner and creative director, walked us through it. The 29 has a new design language, a bigger aft cabin with a large loading hatch, a bow with a forward-facing bench and a U-shaped sofa, a multi cabin that can sleep two, wider doors and a panoramic windscreen with no rear pillars.
Form follows function
Every shape on the new 29 has a job. The curves along the deck guide you as you move around a boat that is never still. Compared with the 28, it is easier to walk around, the bow seats more people, the cabin is brighter and the floor is flat all the way through. Axopar says she drives like a much bigger boat and uses a little less fuel than the 28 with the same power.
What stood out on board
- A bigger aft cabinWider and longer than the 28, with a large loading hatch for bags.
- A U-shaped bow sofaIt seats up to eight around a high-low table.
- A table that movesA third leg lets you shift it back or lower it into a sunbed.
- A multi cabinStorage as standard, with an optional toilet and a bed for two.
- A panoramic windscreenNo rear pillars, so passengers get a view from the back too.
- A flat floor insideNo threshold, with more head clearance than the 28.
Spec sheet at a glance
| Feature | What you get | The benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Length overall | 30 ft 7 in (9.3 m) | Easy to handle and berth |
| Beam | 9 ft 10 in (3 m) | Trailerable in some regions |
| Draft | 2 ft 11 in (0.9 m) | Fine for shallow bays |
| Dry weight | 6,393 lb (2.9 t) | Light and efficient |
| Engine | Single Mercury Verado, 300 to 400 hp | Less fuel than the 28 (builder claim) |
| Fuel | 105 gal (397 L) | A full day out |
| Layout | Aft cabin and a multi cabin | Sleeps up to four |
| Bow | U-shaped sofa, bench, high-low table | Seats up to eight |
| Speeds | Not covered in the video | We did not sea trial this boat |
Step inside: interactive 3D virtual walkthrough
Drag to look around. Tap the hotspots to move through the boat.
Design language
The 29 has a completely new design language. Concave and complex shapes are there to guide you around the boat, not just to look good.
- Walkways.Easier to move around than on the 28.
- Bow flare.Wider, for more space and bigger lockers.
Aft cabin
The aft cabin is bigger, wider and longer than on the 28. It brings back a loading hatch from the first 28, now much larger.
- Overnights.A good choice for a few nights aboard.
- Storage.Or drop your bags in through the hatch and go.
Bow
The bow is the biggest change. There is now a forward-facing bench, and the L-shaped sofa extends into a full U for up to eight people.
- Table.High-low, so it lowers into a sunbed.
- Third leg.Moves the table back toward the bench.
- Storage.Larger lockers with top-loading latches.
- Anchor locker.Wider and easier to reach.
Multi cabin
The new multi cabin opens from outside. As standard it is a storage space with a bench in the middle.
- Toilet.Optional, with a hidden sink.
- Bed.Drop the step and add cushions to sleep two.
Interior
The doors are reshaped and much wider. Inside, the panoramic windscreen now runs all the way back, with no rear pillars.
- B pillar.Strengthened, so the others could go.
- Floor.Flat all round, with no threshold.
- Seat base.Asymmetric, for easier access aft.
- Headroom.More than on the 28.
Driving
Axopar says the 29 drives like a much bigger boat, closer to a small 37, with the same cutting bow and a smooth ride in a chop.
- Fuel.A little less than the 28 with the same power, per Axopar.
- Handling.Reworked compared with the 28.
The Axopar 29 Cross Cabin is a smart step up from the 28. The bow is far more social, the aft cabin and multi cabin add real flexibility, and the panoramic windscreen makes the cabin feel open. Hearing the ideas behind each change from the designer shows how much thought went into it. For a compact boat that does a bit of everything, she is well worth a look.
Found your Axopar 29 XC Cross Cabin? Insure it in minutes with MasterCover by YachtWay, our in-house cover built for owners of boats like this one.
Other reviews you might like
15:35Axopar 38 XC Cross Cabin ReviewSame brand · The new Axopar 38 XC Cross Cabin, with twin Mercury 350 V10 outboards, an aft window that opens, manual side terraces and two places to sleep below.
9:55Axopar 45 XC Cross Cabin ReviewSame brand · A 46 ft Axopar with an enclosed cabin, gullwing doors on both sides, sides that fold down at the stern, a full-size head and triple Mercury 300 outboards.
10:32Axopar 29 CCX ReviewSame brand · A 31 ft Axopar built for US fishing, with rod holders on the hardtop, higher padded gunwales, a hidden galley under the helm seats and a cabin with a toilet under the bow.In this video
- Presented by
- Jan-Erik Viitala
- Axopar Founding Partner and Creative & Innovation Director
- Filmed by
- YachtWay Studios