Design and Construction
Zaal's mid-seventies design pairs a 27.92-foot overall length with a 9.33-foot beam, an l/b ratio of 3.00 that reads as a fairly narrow, easily driven hull rather than a beamy weekender. The 22.42-foot waterline and 6,173-pound displacement place her in the moderate-racer category by displacement-length ratio (245), while the 47% ballast ratio and 2,910 pounds of lead on the fin keel give a capsize screening value of 2.03 — a figure that, as yachtdatabase's review notes, would bar her from ocean-race acceptance. The wetted surface of about 247 square feet and immersion rate of 727 pounds per inch describe a hull that sits sensibly in the water and settles predictably under load.
Rig and Handling
The Contest 28 carries a masthead sloop rig with 440 square feet of sail, returning a sail-area/displacement ratio of 20.92 — enough to keep her moving in a breeze without demanding a race-crew effort. Her draft runs roughly 5.31 to 5.61 feet depending on load, which lets her into most marinas while preserving a useful fin-keel bite. The theoretical displacement hull speed is 6.3 knots, and the Motion Comfort Ratio of 20.1 suggests a settled, low-acceleration motion profile for a boat of this length.
Accommodations
The Contest 28 carries 32 gallons of water and 20 gallons of diesel, supporting short coastal cruises rather than long independent passages.
The Verdict
The Contest 28 is a small, sensibly proportioned Dutch cruiser-racer of the late-1970s school: narrow enough to be easily driven, ballast-stable, and built in modest numbers by Conyplex under Zaal's hand. Her ratios place her among moderate racers with a comfort-oriented motion, though the capsize screen confirms she was never intended for offshore racing.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with lead-ballasted fin keel and 47% ballast ratio
- Narrow, easily driven hull (l/b 3.00) with manageable masthead rig
- Moderate draft keeps her accessible to most marinas
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.03 excludes ocean-race participation
- Fewer than 200 built, limiting the used fleet and shared owner knowledge
