Contest 28 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Contest 28 means looking at one of the rarer small Dutch sloops of the late 1970s: Dick Zaal's masthead design, built by Conyplex N.V. from 1976 to 1981 in hull numbers 001 through 121, with fewer than 200 afloat. She is a solid-fiberglass fin-keel boat of moderate displacement, and the buyer's task is less about variant-hunting and more about assessing a low-production hull honestly.
Layouts on the Used Market
The engineering envelope tells the buyer what to expect in service: roughly 32 gallons of water and 20 gallons of diesel, a 247-square-foot wetted surface, and a load-dependent draft near 5.3 to 5.6 feet. Those numbers describe a compact coastal cruiser, not a long-range liveaboard, and any specific arrangement is a matter of the particular hull you inspect.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Equipment on these boats must be treated generally. Given the 20-gallon diesel and single Volvo Penta installation, the most consequential buyer questions are whether the engine and its fuel system remain serviceable and whether tankage matches the original spec. A masthead rig with 440 square feet of sail implies routine standing- and running-rig inspection rather than a prescribed upgrade path.
What to Inspect
The buyer should verify the capsize screening value of 2.03 as a reminder that the hull was not built to ocean-race standards, and confirm the immersion rate of 727 pounds per inch against any added ballast or tankage that could alter her load behavior.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
No regional availability data was provided for this model. For a buyer, the takeaway is a short checklist: confirm hull number and production year against the 1976–1981 span; verify the original Conyplex build and solid fiberglass hull; check the Volvo Penta diesel and 20-gallon fuel capacity; inspect rig and sail area for wear; and accept that the 2.03 capsize screen limits her to coastal and inshore use.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Contest 28. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $1,137 | — |
| May 26 | 1 | $10,177 | +795.1% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $10,177 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Contest 28 listings appear across 1 country. Netherlands has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $10,177 | 2 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contessa 28 | 27.67' | $ 9,666 | 29 | 13 |
| Friendship 28 | 28.54' | $ 11,258 | 25 | 5 |
| Colvic Countess 28 | 28' | $ 12,924 | 19 | 4 |
| Cape Dory 28 | 28.1' | $ 18,000 | 15 | 3 |
| Nordship 28 | 28.71' | $ 22,169 | 10 | 2 |
| Contest 28You are here | — | $ 10,177 | 2 | 1 |