Design and Construction
Conyplex built the Contest 30 Mk I with a solid fiberglass hull and deck and offered different keel alternatives during the production run.
The boat measures 30.02 feet overall, with a 24.87-foot waterline and a 9.28-foot beam. She displaces 8,818 pounds and carries 4,079 pounds of lead ballast. Her length-to-beam ratio of 3.23 makes her slimmer than 62 percent of similar designs. Wetted surface is near 258 square feet, while the immersion rate is about 804 pounds per inch. Theoretical hull speed is 6.7 knots.
Rig and Handling
The masthead rig carries 362.5 square feet of mainsail-and-jib area. The slim hull tracks calmly under this modest rig.
Rigging dimensions are:
- Halyards: 22.9 meters at 10 mm
- Genoa and jib sheets: 9.2 meters at 12 mm
- Mainsheet: 22.9 meters at 12 mm
- Kicking strap and clew outhaul: 6.6 meters at 10 mm
- Cunningham: 3.3 meters
Accommodations
The slim length-to-beam ratio works against generous transverse volume below. The result is the compact interior envelope of a period 30-footer rather than the space found in a modern, beamy cruiser.
Known Issues and Ownership
Because the design was produced with different keel alternatives, a prospective owner must identify the keel configuration fitted to a particular hull. No deterioration pattern is cited for the solid fiberglass hull and deck.
As a Conyplex design dating from 1966, the Contest 30 Mk I predates the builder’s later certification and infusion eras. The ownership considerations identified here are limited to the rigging dimensions and the question of keel configuration.
The Verdict
The Contest 30 Mk I is a slim-beamed Dutch fiberglass sloop from the mid-1960s, designed by Uus van Essen and built by Conyplex. Her proportions favor seakindly tracking over interior volume.
Pros
- Slim hull, with a 3.23 length-to-beam ratio—narrower than 62 percent of similar designs
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck
- Moderate working sail area of 362.5 square feet
Cons
- Keel alternatives aren’t specified, so the configuration must be identified hull by hull
- Narrow beam limits interior space
- Early-series construction predates later quality programs
