Contest 32 CS Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Contest 32 CS means looking at a Dick Zaal centre-cockpit cruiser built between 1978 and 1985, hulls 001 through 102, and found almost entirely in the Netherlands. She is a beamy, high-freeboard pure cruiser with a small galley and a large aftercabin, and the used Contest 32 CSs you meet will reflect that northern-European cruising pedigree rather than a sunny-weekend spec.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 32 CS is a centre-cockpit design with six or seven berths: a large aftercabin with double and single bunk, two forecabin berths, a dinette saloon, a modest chart table, a large heads in the main cabin, and the noted small galley. Some boats carry the optional cockpit screen or full wheelhouse, which changes the helming experience noticeably. Sloop and ketch rigs both exist, so confirm which you are boarding — the ketch spreads sail area and simplifies short-handed handling at the cost of a more complex rig to maintain.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Cabin heating is commonly fitted on these boats, a reflection of their Netherlands market and cold-season use. Beyond that, the available material gives no strong upgrade patterns to chase, so judge each boat on the condition of its rig, canvas, and systems rather than on a presumed options list. A wheelhouse or cockpit screen, where present, is a factory option rather than a later add-on to expect widely.
What to Inspect
The available material on the 32 CS is thin on defects, and the only accommodation caveat from period review is the small galley — not a structural or safety issue, but a liveability limit to confirm against your own cooking plans. No drainage, flooding, or structural known issues appear in the available material, so a standard survey for a 1978–1985 solid-laminate cruiser remains your best protection: hull laminate soundness, rigging age, and engine service history on the Volvo Penta MD17.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in the Netherlands. For a buyer, the checklist is short and practical:
- Confirm rig type (sloop or ketch) and condition
- Verify heating is present if cold-weather cruising matters
- Check the small galley against your needs
- Survey the solid laminate hull and Volvo Penta MD17
- Expect a Netherlands-based search rather than a broad regional spread
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Contest 32 CS. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25 | 1 | $27,984 | — |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $55,856 | +99.6% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $67,050 | +20.0% |
| May 26 | 1 | $33,021 | -50.8% |
| Oct 26 | 1 | $31,342 | -5.1% |
Where they're listed
Contest 32 CS listings appear across 2 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 3 (75.0%), followed by Spain.
Country view
4 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $33,021 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% |
| Spain | $31,342 | 1 | 1 | 25.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contessa 32 | 32' | $ 32,972 | 68 | 20 |
| Contest 38s | 37.25' | $ 62,867 | 17 | 4 |
| Conyplex 33 | 32.25' | $ 24,500 | 15 | 4 |
| CS 33 | 32.67' | $ 21,037 | 13 | 3 |
| Contest 32 CSYou are here | — | $ 33,021 | 5 | 1 |