Design and Construction
Zaal’s hull measures 10.36 meters overall, with an 8.41-meter waterline, 3.40-meter beam, and 1.75-meter draft. Displacement is 7.4 tonnes, of which 3.2 tonnes—roughly 42 percent—is ballast. Testers called it a whopping 43 per cent ballast.
That mass isn’t simply dead weight. The enormous 7.4-tonne displacement provides plenty of momentum and, therefore, more speed when you steer anchor.
The hull and deck are made from thick, solid polyester laminates, with no cored structure below. Contest boats were—and still are—built under Lloyds supervision.
The floor assembly, including the keel and skeg, was laminated separately, then glued into an inwardly watertight recess in the hull and broadly laminated over. There are no keel bolts. The connecting surface between keel and hull is huge, and the keel itself is filled with lead ballast, iron filings, and polyester resin thickened with Portland cement.
A circumferential seam on the hull was filled with polyester filler. Typical Contest teak rubbing strakes finish the topsides.
Rig, Cockpit, and Handling
The Contest 34 has a masthead sloop rig, with a 26.0 square-meter mainsail and a 35.0-square-meter, 125 percent furling genoa. The mainsheet runs on the bridge deck, while large genoa winches sit on the coaming within easy reach of the helmsman.
Steering is through a very direct—but also completely unfeeling—mini steering wheel. Owners report great directional stability under way. The cockpit is spacious yet easy to use under sail, a combination well suited to short-handed cruising.
Accommodation
The engine sits well forward, leaving the accommodation aft largely quiet. To port, the galley has a cooker and oven, fridge, and sink. Saloon benches run along both sides, with a large navigation table opposite.
A passageway into the foredeck is offset to starboard. Beside the chart table, a folding door opens into the aft cabin. Height at the doorway may be only 1.52 metres, but the cabin itself provides 1.66 metres of headroom.
There’s a bunk on each side of the aft cabin. The port berth measures 1.05 metres wide by 1.93 metres long. The starboard berth is only 67 centimetres wide, but it extends to 2.03 metres. A small hatch opening to the cockpit provides ventilation.
Forward, the foredeck bunk is genuinely large: two metres long and 1.80 metres wide at shoulder height. Saloon headroom ranges from 1.93 to 1.97 metres. In the wet room, it reaches as much as 2.05 metres beneath the hatch, while the standing area measures 0.95 by 0.80 metres. Buyers could choose teak or mahogany interior surfaces.
Engine and Original Equipment
The standard engine was a 25-horse diesel. The tested boat had Volvo’s MD 17C, a single-circuit-cooled unit that was still running at 42 years old. Other examples were fitted with a Volvo rated at 27 kW (36 hp).
Hot water originally came from a gas-fired instantaneous heater. This period appliance poses a carbon-monoxide hazard aboard and should be removed.
Known Issues
Two structural points matter during a survey. Osmosis can occur on the Contest 34, although problems with softened core materials aren’t known in old boats.
The circumferential seam is a more specific concern. Its polyester filler absorbs moisture and crumbles away over the decades. Designer Dick Zaal recommends simply sanding down the seam and sealing it with epoxy filler.
The thick solid laminate and boltless keel structure make for a straightforward ownership case. The principal items to watch are the seam, any osmotic blistering, and the original gas water heater.
The Verdict
The Contest 34 is a heavy, well-structured Dutch cruiser that trades sparkle for steadiness. Its separately laminated, glue-bonded keel structure and Lloyds-supervised solid-glass construction inspire confidence in the hull. The accommodating layout—particularly the vast foredeck berth and usable aft cabin—should suit two couples or a family on passage.
The main caveats come with age: crumbling seam filler, possible osmosis, and the hazardous original water heater.
Pros
- Thick, solid polyester laminates in the hull and deck, with Lloyds-supervised construction
- Huge glue-bonded keel-to-hull interface, with no keel bolts and a lead-ballast keel
- Spacious, sail-friendly cockpit with bridge-deck mainsheet and coaming winches
- Large foredeck berth and separate aft cabin, plus standing headroom in the saloon and wet room
- Strong momentum and directional stability from the 7.4-tonne displacement
Cons
- Circumferential seam filler absorbs water and crumbles with age
- Osmosis can appear on the hull
- The original gas instantaneous water heater poses a carbon-monoxide hazard
- The mini steering wheel was described as completely unfeeling
