Design and Construction
Zaal gave the 35S a powerful hull form with relatively full sections compared to many modern racer-cruisers, and a moderate displacement-to-length ratio of 249 that yields reasonable cruising speed without chasing the ultralight end of the market anchor. The structure itself is solidly built and very well finished in the period-review sense. The hull and deck are laminated from chopped strand mat, cloth, and woven roving, cored with end-grain balsa, and Conyplex assembled the hull and deck as a unit before the interior was built—the reverse of usual practice. The hull-to-deck joint is glassed over with at least seven layers of cloth and through-bolted, then raised clear of a teak rubrail and stainless strip so the seam stays protected anchor. Hardwood stringers and floors are fiberglassed to the hull for rigidity, and every boat left the yard with a Lloyd's certificate confirming construction under that agency's rules. The propeller shaft exits through a solid log rather than a strut, adding some wetted surface but earning praise for strength. A full skeg carries the rudder, a sensible cruising choice provided the skeg is well tied to the hull.
Rig and Handling
The 35S carries a conventional masthead sloop rig with double spreaders and a high-aspect mainsail, able to hoist large genoas when conditions ask for them. The test boat wore a fully battened main with the Dutchman flaking system and a Profurl furling headsail. On the water she proved well balanced under mainsail and a #2 furling genoa; hard on the wind the crew could leave the Whitlock wheel unattended with little tendency to round up, and she tacked through roughly 85 degrees. In 12 to 15 knots on a reach she made about seven knots, and about six beating in calm bay water. Yachting Monthly credited her with exemplary heavy-weather handling while still finding a reasonable turn of speed in lighter air. Keel choice was fin or winged; the wing version was tank-tested at the Marin Institute in the Netherlands and saved 1 foot 4 inches of draft over the standard fin.
Accommodations
Below, the 35S shows an all-wood, built-up interior rather than molded fiberglass pans, with marine-grade plywood furniture fiberglassed to the hull for access and warmth. The molded cockpit coaming runs the cabin line aft and gives excellent back support, if an acquired look. The saloon has a 6 foot 6 inch settee to port and an L-shaped starboard settee that make good sea berths with the standard lee-cloths. Headroom steps from 6 foot 3 inches aft to 6 foot 1-1/2 inches forward. The forward cabin is large but low—6 foot 7 inch V-berths but only 5 foot 11 inches of headroom—with shelves both sides. A double stateroom sits under the cockpit with a separate access door per occupant. The nav station is correctly sized to spread a once-folded chart, and Yachting Monthly singled out the huge chart table; the head is aft to port under the bridge deck with an aftercabin door direct to it. The galley is small with little prep counter, and the builder conceded the icebox is small by U.S. standards. Dutch tiles around the galley are a period styling note, though the hull inside many lockers was only spray-painted.
Known Issues
The wet locker aft of the head is difficult to access, limiting its usefulness for dripping gear. The galley's restricted counter space and small icebox are recurring complaints, and the forward cabin's low headroom will discourage tall sailors from spending much time there. Cosmetic finish inside stowage compartments—mere spray paint on the hull—falls short of the crafted joinerwork elsewhere.
Refits and Ownership
Original auxiliary power was a 28-hp Volvo diesel, well-insulated and fitted with a flexible drive coupling to cut vibration; the test boat's three-bladed prop traded a little sailing performance for manageable backing out of slips. The skeg-hung rudder and solid-log shaft are robust cruising details worth preserving, and the Lloyd's certificate is a useful baseline for any survey. With only 42 built, the 35S is a scarce find, so careful attention to the teak rubrail joint and the skeg attachment is warranted at any ownership transfer.
The Verdict
The Contest 35S is a thoughtfully engineered small cruiser from a builder with Lloyd's-certified discipline, pairing a powerful hull with a well-balanced rig and a warm, wooden interior. She handles heavy weather with aplomb and remains manageable short-handed, though her galley and forward headroom reflect her European 1980s priorities rather than American liveaboard expectations.
Pros
- Solid, Lloyd's-certified construction with through-bolted and glassed hull-deck joint
- Well-balanced, easily steered rig with strong light- and heavy-air performance
- Full-skeg rudder and solid-log shaft for cruising robustness
- Warm built-up plywood interior with good sea berths and private aft stateroom
Cons
- Small galley with limited counter space and a small icebox
- Low forward-cabin headroom at 5 foot 11 inches
- Difficult-to-access wet locker aft of the head
- Spray-painted hull surfaces inside many lockers
