Design and Construction
The Contest 36 displaces 17,857 pounds and carries 6,614 pounds of lead ballast, giving it a ballast ratio of 37 percent. Its length-to-beam ratio is 3.22, while a displacement-length ratio of 313 places it among genuine heavy cruisers rather than lightweight racer-cruisers.
The hull is solid fiberglass, and Conyplex offered more than one fin-keel option. Depending on load, the shallow fin draws 4.92 to 5.22 feet, allowing the boat to enter most marinas without fuss. A deeper fin was also built, drawing 6.23 to 6.53 feet and limiting the boat to major marinas.
With an 11.15-foot beam and a 28.87-foot waterline, the Contest 36 has a wetted surface of about 344 square feet. An immersion rate of roughly 1,122 pounds per inch indicates how steadily it carries a cruising load. A capsize screening value of 1.71 and a motion comfort ratio of 31.7 to 35.6 describe a stable, forgiving offshore hull rather than a twitchy performer.
Rig, Sailing, and Power
Zaal gave the Contest 36 a choice of rigs: a masthead sloop or a ketch. The masthead configuration carries 531.5 square feet of sail in the main and jib. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 12.4 with the ISO reference sail, rising to 15.1 with a 135 percent genoa.
By the numbers, the boat carries more rig than only 46 percent of similar sailboats, making it slightly underrigged in standard trim. A ketch rig or a larger headsail is the obvious remedy for light-air passage work.
Under power, the 36-horsepower inboard Volvo Penta MD17C diesel drives a shaft and delivers a theoretical 7.0 knots. A smaller 25-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel was also offered and manages about 4.7 knots. The theoretical hull speed for this waterline length is 7.2 knots.
Accommodations
Below, the Contest 36 has three cabins, seven berths, a galley, and a toilet facility, backed by 118 gallons of fresh water. Headroom is above average for the class—a meaningful advantage in a boat of this vintage when living aboard for weeks at a time.
Seven berths spread across three cabins, combined with that standing room, make the Contest 36 a practical family or charter cruiser rather than a minimalist racer.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership of a Contest 36 is straightforward in the sense that the builder’s core facts are stable: a solid fiberglass hull, lead-ballasted fin keel, shaft-drive diesel, and conservative sail plan. The main differences among boats stem from the options Conyplex offered. Buyers could choose between sloop and ketch rigs, shallow and deep fins, and 25- or 36-horsepower diesels.
Those factory choices—not deferred maintenance—are the principal features that distinguish one Contest 36 from another on the used market.
Verdict
The Contest 36 is a sober, well-found Dutch cruiser from the heavy-displacement school. It’s stable, roomy, and conservatively rigged, with factory options that suit either coastal cruising or deeper-water use. It isn’t a sparkling light-air performer, but it was built and proportioned for comfortable, predictable cruising.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull, lead-ballasted fin keel, and stable heavy-cruiser numbers
- Above-average headroom, three cabins, and seven berths in a 36-foot boat
- Shallow-draft fin option provides access to most marinas
- Deeper fin option adds offshore stability
- Choice of masthead sloop or ketch rig to suit owner preference
Cons
- Standard sail plan is slightly underrigged compared with peers
- Smaller 25-horsepower engine option delivers only about 4.7 knots under power
