Design and Construction
Conyplex built the Contest 37 with a fiberglass hull that asks only for minimal maintenance through a sailing season anchor, a practical advantage for an owner who values time on the water over constant upkeep. At 37.66 feet overall with a beam near 12 feet, the l/b ratio of 3.15 places her among the roomier quarter of comparable cruisers — she is more spacious than 62% of similar designs by that measure. The displacement-length ratio of 311 puts her firmly in the "heavy cruisers" category, and only 31% of similar sailboats are heavier, so she carries herself with the mass and steadiness of a proper offshore hull rather than a lightweight weekender.
Stability and Performance
Her ballast ratio of 30% is higher than just 10% of similar designs, giving her a sure-footedness that the numbers underline. The capsize screening value of 1.73 is low enough that, by that formula alone, she could be accepted to participate in ocean races anchor. The Motion Comfort Ratio of 35.8 means she rides more comfortably than 85% of similar sailboat designs, a quality that matters on a long passage or in a choppy coastal route. With a theoretical hull speed of 7.5 knots and a sail-area/displacement ratio of 17.64, she is no featherweight racer but a balanced cruiser whose 840 square feet of sail drives a 21,000-pound hull with patience rather than sparkle.
Rig and Handling
The Contest 37 is built with a masthead rig and a fin keel, with draft ranging about 6.73 to 7.03 feet depending on load. The standing and running gear follow predictable mid-90s European sizing: jib and genoa sheets of about 37.7 feet at 14 mm diameter, a mainsheet of 94.2 feet at the same diameter, and spinnaker sheets near 82.9 feet anchor. The wetted surface of the bottom is about 441 square feet, and her immersion rate of roughly 1,299 pounds per inch means she sits heavily and changes trim slowly as stores come aboard — a trait consistent with her heavy-cruiser classification.
Accommodations
Below, the Contest 37 is equipped with 2 cabins and 6 berths, a layout suited to a cruising couple with guests rather than a charter crowd. Fresh water capacity is 62 US gallons, enough for extended time at anchor without constant concern for the tank. The accommodation plan is simple and functional, reflecting a boat built in small numbers for considered ownership rather than volume production.
The Verdict
The Contest 37 is a quietly competent Dutch cruiser of limited production, designed by a principal Contest naval architect and built to a low-maintenance fiberglass standard. Her strengths are seakindliness, comfort, and a roomy beam for her length; her nature is that of a heavy-displacement passagemaker more than a light-air sprinter.
Pros
- More comfortable motion than 85% of similar designs
- Capsize screening suitable for ocean-race acceptance by formula
- Fiberglass hull needing minimal seasonal maintenance
- Roomy beam relative to length (more spacious than 62% of peers)
Cons
- Only a few built, so sparse support network and resale data
- Heavy-cruiser displacement limits light-air acceleration
- Modest sail-area/displacement ratio (17.64) for spirited sailing
