Design and Construction
Conyplex built the Contest 37 with a fiberglass hull requiring only minimal maintenance through the sailing season. That’s a practical advantage for owners who would rather spend their time sailing than on constant upkeep.
The boat measures 37.66 feet overall, with a beam of nearly 12 feet. Her length-to-beam ratio of 3.15 places her among the roomier quarter of comparable cruisers; by that measure, she is more spacious than 62% of similar designs.
With a displacement-length ratio of 311, the Contest 37 sits firmly in the “heavy cruisers” category. Only 31% of comparable sailboats are heavier. She therefore has the mass and steadiness of a proper offshore hull rather than the character of a lightweight weekender.
Stability and Performance
The ballast ratio is 30%, higher than just 10% of similar designs. Her capsize screening value is 1.73, low enough that, by that formula alone, she could be accepted to participate in ocean races.
A Motion Comfort Ratio of 35.8 indicates a more comfortable ride than 85% of similar sailboat designs, a worthwhile quality on a long passage or a choppy coastal route.
The Contest 37 has a theoretical hull speed of 7.5 knots and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.64. Her 840 square feet of sail drives a 21,000-pound hull with patience rather than sparkle. She’s no featherweight racer, but a balanced cruiser.
Rig and Handling
The Contest 37 carries a masthead rig and has a fin keel. Draft ranges from about 6.73 to 7.03 feet, depending on load.
Her standing and running gear follow predictable mid-1990s European sizing. Jib and genoa sheets are about 37.7 feet long and 14 mm in diameter, while the mainsheet is 94.2 feet long at the same diameter. Spinnaker sheets are approximately 82.9 feet long.
The bottom has about 441 square feet of wetted surface. An immersion rate of roughly 1,299 pounds per inch means the boat sits heavily and changes trim slowly as stores come aboard, consistent with her heavy-cruiser classification.
Accommodations
Below, the Contest 37 has two cabins and six berths. The arrangement is better suited to a cruising couple with guests than to 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.
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 generous beam for her length. In character, she’s a heavy-displacement passagemaker rather 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 requiring minimal seasonal maintenance
- Roomy beam relative to length, making her more spacious than 62% of comparable boats
Cons
- Only a few were built, resulting in sparse support networks and resale data
- Heavy-cruiser displacement limits light-air acceleration
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.64 for spirited sailing
