At just over 16,000 pounds displacement, with 7,055 pounds of lead ballast, she sits firmly in the heavy-cruiser class. Her length-to-beam ratio is 3.54, and her ballast ratio is 42 percent. Those figures place her among purposeful offshore hulls rather than light-displacement weekenders.
Design and Construction
Conyplex built the 40 A-B in fiberglass with a solid laminate. Her displacement-length ratio of 349 puts her among heavy cruisers. An immersion rate of about 1,086 pounds per inch means she resists squatting and hobby-horsing as crew and gear are added.
The hull has roughly 355 square feet of wetted surface. Together with a calculated maximum speed of 7.6 knots and a theoretical displacement-hull maximum of 7.1 knots, that marks her as a boat that prefers a steady breeze and a long passage to a sprint. A capsize screening value of 1.75 and a motion comfort ratio of 32.8 further support the picture of a stable, forgiving hull form.
The fin keel draws between 6.07 and 6.37 feet, depending on load. That keeps her out of the thinnest anchorages but gives her a real foothold to windward.
Rig and Handling
One of the more unusual aspects of the 40 A-B is that she was offered with either a masthead sloop or a ketch rig. Both use the same sheet specifications: 39.7-foot jib and genoa sheets in 14-millimeter line, a 99.2-foot mainsheet, and 87.3-foot spinnaker sheets.
The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is a modest 17.60, confirming that she was built to be handled comfortably under reduced canvas rather than driven hard. The ketch option, in particular, points to a boat balanced for short-handed passage-making, where dividing the sail plan eases control in heavy weather. Buyers comparing the two rigs should weigh the sloop’s simplicity against the ketch’s flexibility.
Accommodations and Layout
The available documentation doesn’t describe the interior arrangement in detail. However, the heavy-cruiser displacement and 11-foot-2-inch beam suggest a volume-driven cabin intended for living aboard.
Deck layout and sail handling will vary with the rig. The masthead sloop offers the simpler arrangement, while the ketch divides the sail plan and adds flexibility.
Refits and Ownership
Because the boat has a solid fiberglass hull and conventional fin-keel and skeg-rudder geometry, routine ownership centers on rigging and systems rather than composite repair. The choice between masthead sloop and ketch is the largest variable a used-boat buyer will encounter, and it should shape expectations for sail handling and deck layout.
The Verdict
The Contest 40 A-B is a thoughtfully proportioned, heavy-displacement cruiser from the early era of Dutch production. Offered with two rig choices and built to absorb load without punishment, she is steady and well balanced for offshore use, if not quick.
Pros
- Heavy-cruiser displacement and a 42 percent ballast ratio for stability
- Choice of masthead sloop or ketch rig
- Solid fiberglass construction with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder
Cons
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air performance
- Draft of more than 6 feet restricts access to shallow anchorages
- Substantial wetted surface tempers top-end speed
