Contest 40 A-B Buyer's Guide
The Contest 40 A-B is a 39-foot Dutch cruiser designed by Uus van Essen and built by Conyplex N.V. beginning in 1972, with a solid fiberglass hull, fin keel, and skeg-hung rudder. For a shopper scanning the used market, the practical story is a heavy-displacement passage boat offered in masthead-sloop or ketch rig, with a draft of 6.07 to 6.37 feet depending on load and a ballast ratio of 42 percent.
Layouts on the Used Market
You will find the 40 A-B in two rig configurations: the masthead sloop and the ketch. Both share identical sheet specifications, so deck-layout differences are driven by the mizzen mast and associated hardware rather than by changes to the forward sail plan. The ketch appeals to those who want divided sail area for easier short-handed handling, while the sloop keeps the cockpit and rig simpler. Either way, the 11-foot-2-inch beam and heavy-cruiser proportions mean a voluminous interior oriented to living aboard.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, these boats commonly carry a watermaker, air conditioning, a gennaker, electric winches, a freezer, teak decks, a cockpit shower, and autopilot. For a buyer, the consequential clusters are power and energy — a watermaker and air conditioning imply meaningful electrical demand, so verify the charging circuit and house-bank capacity — and sail handling, where electric winches and a gennaker suggest a boat set up for comfortable distance cruising rather than racing. Teak decks and a cockpit shower speak to the comfort-end of the market, but teak demands ongoing maintenance that should factor into survey and budget.
What to Inspect
The authority review of the 40 A-B records no structural defects or known systemic issues for the model, so inspection should follow normal used-boat practice for a solid-glass hull of this era. Pay attention to the fin keel-to-hull joint and the skeg-hung rudder bearings, and confirm the rig configuration matches the seller's claim, since both sloop and ketch versions exist with identical sheet sizes.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Contest 40 A-B typically appears in Italy and Germany. For the buyer, the short checklist is: confirm sloop versus ketch and that all rigging matches; assess teak-deck condition and the loads from air conditioning or watermaker on the electrical system; and budget for the 6-foot-plus draft when plotting anchorages. She is a steady, well-built heavy cruiser best suited to those who value load-carrying stability over sprint speed.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Contest 40 A-B. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $114,153 | — |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $87,053 | -23.7% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $52,417 | -39.8% |
Where they're listed
Contest 40 A-B listings appear across 2 countries. Italy has the most listings with 2 (66.7%), followed by Germany.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Rogers 32 | 32' | $ 31,466 | 71 | 16 |
| Contest Yachts 43 | 42.65' | $ 186,464 | 13 | 4 |
| Conyplex 33 | 32.25' | $ 24,500 | 13 | 2 |
| Contest 40 A-BYou are here | — | $ 87,053 | 3 | 0 |