Contest 40 S Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Contest 40 S means looking at one of the hulls Dick Zaal drew for Conyplex as part of its early-1990s performance drive, a 39-foot 5-inch masthead sloop with a lead-ballasted fin keel and a genuinely ocean-oriented interior. These are not common boats, but they turn up across European waters and reward a buyer who values steady cruising performance over racer styling.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 40 S was produced to a single interior concept: a full-bodied, spacious cruising plan with a large aft cabin and en suite heads, a separate guest suite forward, a secure large galley, and a chart table sized for ocean passage work. With a limited build, you will not find radically different layout variants; what changes boat to boat is equipment and owner care.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most 40 S yachts offered for sale carry a circumnavigation-ready inventory. Heating, solar, inverter, and wind generator combinations are commonly fitted, addressing power and energy autonomy. Sail-handling upgrades commonly seen include a furling main, gennaker, spinnaker, and electric winches, while bow thrusters and teak decks also appear on many examples. Navigation and safety kits typically bundle radar, AIS, autopilot, chartplotter, life raft, hot water, and dinghy davits.
What to Inspect
The available material on the Contest 40 S establishes no model-specific structural or rigging defects, so a viewing should follow normal pre-purchase discipline. Inspect the solid fiberglass hull below the waterline for osmotic blistering and check the lead fin keel union with the hull for staining or voids. Verify the skeg-hung rudder stock for play, and confirm masthead rigging terminals are corrosion-free. Below, test the secure galley fittings and en suite heads plumbing for leaks.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Contest 40 S yachts typically appear in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, and France. For a buyer, the short checklist is:
- Confirm hull and keel joint condition with a survey
- Check rudder stock for free play
- Inspect rigging terminals for corrosion
- Test heads and galley plumbing for leaks
- Verify circumnavigation equipment is functional
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Contest 40 S. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 3 | $166,786 | — |
| Nov 25 | 2 | $155,199 | -6.9% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $203,182 | +30.9% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $177,980 | -12.4% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $177,980 | 0.0% |
| May 26 | 2 | $177,980 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Contest 40 S listings appear across 3 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 5 (71.4%), followed by Spain and United Kingdom.
Country view
7 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $177,980 | 5 | 0 | 71.4% |
| Spain | $203,182 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
| United Kingdom | $132,418 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contest 38s | 37.25' | $ 62,803 | 17 | 4 |
| Conyplex 33 | 32.25' | $ 24,500 | 15 | 4 |
| Contest Yachts 43 | 42.65' | $ 174,197 | 12 | 3 |
| Contest 40 SYou are here | — | $ 177,881 | 8 | 0 |
| Bavaria Cruiser 40 S (Farr) | 40.52' | $ 119,343 | 4 | 1 |