Design and Construction
With a length-to-beam ratio of 3.22 and a displacement-length ratio of 317, the 42 S sits firmly among heavy cruisers. Conyplex laid up the hull in solid fibreglass. It carries 11,078 pounds of lead ballast, giving a ballast ratio of 38 percent.
That mass is distributed over a 34.45-foot waterline and a 12.8-foot beam. The resulting motion comfort ratio is 40.9, while the immersion rate is about 1,536 pounds per inch, indicating a wet and stable hull. The fin keel draws between 6.73 and 7.03 feet, depending on load, and the capsize screening value is 1.67.
Rig and Handling
The masthead rig has a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.31. The jib and genoa sheets are 41.2 feet long and 14 mm in diameter; the mainsheet is 102.9 feet long and 14 mm in diameter; and the spinnaker sheet measures 90.6 feet.
The theoretical hull speed is 7.9 knots. With 505 square feet of wetted surface, the 42 S rewards steady wind rather than light-air acceleration.
Accommodations and Cruising Profile
At just over 41 feet overall, with a 12.8-foot beam, the 42 S provides room below. Its 88-gallon diesel capacity and 117-gallon water capacity help define the boat as a voyaging cruiser.
Draft varies with load, so the boat settles onto its lines when full of cruising gear. A heavily laden hull will draw nearer the deeper end of the 6.73-to-7.03-foot range. This isn’t a shoal-draft boat, and that depth limits it to major marinas.
Production and Ownership
The 42 S was produced from 1998 to 2002, and only a few were built. Its 59-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel and solid fibreglass hull point to conventional systems rather than exotic construction.
Verdict
The Contest 42 S is a low-production, heavily built Zaal design with deep ballast, a wet and stable hull, and a masthead rig sized for offshore work.
Pros
- Heavy-displacement hull, with a displacement-length ratio of 317 and a 38 percent ballast ratio
- Solid fibreglass construction by Conyplex
- Masthead rig with substantial sheet runs
Cons
- Load-dependent draft of 6.73–7.03 ft limits the boat to major marinas
- Only a few were built
- A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.31 means limited light-air performance
