Design and Construction
Contest builds the 45 CS hull by a vacuum injection method, and the yard pairs that process with solid material specifications to achieve lightness and structural strength vacuum injection method. Structural bulkheads are a sandwich foam core, fully laminated into hull and deck with extra laminates in all structural areas including the keel. Above the waterline the teak deck is laid by a vacuum foils technique the builder describes as unique and leading edge. The balanced spade rudder and bulb keel have all combined to give the 45 CS its great handling and feel. With a Yanmar diesel of 75 horsepower and a fuel capacity of 76 gallons, the platform is sized for long-range cruising rather than coastal day sailing.
Rig and Handling
The 45 CS is a fractional sloop carrying a keel-stepped Selden mast with a double spreader rig and stainless rigging, a clean deck hardware layout, and a solid vang system with controls led aft. Selden hydraulic furling systems operate both the jib (Furlex) and the mainsail, and the North Sails-built main for that furling mast was praised by one tester as the best seen, with good shape and vertical battens. Harken and Lewmar fittings and hardware are installed throughout so the running rigging controls are solid and reliable. Under sail, the balanced spade rudder and bulb keel translated into a boat that a tester called a dream to sail, holding 7-plus knots under a reefed main and jib in 18 to 25 knot winds.
Accommodations
Below decks the 45 CS is offered in two or three cabin configurations, and working with Birgit Schnasse the builder matched cruising comfort with huge space. The center-positioned cockpit can hold up to eight people while leaving the helmsman clear visibility. The galley is off to port and aft, extending along the side rather than in a conventional U-shape, with a full-size refrigerator, two stainless sinks, and a gimbaled three-burner gas stove. Aft at the end of the galley a door enters the owner's cabin with a spacious private head. To starboard at the bottom of the steps is a chart table with neat storage, and the main cabin is well lit by seven cabin-top windows and four hatches, plus one forward and one aft.
The Verdict
The Contest 45 CS is a purpose-built cruiser from Contest Yachts, with Nissen's hull and Schnasse's interior delivering a boat that sails smartly under reduced canvas, carries serious ballast, and lays out livable space without falling into generic cruiser clichés. The hydraulic furling rig and premium deck hardware suit short-handed or couple cruising, while the two- or three-cabin choice lets owners tune privacy against guest capacity.
Pros
- Vacuum-injected hull with foam-cored bulkheads fully laminated into keel structure
- Balanced spade rudder and bulb keel give strong handling and 7+ knot reefed pace in 20-knot breeze
- Selden hydraulic furling on both headsails with North Sails main and Harken/Lewmar hardware
- Center cockpit seats eight with clear helm visibility; bright interior with seven windows and five hatches
- Choice of two- or three-cabin layouts by Birgit Schnasse
Cons
- Long side-galley layout trades the familiar U-shaped workflow for extended stowage
