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Contest 29
Designer: G. Luyten  ·  Builder: Coniplex  ·  First built: 1964
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About the Contest 29

Built by the renowned Dutch shipyard Contest Yachts, this 29-foot sailing yacht represents the company's commitment to quality construction and seaworthy design. Contest has earned an exceptional reputation among sailors worldwide for producing robust, well-engineered vessels that excel in both coastal and offshore conditions. With limited technical specifications available, the Contest 29 appears to embody the shipyard's traditional approach to yacht building, likely featuring their characteristic solid fiberglass construction and attention to detail. Contest yachts are typically designed with a focus on safety, comfort, and performance, making them suitable for serious coastal cruising and potentially longer passages for experienced sailors. The Dutch builder's vessels are known for their heavy displacement designs that prioritize seaworthiness over pure speed, suggesting this model would appeal to sailors who value stability and comfort over racing performance. Contest yachts generally feature well-appointed interiors with practical layouts optimized for extended cruising. Given Contest's reputation for building boats that maintain their value exceptionally well, the Contest 29 would likely attract discerning sailors seeking a quality vessel from a respected European shipyard with a proven track record of producing safe, comfortable cruising yachts.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 29.00 ft / 8.84 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
Beam 8.25 ft / 2.51 m
Max Draft 4.25 ft / 1.30 m
Displacement 8,500.00 lb / 3,856 kg
Ballast 3,300.00 lb / 1,497 kg
Sail Area (Reported) - Main: 181 ft²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer G. Luyten
Builder Coniplex
First Built 1964
Last Built 1976
Number Built 247
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
234
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
6.94
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
38.82
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
274.5
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 4.24 pounds/inch
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 14.61
J (Foretriangle Base) 11.00 ft / 3.35 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 379.00 ft² / 35.21 m²
E (Mainsail Foot) 6.42 ft / 1.96 m
How It Compares

vs. Bristol 29, Cal 2 29, Cascade 29

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Contest 29 ★
29.0 ft
Bristol 29
29.0 ft
Cal 2 29
29.0 ft
Cascade 29
29.0 ft
LWL
Contest 29 ★
24.0 ft
Bristol 29
22.7 ft
Cal 2 29
24.0 ft
Cascade 29
24.0 ft
Beam
Contest 29 ★
8.3 ft
Bristol 29
9.2 ft
Cal 2 29
9.3 ft
Cascade 29
8.2 ft
Displacement
Contest 29 ★
8 lbs
Bristol 29
8 lbs
Cal 2 29
8 lbs
Cascade 29
7 lbs
Ballast
Contest 29 ★
3 lbs
Bristol 29
3 lbs
Cal 2 29
3 lbs
Cascade 29
2 lbs
Sail Area
Contest 29 ★
Bristol 29
Cal 2 29
422 sq ft
Cascade 29
417 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Contest 29 ★
234 s/nm
Bristol 29
195 s/nm
Cal 2 29
Cascade 29
230 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Contest 29 ★
6.9
Bristol 29
Cal 2 29
16.9
Cascade 29
17.5
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Contest 29 ★
38.8 %
Bristol 29
41.1 %
Cal 2 29
41.9 %
Cascade 29
31.7 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Contest 29 ★
Bristol 29
Cal 2 29
25.0
Cascade 29
27.7
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Contest 29 ★
Bristol 29
Cal 2 29
1.85
Cascade 29
1.67
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Contest 29 ★
274
Bristol 29
321
Cal 2 29
258
Cascade 29
242
Hull Speed
Contest 29 ★
Bristol 29
Cal 2 29
6.6 kts
Cascade 29
6.6 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Contest 29 ★
Bristol 29
Cal 2 29
2.1
Cascade 29
2.3
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