The Contest 72CS is the flagship of the Dutch yard’s semi-custom sailing range, a 22-metre bluewater cruiser built for owners who want to sail seriously and live well while doing it. Conyplex has built Contest yachts in Medemblik for more than six decades, and the 72CS distils that experience into a yacht that crosses oceans in comfort yet still rewards a hand on the wheel.
Her hull is vacuum-infused composite, light and stiff, carrying a 133-square-metre mainsail and a 129-square-metre genoa on a choice of full carbon rig with 3Di sails or alloy spars with furling. Draft runs to 2.8 metres on the bulb keel, and displacement sits near 44 tonnes, enough to settle into a seaway without feeling heavy on the helm.
Below, the layout is configurable from two to five cabins, with a four-cabin plan the common choice for family cruising. The interior is finished to the standard Contest is known for, where joinery and systems are engineered for long passages rather than marina weekends.
For a buyer comparing semi-custom 70-footers, the 72CS stands on finish, sea-keeping and the yard’s long record of yachts that hold their value. She is a genuine distance cruiser with the pace and polish to enjoy the journey, not just the destination.
Length
21.8M
Beam
5.7M
Draft
2.8M
Day Guests
8
Sleeping
8
Cabin
4
Crew
2
Cruise Speed
Max Speed
Fuel
Engine
Volvo Penta diesel, shaft drive
New Starting From
€3,800,000
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The 72CS is quick for a cruising yacht her size. A 133-square-metre mainsail and a 129-square-metre genoa drive a vacuum-infused composite hull that is light and stiff, and owners can specify a full carbon rig with a Park Lane boom and 3Di moulded sails for maximum performance, or alloy spars with vertically battened sails and in-mast furling for easier short-handed cruising. The 2.8-metre bulb keel gives her the grip to point well, and at roughly 44 tonnes she carries way through a seaway without stalling in the lulls. The rig choice is the key decision for a buyer: carbon and 3Di for an owner who races or wants the last degree of pace, alloy and furling for a couple planning to cross oceans with a small crew.
Her lines are classically Contest, a purposeful sheer and a near-plumb bow that read as fast without shouting. The deck is laid out for real passage-making, with a protected cockpit, sensible handholds and clean sail-handling runs that let a small crew manage her confidently. A bathing platform aft opens the transom to the water at anchor, and the coachroof is kept low to preserve the profile while still giving headroom below. Contest’s detailing is precise throughout, from the stainless work to the teak, and the result is a yacht that looks considered rather than styled. It is an exterior built around function first, which is exactly what a distance cruiser should be.
The 72CS offers two to five cabins, with a four-cabin arrangement the usual choice for owners who cruise with family and guests. The interior volume is generous for a performance cruiser, and Contest’s joinery is among the best in the class, hand-finished and engineered to survive years of real use at sea. Natural light reaches the saloon through hull and coachroof windows, and the layout keeps the owner’s accommodation private while giving guests their own well-appointed cabins. Stowage is abundant, a detail that matters enormously on long passages and is often where production cruisers fall short. The mood is warm and restrained rather than flashy, in keeping with a yacht meant for extended living aboard.
She is built to be lived aboard for weeks at a time, and the interior reflects that. The saloon is sized for a full complement to gather in comfort, the galley is laid out to produce real meals at sea rather than snacks, and a dedicated navigation station keeps the working heart of the yacht separate from the social space. A large lazarette and tender stowage handle the gear long cruising demands. The cockpit doubles as the principal outdoor living area, sheltered enough for passage-making yet open enough for dining at anchor. Everything is arranged so the transition between sailing hard and relaxing in a quiet bay takes minutes, not effort, which is the quality that separates a true cruising yacht from a coastal one.
The 72CS is built by Conyplex in the Netherlands, a yard with a long record of yachts that cross oceans and hold their value. Construction is vacuum-infused composite, and systems are specified for self-sufficiency on long passages, from tankage to electrical capacity. Because she is semi-custom, specification varies significantly between hulls, so a buyer should study the individual yacht closely, particularly the rig choice, sail inventory and electronics fit, which materially change how she sails and what she is worth. New-build pricing is by quotation and reflects the chosen specification. For an owner seeking a 70-foot cruiser with the pedigree, finish and sea-keeping to go anywhere, the Contest 72CS is one of the strongest cases in the semi-custom market, and her reputation supports resale as well as any yacht in the class.
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