*** Seaworthy *** Reliable *** Very Comfortable *** Meet hull 19 of 32 Contest 40S yachts built between 1993 - 1997 by designer Dick Zeal and Conyplex Boatyard. Contest boats are still being manufactured today as a testament to the quality and dedication of this Dutch family-owned company.  The Contest 40S was built to maintain high speeds in all conditions. Current owner claims cruising speed at 7 knots. This boat started it's life in at the Dusseldorf Boat show. it was lightly used and lovingly stored in a heated shed off-season until 2010 when the current owners bought her.  These second and current owners went cruising around Europe for a few years then they made the jump across the Atlantic in 2014. In the Caribbean, she spent six months sailing and six months stored on the hard. This is an easy boat to sail single or double with most of the lines ran to the cockpit and four winches (two power) accessible within reach of the helm. Because of the stability and seaworthiness of this boat, the owner was able take on monstrous seas with huge waves from the comfort of the cockpit enjoying his favorite book. Imagine! The center cockpit arrangement allows for a nice deck space aft with two deep lazarettes, a roomy cockpit with a large wheel and folding cockpit table, a windscreen keeps out the weather, and one of my favorite features - the companionway cover has a protected area for paper charts. Now, I know a lot of people don't use paper charts anymore but I find this feature fascinating! There are lots of sails configurations available to tweak the performance of this yacht. The Dutch craftmanship is stunning down below! The quality and feel of the woodwork is unmatched to todays production boat standards. A U-shaped galley with double sink, tons of storage, deep fridge, custom Contest mugs and an amazing custom cabinet for your glassware. Wow! The saloon screams comfort with barrel style sofas on each side. A folding table graces the middle of the room. This area morphs into a proper crew quarters with lee cloths while underway.  There is a massive owners cabin aft with a large hatch just above the bed for ventilation and star gazing. The en suite bath also has plenty of standing room for a shower and views! The second cabin is forward also with it's own head. Plenty of custom hand holds everywhere keeping you safe as you travel inside, outside and around the boat. Equipped with numerous safety gadgets including a life raft, inflatable Dan buoy and Jon buoy.  If sailing around the world or just cruising the tropical shores of the Caribbean is on your bucket list, you can't go wrong with this affordable cruising yacht!