Contest 50CS

The Contest 50CS is a centre-cockpit bluewater cruising sloop built by the Dutch yard Contest Yachts (Conyplex) in the Netherlands. The current generation, designed by the naval architecture firm Judel/Vrolijk & co with interiors by Wetzels Brown Partners, entered production around 2021–2022 and earned the European Yacht of the Year 2022 award in the Luxury Cruiser category. It was conceived to sit between the yard's 42CS and 55CS in the Contest range, delivering a genuine offshore passage-maker capable of being handled short-handed while offering resort-level comfort below.

At just over 53 feet overall with a hull length of 50 feet 8 inches, the 50CS carries a displacement of approximately 17,500 kg and a ballast ratio that gives it confident stability at sea. Twin rudders — a departure from earlier Contest single-rudder practice — provide responsive steering at all heel angles, and the rig is positioned slightly aft of centre to allow a wider variety of headsails and downwind sails, including asymmetric spinnakers on the optional bow sprit.

The hull and deck are built using Contest's proprietary 3D vacuum-infusion process, laminating E-glass with vinylester resin in a foam-core sandwich. High-load areas such as the keel frame and chainplate attachments receive additional carbon-fibre reinforcement for stiffness without added weight. The construction meets Lloyd's Register approval standards. The fin keel carries a lead ballast bulb on a cast-iron fin, providing a low centre of gravity that contributes to the boat's reported stiffness under sail.

Deck layout centres on a deep, protected leisure cockpit forward of twin helm stations, giving offshore crews a safe working area while keeping helmsmen close to the sheet winches. Flush sidedecks with high guardwires ease foredeck access. Options include integrated photovoltaic panels, synthetic teak-style decking, and a full all-electric propulsion package pairing a Torqeedo drive with a diesel generator and hydro-generator.

The Judel/Vrolijk hull form emphasises a wide waterplane that extends well aft, delivering form stability that keeps heel angles modest even in a brisk breeze. Designer Johan Siefer noted that the shape produces less drag and less pitching moment in waves compared to the previous generation, resulting in a smoother, more predictable motion on passage. The twin rudders maintain positive steering feel when the boat is pressed hard and heeled, a quality that long-distance crews value in heavy-weather conditions.

The 133 m² upwind sail plan can be carried on a fractional sloop rig, and the mast position allows efficient use of furling headsails as well as a code sail or asymmetric kite for downwind miles. The boat is reported to be manageable by two people for extended bluewater passages, with all primary controls led aft to the helm stations.

The 50CS sleeps six crew plus two in three cabins and the saloon. The dominant space is a full-beam aft owner's suite with a peninsula island bed, hull windows, and a private heads compartment with separate shower — a rare luxury in the 50-foot class. Amidships, the saloon benefits from the hull's wide beam, seating a cruising crew comfortably around a substantial chart table and settee area. The twin-sided longitudinal galley provides generous worktop space and storage suited to extended passages.

Forward of the saloon a VIP guest cabin offers its own island berth, and a third cabin to starboard can be configured with bunks or arranged as a workroom or ship's office. Two heads compartments serve the three cabins. The interior aesthetic chosen by Wetzels Brown Partners avoids heavy dark timber in favour of a brighter, contemporary palette with mood lighting and optional ribbed timber panel accents, giving the below-decks spaces a quality associated with larger luxury yachts.