What a beauty! This Judel Vrolijk shape is now familiar to the range from the Dutch family-run yard. This first hull is tricked up with an optional deeper 3.4m keel and a taller carbon mast with in-boom furling as its owner wants to do the odd regatta in between cruising with family.

The Contest 63CS is right on the size limit of being manageable by an owner-operator –indeed this first one has a crew cabin. Powered systems that are easy to operate from the helm pedestals are key, and include the neat furling system integrated in the bowsprit for the Code or Helix sails. Further headsail options include, genoa, self-tacking jib and inner staysail.

The design of the twin helm seats is a commendable feature as these both swivel and slide to help create a lounge area around the huge aft deck. A collapsible table which stows in the aft hatch lid helps to make the most of what is often a flat, unused sun pad space.

Step below decks and you find a seriously impressive, tasteful interior by Wetzels Brown Partners offered in teak or oak. (Contest’s long-term design partners are currently working on the 85m sloop in build at Royal Huisman.)

The semi-custom layout revolves around the raised saloon and deep, long passageway galley – a two-sided format Contest always prefers for safety when sailing. “The master aft cabin is what we think will be the most popular, the galley and saloon stays and you can play with the rest,” Contest’s CEO Arjen Conijn tells me.

Enter the aft cabin and you can see why he can have conviction in such a statement. It includes Contest’s aft facing window, which comes into play when the swim platform is lowered.

The Contest63CS is available with four or five cabins, three of them en suite. The show boat’s portside forward cabin links to a forepeak skipper’s cabin via the shower compartment. This can be a large sail locker, a utility work room or crew cabin.

Contest uses the term superyachting in its literature, referring to the size and sailing with a paid crew. But it’s the finish quality that smacks of superyacht class.

Contest 63CS specifications

LOA: 19.29m 63ft 3in
LWL: 17.85m 58ft 7in
Beam (Max): 5.85m 19ft 2in
Draught: 2.90m 9ft 6in
Disp (lightship): 31,900kg 70,327lb
Standard Sail Area: 113m2 1,216ft2
Engine: 168hp Volvo Penta
Water: 1,150lt 253gal
Fuel: 1,560lt 343gal
Price: (ex VAT) from €2.9m
Design: Judel Vrolijk
Priced from: €2.9m ex VAT.
Builder: contestyachts.com

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