{"id":43052,"date":"2016-01-24T03:56:47","date_gmt":"2016-01-24T08:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=43052"},"modified":"2023-05-06T17:33:56","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T21:33:56","slug":"behind-the-scenes-at-contest-yachts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/behind-scenes-at-contest-yachts\/","title":{"rendered":"Behind the Scenes at Contest Yachts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At the Contest Yachts yard in Medemblik, the Netherlands, 12 to15 sailboats and power boats are built a year by a team of 80 boatbuilders. The company was founded in 1959 by Ed Conijn, who learned about fiberglass construction during a visit to the US. Early boats included a 29- and 25-foot sailboats. Today, the company remains family owned. It\u2019s sailboat line ranges from 42 to 72 feet. The company also builds a 52-foot power boat.Contests have a well-earned reputation as bluewater voyagers. The Contest 42 was named Cruising World<\/i>\u2019s Import Boat of the Year and Best Midsize Cruiser, 41-45 Feet<\/a> in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Balsa <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n A vacuum-infused, balsa cored bulkhead sits on a work table at Contest Yachts. All parts, including hulls and decks are infused and cored.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Contest <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Contest Yachts\u2019 sales manager Marcel Offereins holds fiberglass samples from two similar-sized yacht that demonstrate the weight and resin savings gained by infusing hull sections. The thinner of the two is infused, and is a strong as the thicker, hand-laid piece.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Contest <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Bulkheads and stiffeners are glassed into the hull of a Contest 50 before it comes out of the mold.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Varnishing <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Depending on the interior finish selected, a furniture part may receive multiple coats of varnish before being installed.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Making <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Fiberglass glass cloth is cut and placed in the hull mold to prepare for the infusion process.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Fiberglass <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Fiberglass glass cloth is cut and placed in the hull mold to prepare for the infusion process.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Sailboat <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Balsa coring is being placed on the deck mold of a Contest 50.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Making <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Solid fiberglass blocks are placed anywhere that hardware will be mounted. This prevents moisture from reaching the core and allows bolts to be tightened without compressing the inner material.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Teak <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n At Contest Yachts, teak decks are built on a mold and then mounted and glued onto the fiberglass deck. This eliminates the need for screws, which could allow moisture to reach the core.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Making <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n At Contest Yachts, teak decks are built on a mold and then mounted and glued onto the fiberglass deck. This eliminates the need for screws, which could allow moisture to reach the core.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Sailboat <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Furniture pieces are built in the woodshop using a variety of tools.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Sailboat <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Decks are glued to the hull of a contest, and then the hull-deck joint is further strengthened with bolts (left side of photo).<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Making <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Workers install a cabin wall in a Contest 67.<\/span>\n Mark Pillsbury<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Contest <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The Contest 42CS was named Cruising World’s Import Boat of the Year and Best Midsize Cruiser, 41-45 Feet, in 2014.<\/span>\n Billy Black<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cruising World<\/em> visits the Contest Yachts yard in Medemblik, the Netherlands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18152,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Mark Pillsbury","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"20160124","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"166","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Cruising World visits the Contest Yachts yard in Medemblik, the Netherlands.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Behind the Scenes at Contest Yachts %%sep%% %%sitename%%","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"3WSEPA42MOZ5IXGQ7YECRGHYB4","arc_website_url":"behind-scenes-at-contest-yachts\/","custom_permalink":"behind-scenes-at-contest-yachts\/","arc_subtype":"right-sidebar","arc_exclude_from_feeds":true,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":0,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[166],"tags":[220,209,195],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43052"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43052"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43052\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}