BoatsContention 30 (Peterson)

Contention 30 (Peterson)

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1977–1980

A Doug Peterson-designed IOR half-tonner built for competitive racing with a high ballast-to-displacement ratio

Designed by Doug Peterson, built by Southern Ocean Ltd.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 16 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 16
CoastalBluewater

2.30 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.30
LightHeavy

188 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 188
EasygoingPowered-up

19.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.1
TenderStiff

54% of her weight is ballast — very stiff, carrying full sail in a blow.

Ballast 54%

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
53.8%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.1
Displacement / length
187.9
Comfort ratio
15.5
Capsize screening
2.30
Hull speed
6.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
878
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1977–1980
Units built
30
Designer
Doug Peterson
Builder
Southern Ocean Ltd

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Jeanneau Aquila 278.70 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop offered in both standard and deep-keel Regatta configurations
Jeanneau Rush 319.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Ron Holland-designed IOR half-tonner that served as the official boat for the Tour de France à la Voile
San Juan 288.74 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 1977 masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for balanced performance in a compact 28-foot hull
Ranger Yachts 29 (Mull)8.71 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 1970s masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, offering a balanced 1.98 capsize screening for coastal cruising
Spirit 329.48 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA Jacques De Ridder-designed IOR 23-footer built for nearly two decades as a stiff, masthead-rigged fin-keel sloop
Spirit Yachts 30 (McMILLAN)9.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA lightweight, narrow-beam fractional sloop from Sean McMillan, designed for modern performance and classic aesthetics

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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