contest yacht test

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Contest 42CS review

• Chris Beeson
• August 11, 2016

At almost 13 metres long the 42CS is no baby, but she is the newest arrival to the Contest family. We sent Graham Snook to Holland to test her mettle on the IJsselmeer

Product Overview

Contest 42cs, manufacturer:.

See the February 2015 issue of Yachting Monthly for the full test

What’s she like to sail?

She was fitted with my favourite steering system, Jefa, but wasn’t as light on the helm as I would have expected. It was firm and responsive, and gave good feedback, but it just wasn’t finger light – possibly due to having the second wheel to turn. She is a very solid boat to sail, no creaks, squeaks, groans or moans. With no mainsheet track on this version, when she was overpowered (close-hauled with more than 20 knots apparent), the sheet had to be released from the self-tailing winch before being eased. This isn’t as simple or quick as flicking it down the track or out of a cascade block jammer. Nothing untoward happens if the sheet isn’t instantly released – the helm just gets heavier and she heels more.

The cockpit works well. The crew can sit aft, tend winches and keep conversation with the helmsman while using the mainsheet pedestal as a foot brace. Or they can move clear of the action and relax on the curved-corner coaming forward.

What’s she like in port and at anchor?

The anchor lead from bow roller to Maxwell electric windlass is short and direct; the chain is pre-marked at 10m intervals. The buttons are forward of the chain locker lid, so you can’t have the lid open to see the chain whilst standing on the buttons. You could, however, to stand in the locker (the watertight crash-space below means the sole is raised) and press the buttons by hand.

For long-term cruising I would like small inspection hatches in the long, cumbersome cabin sole boards, just enough for a quick daily peek into the bilge. Once the Mastervolt CANbus touch-screen control panel is out of direct sunlight (so you can see it), and you’ve mastered using it, living on board would be a real joy. The large windows might not make a deck saloon per se, but they add light and views where so many boats don’t.

It’s a sign of the times that many builders are removing or hiding chart tables. The option to have one is there, but if you don’t want to write off a couple of cubic metres of internal space to an area you only occasionally use on passage, you don’t have to.

Would she suit you and your crew?

The short-handed central winch version (standard) worked well, although for long-distance voyaging the cruising version would accommodate the all-important bimini. The Lounging cockpit’s enclosed after ends add more sprawling options to the already comfy cockpit. They also prevent the snoozing occupant’s feet straying into the wheel, which can’t be a nice way to wake up!

There’s no denying the 42CS is a lovely, well thought-out boat – with a price tag to match. She’s not the nimblest on the water, but she has the refined family traits of her larger siblings. All are built to go places in style and comfort; the 42CS is no different. It’s difficult to review a boat where so much is a movable feast. The current owner’s requirements didn’t entirely fit my own, as mine wouldn’t fit theirs. That’s boats for you. Many of my criticisms and comments could easily be addressed, should I suffer a lottery win. Contest has been building boats for 55 years and I doubt I’d be their fussiest customer. The yard understands that boat owners are individuals and, while not semi-custom in name, offers enough variants to be considered such. After all, with a total of 45 different combinations of interior layouts available, finding something to suit your style of sailing shouldn’t be a problem. Choosing one might be.

Facts and figures Price  €548,000 inc VAT in Feb 2015 (approx. £437,747) LOA  12.85m (42ft 1in) LWL  11.76 m (38ft 7in) Beam  4.15m (13ft 7in) Draught  2.2m (7ft 3in) Displacement  11,000kg (24,251 lb) Ballast  4,600kg (10,141 lb) Sail area  104m2 (1,118sq ft) Engine  54hp Yanmar Diesel  250 lit (55gal) Water  480 lit (105gal) D/L ratio  188.2 SA/D ratio  21.4 Ballast ratio  41.8% RCD category  A STIX  48.0 Designer  Georg Nissen Builder  Contest Yachts ( www.contestyachts.com ) UK agent  Charles Watson Marine Tel  01590 647422 Web   www.charles-watson.com

• Competitions
• Print Subscription
• Digital Subscription
• Single Issues

Your special offer

Subscribe to Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting today!

Save 32% on the shop price when to subscribe for a year at just £39.95

Subscribe to Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting!

Save 32% on the shop price when you subscribe for a year at just £39.95

Contest 67CS – tested and reviewed

Discover a modern classic in the luxury of the contest 67cs.

Bluewater cruising dreams come in all shapes and sizes. And let’s face it: a 67-foot boat is the stuff of dreams for most of us. The starting point must be several million in the bank, but if you’re genuinely in that market, what else should be on the list of must-haves and nice-to-haves?

Contest makes those decisions very easy by focusing an enormous amount of energy and thought on the details of a successful cruising experience. Yes, the boat looks beautiful, is finished to high standards and sails well with her 3Di sails – more on that below, but honestly speaking, a semi-custom luxury boatbuilder that didn’t deliver these things wouldn’t be in business for long.

Contest Yachts has been building boats in Medemblik, Holland since its first 25-footer in 1959, so it has more experience than most to draw on. This really shows up in the detail of the yacht’s design. To pick just one example, key systems behind the engine’s fuel system are all doubled up. Turn a valve over and the engine starts drawing diesel through a back-up filter; another lever diverts cooling sea water from the generator into the auxiliary engine. If the engine’s main raw water intake gets clogged with Sargasso weed or a plastic bag, you can keep moving while you sort the problem out – the same with dirty fuel or water in the tank. Yes, these are technical points, but they represent invaluable forethought in the event of a problem.

Before I climbed aboard the 67CS alongside the old town quay in Medemblik, I had a detailed tour of the yard in the company of director Arjen Conijn – the third generation of the family to fill this role (sister Annick also works at the yard). There I saw vacuum infusion on a scale I’d never before witnessed. And little wonder: the technique was originally developed by Contest itself in partnership with TNO Delft university. That head start has enabled the yard to perfect the technique, which saves around one third of the weight versus traditional hand lay-up “and makes a stiffer hull”, according to Arjen.

New departure

The 67CS is no exception, moulded by Contest in more expensive vinylester sandwich – except in areas of high stress like the keel, and around winches which are solid laminate. The yard also prides itself on details, such as the special barrier coat under the gelcoat, which provides double protection against osmosis.

The boat marks a new departure for Contest because it is the first of their range designed by Judel/Vrolijk – the German architects of the moment who are behind a number of IRC designs, as well as the Baltic, Hanse and Dehler yachts. They usually favour a certain aggressive modern styling, with plumb bows and transom, but this is almost entirely absent from the look and feel of the Contest, save for a new soft chine aft. That’s because, according to Arjen Conijn, they were primarily brought in to tweak and improve the manufacturing processes.

“Slowly, slowly, we have been evolving,” he says. “The focus is more on design and performance, and you see this now with the cooperation with Judel/Vrolijk. The long-term view comes with the family background. For me it doesn’t work to say ‘we must change the design every two or three years’. Our customers make a very careful decision and are in it for longer.”

Towering topsides are offset by the low, sleek coachroof and the long hull windows that stretch from the huge full-beam aft cabin forward to the bunks in the fo’c’s’le. On deck, it’s all acres of teak with flush hatches from the mast forward, keeping the foredeck clear for handling head sails.

The boat has twin wheels, with a comfy perch on the coaming for the helmsman, along with foot blocks. This affords good views forward past the truly huge, size 88 primary winches. In the gusty conditions we had on Holland’s IJsselmeer, with ominous clouds scudding overhead and shoal waters to avoid, it was necessary to keep a dedicated trimmer to hand, although all the controls are at the helmsman’s fingertips.

At 40 tonnes, she’s no featherweight racer but her deep bulb keel and tall rig give her plenty of power and stability, as we were to discover. Scraping the mud on the way out of Medemblik harbour with her 2.95m (9ft 8in) draught, we found ourselves overpowered with full canvas. All the same, she handled well, her single balanced rudder and JEFA rack and pinion steering coping well with the strain we were putting on it. There was just enough feel to keep us in touch with the significant forces on the boat, as the groaning and cracking of the sheets reminded me.

Controls are led back to the true centre cockpit – a huge space that feels well protected and luxurious in turn (plenty of room to entertain guests here without getting in the way of the sailing). There’s a battery of push-buttons on the two consoles that allow the helmsman to control the furlers, hydraulic backstay tensioner and vang, plus the propulsion, which includes a bow-thruster,   and stern-thruster if you want it, though Annick says this is unnecessary because of the deep, responsive rudder.

The mainsheet comes off the tip of the boom, straight to a centre console at the entrance to the cockpit with dedicated winch. (I don’t understand why some boatbuilders insist on dicing with gybing disaster by putting it halfway along.) This is a neat solution pioneered by Dehler in the 1980s, but it works better here because of the scale of the boat: there’s plenty of room to pass on either side, and it avoids the danger to toes presented by track on deck.

Polished performer

Performance is surprisingly good for a well-equipped cruising yacht. Thanks to that deep keel and tall carbon rig, the polars predict nearly 10kt on a reach in just 10kt of wind – impressive indeed. Our test saw speeds in excess of that on a beat as well, and an easy mile-crunching 8kt downwind. Her slightly wider, flatter aft sections help in this department, making for faster, more comfortable tradewind passages.

There’s a fixed inner forestay for cutter rig or twin downwind sails, which is handy. As is customary with yachts of this size, running backstays are necessary to protect the mast against the forces exerted by this sail. Other versions of the boat use a soft shackle for a removable stay – useful if you want to avoid having to furl the jib to make each tack.

Semi-custom is not a tag to be worn lightly, and Contest makes it clear that owner input is welcome on almost every element of the boat. Visually, this is most evident below, where there is a choice of configurations. The large master cabin aft is popular for obvious reasons, but it’s also possible to have twin doubles aft with the master suite in the bow. Forward, the space can be used for a large guest double amidships, or smaller doubles to starboard and/or port, with the possibility of bunks in the forepeak – useful if the boat is to be crewed. This also allows both a horseshoe and longitudinal galley, according to the owner’s wishes.

Quality finish

However, the real feature is the extraordinary style and quality of the finish in our test boat, which is straight out of the superyacht world. The owner is a lover of fine cigars, and had specced a humidor in the saloon ‘coffee table’. This space has something of the feel of a gentleman’s club: all leather panelling, beige linen upholstery, deep teak joinery. The standard specification allows for light oak, but really anything is possible. With its huge, dedicated joinery area, the yard produces an interior with impeccable finish – no rough edges or fingernail-sized gaps in the joints.

There’s a huge chart table and navigation area, which also conceals much of the boat’s crucial electronics. A quick look behind the panel here revealed some of the neatest wiring that I’ve ever seen – a sign that everything has been exhaustively thought through. The technical room under the companionway is the same highly organised story – every wire labelled and carefully run in a triumph of detailing that I find almost as pleasing to the eye as the living areas of the boat. It’s little details here that make the difference: digital switching; alarms for water in fuel, tankage levels, excess heat in the engine room; the ability to start the engine on the 540aH of service batteries. Below the exceedingly well insulated saloon sole, the engine’s roar is reduced to a barely audible purr with its near-silent exhaust. Fixed bilge pumps have suction points throughout the boat, but two have a flexible roving hose to empty any area. They can be controlled from the cockpit pedestal, and there’s a manual back-up just in case.

And if all this weren’t enough, the boat has painstaking Lloyds certification for added peace of mind. Once you’ve worked your way through the extras list, it’s just a case of deciding where you want to point the bow.

This is a pure bred bluewater cruiser that possesses a level of luxury that will allow you to reach your destination in total comfort, while also feeling reassuringly safe and rock solid.

It is rare to find a boat that impresses with such a degree of minutely thought-through detail. On a technical level, the Contest 67CS feels as if it would be up to a Mars mission, such is the quality of its systems and the rigour of its failsafes.

And that is not to say that the designers have neglected the look and performance of the boat. She may be solidly built and therefore heavy, but her lines are attractively simple with a kind of classic feel.   Comforts abound below, but she’s not designed to show off.

She is the real thing: an efficient sailing machine designed to take you wherever you want to go on the planet’s oceans, both pampering and thrilling you as you go. Performance is impressive too. Perhaps the ultimate balance of cruising comfort and sailing fun in a boat of this size, with the added interest of being able to get involved with as much of the decision-making at the design stage as you like.

The Spec LOA 69ft 9in (21.3m) LWL 60ft 10in (18.5m) Beam 18ft 6in (5.7m) Draught 9ft 8in (3.0m) Engine Volvo 180hp Cabin 4 Designer Judel/Vrolijk Builder Contest Yachts, contestyachts.com Price as tested £2.35m LWL/displacement ratio 172 Sail area/displacement ratio 22 .1 AVS 122º

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Boat Test: C-Cat 48

Boat Test: Bali Catsmart 38′

Boat Test: Italia 12.98

Offering a wealth of practical advice and a dynamic mix of in-depth boat, gear and equipment news, Sailing Today is written cover to cover by sailors, for sailors. Since its launch in 1997, the magazine has sealed its reputation for essential sailing information and advice.

• British Yachting Awards 2022
• Telegraph.co.uk

ADVERTISING

© 2024 Chelsea Magazine Company , part of the Telegraph Media Group . | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy

Contest 42CS : the bluewater Stradivarius. Complete Sea Trial

To fully understand such a big statement, that we cannot refrain from justifying, we must must be able to explain you the reasons why.

When assessing a sailboat, you should never overlook its construction, the way it sails and, last but not least, the capacity of the shipyard to design yachts that can make your heart beat at first glance.

After all, this is not surprising if we consider that the boat we have tested is 4 years old and, both in the port and at sea, it has never made any crunches and has no imperfections at all, even if you try to find them with a magnifying glass.

You can therefore fully understand how anxious I was to climb on board this “Stradivarius of the sea”.

Contest 42CS Sea Trial

Sure, temperature is low – about 3-4 degrees – but the large hood of the Contest offers a more than sufficient shelter in order not to feel too much cold.

The engine of the Contest 42CS is barely audible while, slowly motoring, we approach the sluice of the dam that, recovering two meters of drop, will lead us to the sea-level basin.

In this case, the boat is rigged with a carbon mast, in-boom furling mainsail, carbon boom and a mainsail sheet circuit that goes directly to a cockpit-mounted central winch.

More and more frequent on maxi yachts, this solution, when applied to boats of this size, combines sporty performances and extraordinary easy handling.

We sail between houses that look like something out of a storybook to Radbound Castle that, in its beauty, marks at the same time the exit of the Port of Medemblik and our entry to the IJsselmeer.

A light breeze makes the water ripple while the mainsail is hoisted by Marcel Offereins who, thanks to the duplication of the electric mainsail winch switch, performs the maneuver autonomously and effortlessly from the starboard helm station. We slightly bear away, unfurl the jib and stop the engine.

Georg Nissen must have been particularly inspired when he designed the hull lines of this yacht.

We perform a series tacking that Tessa faces without hardly slowing down; then, the sea seems to get darker, winds energy increases and, like a gift from the heavens, it stabilizes at 9-10 knots of true wind, which represents the perfect conditions for our sea trial.

While we sail, I suddenly realize that I’m standing in the cockpit with a notebook in my hand while I’m writing down. The stability of this boat is striking. I must steer her, now!

So, I leave my notebook and Marcel lets me take the wheel. I sit on the leeward side, I put my hands on the helm and, instantly, I start to “feel” Tessa.

Slight variations on the wheel are enough to make the play reverse and, equally instantly, make the bow turn by that tenth of degree we had just figured to give to our current course.

The sensation I feel is very similar to the amazing one that, until today, I thought it was possible only with a tiller bar rudder and that, on this boat, is even more refined because this hull is stable, progressive and never nervous.

I bear away a little and start to go down at 70 degrees from the apparent wind and, while the angle of the true wind is well above 100 degrees, our Contest 42CS keeps running at 7 knots. Slowing further, despite the 105% jib, speeds remain relatively high and Tessa seems not to want to stop. With a gennaker on board, this yacht can certainly eat up many miles a day, regardless of wind direction.

Reluctantly, I give the wheel back to Marcel and, while we sail close-hauled at about 8 knots, I go to ceck how sailing experience is from the perspective of passengers.  It goes without saying that, on a sailboat like this, there’s no shortage of handrails and you can move from a point to another in total safety. Nevertheless, I move without the need to find a handhold or to lean against something to find a balance that, vice versa, Tessa gives me herself with her safe gait.

I stand up, I reach the hatchway and start to climb down. Steps feature raised ends with an angle that corresponds to the ideal close-hauled; in short, when climbing down, your feet lean on a flat safe surface.

When I arrive in the ward-room, again, the Contest 42CS astonishes me. In the dinette, silence is absolute, no creak is audible, nothing moves and, above all, water lapping along the hull is absolutely silent.

While I’m sitting, the details of the boats I had seen under construction in the shipyard come to my mind in the form of pictures and everything becomes clearer.

Structural rigidity, sound and thermal insulation are all advantages that result from a construction technology that Contest Yachts uses for all its boats, large and small.

I go back in the cockpit and I enjoy the last minutes of navigation; then, when it is time to go back, maybe as a mark of respect or maybe to appease the displeasure to leave a boat like this, wind energy, too, decreases and comes to greet our entry into the port.

Performances under sail

2 passengers aboard – fuel capacity at 100% – water capacity at 50% – laden boat in cruising trim – true wind from 7 to 10 knots – almost calm/slightly rough sea

Technically speaking, we could consider the Contest 42CS as a highly versatile sailboat capable to stand out both in club races and for recreational purposes.

Stable, comfortable and fast at all speeds, she can sail many miles a day that, combined with a livability that is typical of larger boats, undoubtedly earn her the definition of “blue water cruiser”.

The possibility to customize the deck plan extensively, adapting it to the various owner’s needs, makes this boat a definitively perfect yacht.

Contest Yachts : that’s how boats are built

This is why the shipyard combines technologically advanced building technologies, including Conyplex vacuum infusion system®, and handcrafted production of the most important parts, where the expertise of its boat-builders makes a tangible difference.

A clear example of this is furniture that, not only is manufactured in accordance with best practice, but is also positioned with a precision and a care that don’t fear the judgement of the time.

All materials used, wood essences, fittings and equipment are high-quality. Electric systems are oversized and therefore safe.

Hull construction deserves a separate chapter. On the one had, we have the famous vacuum infusion system developed by Conyplex that, through a 24-hour process, completely removes air while reducing resin percentage to 30%, with a clear advantage in terms of weight and sturdiness, considering that the fiber gives strength to the hull.

The combination of these two techniques results in the construction of boats that are extraordinarily sturdy, comfortable and practically free from any osmotic phenomena.

But what has impressed me the most about this shipyard is how the quality standard and the reckless attention to details used in the construction of the flagship are used for the construction of the smallest of the range in exactly the same way.

Maybe that’s why to sail on board this Contest 42CS inevitably tends to create an addiction that it is very difficult to extinguish.

Unless we’re back to test another Contest, of course…

Contest Yachts

Overleek 5 1671 GD Medemblik The Netherlands tel +31 227 543 644

[email protected] www.contestyachts.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You might be interested in

Guidi exhaust valves and seacocks: seven years of testing, here are the results.

Ice 70: sailing aboard a Stradivarius. Full Sea trial

Outremer 55: the perfect catamaran, an unforgettable sea trial

Yacht Digest 17: the Sea Trials Special Edition dedicated to the most beautiful boats of 2023 is online

Med Group at MetsTrade: a constantly growing business

Centrostiledesign designs the new Naviop CSD 3200 technology platform

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Subscribe For Latest Updates

Sign up to receive the best of Yachting News, sea trials, boat review and world premieres .

The only ADVERTISING FREE newsletter

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Indepth yacht reviews and boat tests from the experts at Yachting World – we test the latest and best models from Gunboat, Solaris, Moody and Oyster

Showing reviews 1–20 of 195

Jeanneau Yachts 55 review: Thinking outside the box

Boatbuilders rarely have the courage to launch a model that represents a radically different way of thinking. Instead, most new yachts are simply variations on established themes with incremental improvements…

HH44 review: Taking fast multihull cruising to another level

A fast, fun catamaran that is safe and comfortable may once have been a pipe dream, but is now perhaps the biggest growth market in yachting. However, creating a performance…

XC47 review: is this the best bluewater cruiser ever?

We’re close-hauled in 7-10 knots of true wind, making 6-6.5 knots of boat speed, with the helm beautifully balanced and only a degree or two of weather helm. A gentle…

Cure 55 first look: Ultimate performance catamaran?

The Cure 55 extremely lightweight Australian model is intended as the ultimate performance cruising multihull, combining spacious and well appointed accommodation with the ability to cross oceans at speed, even…

Sun Fast 30OD review: breaking the mould

The best racing I’ve ever done, whether inshore or offshore, has been in one-design fleets. However, in the offshore realm it’s been two decades since the last successful one-design class…

First look: CNB 78 – stunning bluewater cruiser

As Nicolas Claris’ photos show, CNB has produced a sympathetic replacement to the popular 76 to mark its first yacht since its change of ownership from Groupe Beneteau to Solaris.…

First look: Swan 51 – redeveloping a classic

The Swan 51 of 1981 broke new ground as it was the first German Frers design for Swan, the spark for an incredible relationship now in its fourth decade. Nautor…

First look: Contest 63CS

The run of Georg Nissen-designed Contest 62CSs finished 10 years ago and what we can be assured of with the new generation of Judel/Vrolijk designed hulls is a lot more…

First look: Rapido 53XS – 20 knot cruiser

A desire for speed is leading to a revival of larger trimarans. This long awaited Morrelli & Melvin-designed ultra fast cruiser, offered in two distinctly different versions, is from a…

First look: Dazcat Ocean Cruiser 55

The Multihull Centre in Cornwall is no stranger to innovation. The Millbrook yard, nestled up a Tamar creek, has undertaken some fascinating custom projects, including in recent years the full…

Neel 52 trimaran review

We’re beating out of the approach channel to La Rochelle in 8-10 knots of true wind, with some tacks as short as 90 seconds. The yacht is tacking cleanly and…

Arcona 50 review: Luxury performance cruiser

Arcona – a Swedish yard with a sound reputation for producing traditional style cruiser-racers, designed by a little known Swede who had a gift of ensuring slippery hulls. If that…

First look: Black Pepper Code C.69

Black Pepper Yachts never ceases to impress, whether it’s the Nantes-based firm’s stylish and impeccably finished daysailers, or performance monohulls including Sam Manuard-designed IMOCA 60s for sailors such as Armel…

C-Cat 65 first look: elegant, sophisticated catamaran

Italian yard Comar is adding a 65ft model designed by Enrico Contreas and Luigi Cirillo to its existing range of 37-65ft performance catamarans and 52-100ft monohulls, the new C-Cat 65.…

Ovni 430 review: new interpretation of a successful concept

The concept of rugged aluminium centreboard boats is well proven, but can a boat displacing 14 tonnes when loaded sail well in the light airs that predominate during summer in…

First look: 18m Explorer Yacht OC188

Designed for extended remote cruising including a circumnavigation, OC188 is six months into its aluminium construction at alloy experts KM Yachtbuilders in Makkum. Its experienced owner wanted an easily handled…

First look: MCP 68 – luxury yacht meets trawler-style motorsailer

A luxury yacht meets a rugged trawler-style motorsailer, all wrapped in a purposeful explorer look in this MCP 68 from Brazil. Hull numbers two and three are being delivered this…

First look: 15m Explorer Yacht Lynx

This 15m Explorer Yacht Lynx is very much a descendant of Qilak, and is even dubbed ‘little Qilak’, thanks to its similar looks, its hydraulic lifting keel, twin rudders and…

Spirit 72DH review: latest modern classic stunner

Clear the headland three miles south of Guernsey’s St Peter Port and the depth and conditions can change abruptly, as you transition from sailing around tidal banks into the English…

First look: Swan 108 launched

Nautor’s latest model – billed as being the first in the yard’s new Maxi Swan era – was launched in June this year and underwent sea trials in Finland’s Gulf…

All-ages art contest at the Fond du Lac Public Library challenges you to make 'mini masterpieces.' Here's how to enter.

Any medium or supplies can decorate the canvas..

FOND DU LAC — Now's your chance to test your miniature artistic prowess.

Registration is open for a free 4-inch-by-4-inch canvas for the Fond du Lac Public Library 's new Tiny Art Contest, where participants of all ages can submit their "mini-masterpieces" between April 22 and 29 for a chance to win a prize.

Artists can supply their own canvases as long as they're the same size, but a limited number are available and can be reserved at calendar.fdlpl.org for pickup at the library's Help Desk.

Sign up for local business news with our new Fond du Lac Streetwise newsletter

Any medium or supplies can decorate the canvas, except food or perishables, and the artwork must fit within the canvas. The artwork and titles must also be appropriate for all ages.

Prizes will be awarded to Best in Show and Library Staff Choice for each of four age categories: ages 0 to 5 are Littles, 6 to 12 are Kids, 13 to 18 are Teens, and 19 and older are Adults.

City manager review: Here's how Fond du Lac City Council rated City Manager Joe Moore's performance in 2023

All entries will be exhibited in the Tiny Art Show in the Langdon Divers Community Gallery from May 1 to June 4.

Those who need supplies can use the library's selection at the Idea Studio from 3 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, from 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Children ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult in the Idea Studio.

All entries must be turned in to the Help Desk at the library, 32 Sheboygan St., before the library closes at 8 p.m. April 29. One entry per person will be accepted.

Theater: Homeschool Performing Arts Club will present free comedy play 'The Princess Who Has No Name' March 22 and 23

Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at  [email protected] .

Ohio’s Republican Senate race heats up dramatically in final days in latest test of Trump’s influence

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s once-plodding Republican Senate race has changed gears sharply in its final days.

The contest, long viewed as Westlake businessman Bernie Moreno’s to lose thanks to his endorsement from ex-President Donald Trump, has become something more interesting – a nasty race that tests the limits of Trump’s ability to anoint Republican political newcomers to high political office in Ohio.

Campaigns began intensifying a couple weeks ago, after public and private polls detected a late surge in support for state Sen. Matt Dolan, the only candidate who didn’t court Trump’s endorsement.

While Moreno and Secretary of State Frank LaRose jockeyed for Trump’s endorsement, Dolan has run a more traditional Republican campaign that touts his legislative experience and keeps Trump at a relative arm’s length. Until the last weeks of the campaign, that didn’t look like a winning strategy.

But polls now a show a neck-and-neck race between Moreno and Dolan – who each have spent millions of dollars of their own money – with LaRose in a somewhat distant third place.

The race sets up a sharp contrast, pitting the state’s old-style Republicans against the new party that’s dominated by Trump . Adding to the volatile mix is a large percentage of voters who remain undecided.

“I never would have guessed it would be as fluid as it is right now,” said Aaron Pickrell, a Democratic strategist in Columbus.

The winner in Tuesday’s Republican primary election will face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November.

The expected close finish has led Moreno’s allies to intercede on his behalf. First, they increased their spending to match Dolan’s TV ads. Then they called in Trump himself. Buckeye Values PAC, which Moreno’s allies founded to support his Senate campaign, footed the bill for a Dayton rally on Saturday that Trump headlined.

Other Trump allies are campaigning with Moreno in the race’s final days, including Sen. JD Vance, who himself was a political newcomer when he won his seat in 2022 with Trump’s endorsement; Rep. Jim Jordan; South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem; and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake.

Trump touched on the Senate race several times during a characteristically meandering, 90-minute speech on Saturday. He called Moreno – whose daughter is married to Rep. Max Miller, a former Trump White House aide – a “fantastic guy” with a “great family.”

“He’s getting some very tough Democrat fake treatment right now. And we’re not going to stand for it because I know this man. We all know this man. He’s a hero. He’s a winner,” Trump said.

Trump also blasted Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians, for changing the team’s name. He didn’t mention LaRose.

“Anybody who changes the name of the Cleveland Indians to the Cleveland Guardians should not be a senator,” Trump said.

Dolan meanwhile has portrayed himself as more interested in Ohio than national political figures. He’s campaigning with two mainstays of traditional Ohio Republican politics, who resemble him stylistically and politically: Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman. He’s benefitted from the $10 million-plus he’s loaned his campaign which has allowed him and well-funded affiliated Super PACs to flood the airwaves with ads promoting him and attacking his opponents.

Robert Alexander, an Ohio Northern University political scientist who’s conducted polling in the race, said the closeness could reflect anything from electoral fatigue to a lack of familiarity with the three candidates. It also could mean GOP voters are uncertain about who’d be the best general election candidate.

“There’s a whole vortex of issues surrounding this campaign,” Alexander said.

The stakes are high for Republicans, who are trying to retake control of the U.S. Senate. That path almost certainly requires defeating Brown, one of Republicans’ top targets given Ohio’s rightward political shift.

Democrats have shown a clear preference in the race. They think Moreno is the weakest candidate, as evidenced by the $3 million in last-minute ads a Democratic-controlled group funded last week that call attention to the Trump endorsement.

But all three candidates have argued they’re the candidate best equipped to defeat Brown.

Dolan’s campaign backers, Portman and DeWine, harken back to a more genteel time in Ohio Republican politics. Both won their most recent elections by 20-plus points, compared to Trump’s relatively narrow 8-point victories in 2016 and 2020.

DeWine told reporters Wednesday that he believes Dolan is best equipped to win in November, while also citing his support for continued military aid to Ukraine, something Moreno wants to end.

“I think all three candidates can win in the fall, but I think Dolan is in the strongest position as I’ve watched this campaign unfold,” DeWine said.

Dolan is making electability a core part of his pitch, pointing to how he outperformed Trump in his state Senate race.

“I believe the Senate Democrats are doing everything they can to put Bernie on the ballot because they’re most vulnerable,” Dolan said. “You put me on the ballot, Sherrod Brown’s retired.”

But Moreno’s allies have their own argument to paint Moreno as more electable. It involves Trump.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a potential Trump running mate this year, said last week that the former president won’t be as inclined to campaign in Ohio to defeat Brown unless Moreno wins.

“You do not want to pick a candidate this primary that Donald Trump isn’t going to come here for 1,000%,” she said.

LaRose is holding his own campaign stops around the state, although he lacks the same high-profile backing. During a lunchtime appearance Thursday before the Knox County Republican Party, he alluded to his relative lack of star power and campaign fundraising challenges, which have been exacerbated by his opponents’ personal wealth.

LaRose made the case that he’s the most electable in the field, as the only candidate who’s won a statewide election, while presenting himself as more reliably conservative than either Dolan or Moreno.

“This is going to come down to not who had the most money or who had the most celebrities endorsing them,” LaRose said. “It’s going to come down to you all making an important decision about who you think can best beat Sherrod Brown, and who do you trust to actually put this country first and help save America.”

Pickrell, the Democratic strategist in Columbus, said Brown continues to hold appeal with some of the former Democratic voters who switched parties to vote for Trump in recent elections. That makes him hard to beat for Republicans, he said.

“I think there are two very distinct choices between Matt Dolan and Bernie Moreno, and they don’t know exactly what the best way to go at Sherrod is,” Pickrell said. “Because he has this appeal to a large swath of general election voters in Ohio because of his record and his economic populism.”

But, Pickrell said that despite national Democrats’ calculated decision to help Moreno, he doesn’t view any of the candidates as being a clear weakest potential challenger.

“I understand their rationale for it,” he said. “But I’ve gone all ways on which candidate will give Sen. Brown the best chance of winning, and I don’t know which one that would be.”

Some Republicans have watched the campaign with alarm, growing concerned that the eventual winner will be damaged by the nasty primary. Vance endorsed Moreno early in the race, telling reporters he hoped doing so would help discourage a repeat of the heated 2022 GOP primary that left Vance’s campaign broke heading into the general election.

Alex Triantafilou, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, said he’s not worried about that.

“I know the last 10 days or so has gotten a little more strident in all directions,” he said. “But you know, it’s not unexpected. These are heavyweight candidates, they’re going to have it out until the end, and then we’re going to get a nominee.”

Andrew Tobias covers state politics and government for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit cleveland.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trump plays attack dog for Bernie Moreno as Ohio's GOP Senate primary ends on a vicious note

VANDALIA, Ohio — Ohio’s Republican Senate primary was already a mean-spirited and mudslinging affair , careening viciously toward a tight and bitter finish.

And then Donald Trump came to town.

The former president touched down for a Saturday-afternoon rally to boost Bernie Moreno, who despite snagging his endorsement three months ago has failed to distance himself decisively from his GOP rivals.

Trump was on the attack, whipping the crowd into a frenzy against state Sen. Matt Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians. Dolan’s emergence as Moreno’s strongest opponent, accentuated in the last week with endorsements from Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman, has reinforced distinct battle lines: MAGA vs. Ohio’s old-guard conservative establishment, which pales as moderate in comparison to Trump’s politics.

In his 90-minute speech at Dayton International Airport, Trump called Moreno a “fantastic guy” and hammered Dolan as a “RINO” — or Republican in name only.

“Bernie is running against a weak RINO named Matt Dolan. He is trying to become the next Mitt Romney,” Trump said, referring to the Utah senator who was the 2012 Republican presidential nominee and is now a prominent Trump critic. “I think Mitt Romney is his hero.”

Trump reminded the crowd that Dolan ran , unsuccessfully, as a Democrat for a state legislative seat more than 30 years ago. Trump also complained about how the Dolan family’s Major League Baseball franchise changed its name from the Indians to the Guardians in 2021, amid concerns that the old name was offensive to Native Americans.

“He’s easily pushed around by woke left-wing lunatics who renamed his family’s baseball team,” said Trump, who surveyed the audience for its opinions on the rebranding and elicited a strong response in favor of the old name. “My attitude is anybody who changes the name from the Cleveland Indians to the Cleveland Guardians should not be a senator.”

Dolan’s father, Larry, is the principal owner of the team, and his brother, Paul, serves as CEO. Though he has worked closely with the team, Dolan has said he had no involvement with the name change.

Trump did not refer to the third candidate in the GOP primary, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

Moreno, a political novice and former car dealer, is hoping to ride Trump’s support into a general election matchup against Sen. Sherrod Brown, one of the most vulnerable Democrats on the ballot this fall. Trump’s appearance — three days before the primary and less than two weeks after a source close to the former president said that an Ohio rally for Moreno was “highly unlikely” — created the feel of another salesman being called in to close the deal.

The results of Tuesday’s primary could have profound ramifications for Trump in a state he won twice by 8-point margins. If Moreno wins, Trump can take credit for carrying an inexperienced candidate to victory. If Moreno loses, Trump will face questions about the value of his endorsement in tough races, in this case the first competitive 2024 Senate primary in which he picked a favorite. 

There have been few independent polls in the race, but two surveys over the last week showed a tight race between Moreno and Dolan. The hostile nature of the race escalated Friday, after The Associated Press reported on a potential link between a Moreno email address and an account with Adult Friend Finder, a website known for arranging sexual encounters.

The AP did not verify that Moreno himself had set up the account and quoted a letter provided by Moreno’s attorney, which the campaign also provided to NBC News, in which former intern Dan Ricci wrote that he “created the … account in question” as a “prank” and apologized “to him and his family for any harm this foolishness has caused them.”

NBC News has not independently corroborated the report. Ricci did not respond to a request for comment.

“The email address in question was not Bernie’s personal email address, but rather an email address that appeared on company websites and literature and was managed by staff,” Moreno attorney Charles Harder said in a statement the campaign provided to NBC News. “Multiple people had access to it, including this intern. Bernie Moreno had nothing to do with the AFF account. According to metadata, the AFF account was never even used — there were no communications or contacts sent to or from any other AFF accounts, and no photos or content were uploaded to it. The AFF account existed for less than a half-day, 16 years ago.”

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung issued a statement defending Moreno and calling the AP report “shameful.” And Andrew Cornu, the founder of Adult Friend Finder, posted Saturday on X that after his own review, he found the situation “consistent with a prank or someone just checking out the site.”

But the surfacing of the account, which according to the AP was set up to attract “young guys” and had been the subject of rumors for weeks among GOP operatives, gave rivals a late opening to argue that a Moreno nomination would ensure Brown’s re-election.

A new ad released Friday by the Dolan-aligned Buckeye Leadership Fund emphasizes some of the most salacious aspects of the AP report. The 30-second spot was supposed to run statewide on TV and radio as part of the PAC’s existing advertising plan, spokesperson Chris Pack said.

“Creepy, huh? Moreno is damaged goods,” the narrator in the ad says before referring to a Democratic strategy to meddle in the primary with an ad promoting Moreno’s conservative positions. “That’s why Democrats are spending millions to prop up Moreno in the Republican primary, so Sherrod Brown can beat him in November.”

Dolan sidestepped questions about the AP report Friday before a GOP dinner in Salem, south of Youngstown, and said he was not aware of the super PAC’s ad. LaRose, speaking with reporters after the dinner, was more eager to address the issue.

“I’ve been saying from the beginning that I don’t think Mr. Moreno is trustworthy,” he said. “And I’m not going to say much more about it other than, you know, obviously, if that’s true, it’s a horrible thing for his family, and I keep them in our prayers.”

A source close to Moreno’s campaign said at least 10 TV stations have refused to run the Buckeye Leadership Fund ad following cease-and-desist notices from Moreno’s legal counsel. Bridget Moreno, the candidate’s wife, issued a statement Saturday calling on Dolan to denounce the ad. A Dolan spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump briefly alluded to the matter Saturday.

“They’re doing a number on him,” Trump said, dismissing the article as “disinformation and misinformation.”

Backed by $10 million in personal loans and millions more from friendly super PACs, Dolan has run an aggressive ad campaign to promote his policy positions and attack his rivals. A lawyer whose family struck it rich in cable television before buying Cleveland’s Major League Baseball franchise, Dolan hasn’t run away from Trump. But he hasn’t run close to him, either, acknowledging that he has a much different personality. That has opened him up to the “RINO” attacks.

Though he didn’t mention Dolan by name at Saturday’s rally, Moreno noted in his remarks how his rival did not think the debate over U.S. border security should distract from support for Ukraine and mocked him for an endorsement from The Plain Dealer , a Cleveland newspaper.

“You’re going to go vote on Tuesday and send a clear message to the swamp RINOs that they’re done,” Moreno told the audience.

LaRose, who entered the race with high name recognition thanks to two statewide election wins, has struggled to compete with the independently wealthy Dolan and Moreno on the money front. The secretary of state has relied heavily on an allied super PAC to promote him, but that group, Leadership for Ohio, has recently spent its money to attack the other candidates. Moreno and Dolan have trained their fire on each other in the final days, largely ignoring LaRose.

“I mean, you always want to have more resources to get your message out there,” LaRose said Friday after the dinner in Salem. “But Ohioans know BS when they hear it.”

Throughout the week, voters and activists at GOP events across Ohio described a two-person race between Moreno and Dolan.

“I would say that this is a crucial time for the state of Ohio,” Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, a Moreno supporter, said at this week’s Lake County Republican Party dinner in Eastlake, near Cleveland. “So we are going to be traditional, old-school Republicans, or we’re going to change ourselves as Republicans. I’m looking for that change in Washington, and Bernie Moreno is going to bring it.”

Amy Sabath, a GOP operative who has consulted for DeWine and Dolan and attended the same dinner, explained why she was partial to Dolan.

“The ultraconservative vote is probably going to split between Moreno and LaRose,” Sabath said. “But I’m hoping there’s a nice path for Dolan to come up through the middle with the more, I don’t want to say ‘moderate Republicans,’ but maybe that is the better word. I’ve always considered myself an ultraconservative Republican, but I just believe in the right candidate, and the right candidate is Dolan.”

The challenge for Dolan — knitting together a winning coalition of GOP voters that includes those who are ready to move on from Trump — was on display this week as he attempted to win over voters in Aurora, a suburb near Cleveland.

“My heart says until Trump is gone I will never vote Republican again,” Reed Fuller told Dolan after the candidate knocked on his door Tuesday. “Sorry.”

Aurora Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin, who accompanied Dolan, tried to vouch for him.

“Well, he’s not a Trump person,” she interjected.

“I know, I realize that,” Fuller said. “I’m sorry. If I had to choose between the three, I’d be with you.”

Henry J. Gomez is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Emma Barnett is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.

• 52MC Fastlane
• 52MC Flybridge
• 52MC Open Sport
• 52MC Classic
• Craftsmanship
• The meaning of Lloyd’s Register Hull Construction Certification
• Facts & Figures
• Agents & Service Centres
• Customer Care
• MYS - Total Yacht Care
• Event archive
• Palma Boat Show 2023
• Cannes Yachting Festival 2023
• Southampton International Boat Show 2023
• boot Düsseldorf 2024
• Sevenstar Contest Cup 2023
• Sevenstar Contest Meeting 2023
• Genoa International Boat Show 2023
• Palma International Boat Show 2024
• Sevenstar Contest Cup 2024
• Sevenstar Contest Meeting 2024
• Contest Yachts Open House 2024
• News archive
• Looking ahead to the late season shows
• Celebrating the sale of the 50th Contest 50CS
• Almost here - only months to go!
• Contest Yachts deliver first Contest 85CS – Polina Star IV
• Game-changing new Contest 55CS
• Open House @ Contest Yachts
• World premiere Contest 55CS at boot Düsseldorf
• New Contest 59CS!
• NEWSFLASH… Contest 55CS wins best Bluewater Cruiser 2020!
• All-New Contest 50CS
• More to come; all-new Contest 50CS
• Dutch built luxury Contest 59CS yacht features handcrafted Bentley interior
• Dutch Yachting Weekend 2021
• All new Contest 49CS
• Contest 49CS & 50CS update
• Contest Yachts goes all-electric with Torqeedo
• Contest Yachts expands distributors network into Far East
• Contest 49CS & 50CS world premiere boot Düsseldorf
• Torqeedo joins Contest Yachts on stand at Düsseldorf Show
• BOOT Dusseldorf 2023
• Register now for Sevenstar Contest Cup 2023
• Sevenstar Contest Cup 2023 - Amazing weekend
• Sevenstar Contest Meeting 2023 - Adventures in Elegance
• CONTEST YACHTS AND ICONIC BRITISH CAR MAKER BENTLEY MOTORS ANNOUNCE AN INNOVATIVE NEW BENTLEY-STYLED YACHT INTERIOR
• Context Magazine
• Contest Yachts 60 jaar
• Contest 85CS - Built for bluewater
• De nieuwe Contest: sensationeel zeilen
• Contest 42CS - a pedigree bluewater cruiser
• In the press archive
• Contest 42CS
• Contest 52MC
• Contest 42CS - EYOTY Una notte da Oscar
• Contest 42CS Reisen und Racen
• Contest 42CS winner EYOTY
• Contest 42CS in Yelken Dünyasi
• Unvergleichlich Contest 42CS
• Contest 42CS winnaar
• Contest 42CS grote kleinste
• Kompakt yacht som seiler godt
• Sleek Contest 72CS yacht
• The Contest Winner, 42CS
• Ed Conijn, zeezeiler en entrepreneur
• Contest 52MC Flybridge
• Contest 36 Ketch
• Novila plovila Contest 67CS
• Dag en nacht in hetzelfde schuitje
• Contest 42CS - Elegant und schnell
• Contest 52MC; Examen d'éntrée réussi
• Contest 42CS in Yachting Monthly
• Contest Yachts adds new distributors
• Contest 42CS test in Segeln
• Contest 67CS Free Jazz
• Contest 67CS: speed and luxury
• Ultramodern zeiljacht met karakter
• Contest 67CS: the bluewater game-changer
• Contest Yachts flagship takes shape ahead of 2018 launch
• Außer Konkurrenz
• Contest 67CS : That's how a wonder sails
• A star turn
• Yacht test - Contest 55CS
• Contest 55CS - Ongeëvenaard comfort
• Contest 55CS: Sea trial Contest Yachts' Masterpiece
• Flying Dutchman - Boat test Contest 55CS
• Europees Jacht van het Jaar 2021 - Prijswinnende jachten
• The Contest Principle
• Contest Services

Knowledge and know-how

Contest Brokerage - the smart connector between sellers and buyers

• About Contest
• Contest Brokerage

The surest of sales

The Contest Brokerage division was formalised in 1995 since when the team has mediated more than 1,350 yacht sales. Our experienced brokers are all certified under EMCI ISO 9001 and work individually with clients offering close personal care throughout the entire buying and selling process. From yacht selection and inspection to instruction, we advise and assist every step of the way. We help not just mediate but also assist with the formalities of survey, finance, registration, legal completion, then onward to delivery and beyond.

Benefits of our Brokerage: - We are a full-service brokerage with membership of EMCI and the HISWA yacht brokers association - We have exceptional market knowledge and representation - We have an international network of brokers in Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, Italy, Spain and the United States - We exhibit at the major international boat shows - We work every sales channel online and offline - We live and work for our yachts and our clients

CB Selections, the new multi-brand brokerage service

We’re known, quite naturally, to be the best brokerage service for Contest Yachts. Yet we go much further. We are and have long been a leading, powerful force in the sale of other pre-owned quality brands. With the same high levels of service, we achieve better selling prices and, importantly, also better-satisfied buyers. We do this through our specialised division, CB Selections. In just the same way as with Contest Brokerage, each quality brokerage listing is brought back to as near new pristine condition by our in-house MYS service team before display in our heated showroom. And by this time already the brokerage team will have been marketing the new listing, internationally, inviting viewing of the yacht and set to return higher revenue. When it comes to pre-owned sales, wherever your homeport, and whether Contest, Baltic, Swan, Hallberg Rassey, Najad, Oyster, Malö or more, think CB Selections.

Please contact our dedicated Contest Brokerage & CB Selections team

Contest Brokerage and CB Selections Overleek 7 1671 GD Medemblik tel +31 227 543 636 [email protected] [email protected] www.contestbrokerage.com www.cb-selections.com

Just ask for Sieger Postuma or Guido Jansen.

Office Palma de Mallorca: Contest Yachts Mediterranean Guido Jansen Plaza Jardines san Telmo 8 Real Club Nautico 07012 Palma de Mallorca Spain +31 6 186 631 99

• Contest 49CS
• Contest 50CS
• Contest 55CS
• Contest 59CS
• Contest 63CS
• Contest 67CS
• Contest 72CS
• Contest 85CS
• Breaking news
• In the press
• Contest services
• Mys - Total Yacht Care
• +31 227 543 644
• [email protected]
• Terms & conditions
• Privacy policy
• © 2024 Contest Yachts
• website door Webvalue