Peterson 3/4 Ton (Contention 33)
Description
The Contention 33, known as the Peterson 3/4 Ton, is a high-performance cruiser-racer sailboat designed by Doug Peterson in 1976 specifically for the IOR 3/4 Ton Cup offshore racing class. Built by Southern Ocean Shipyard Ltd. in the UK from 1976 to 1980, approximately 50 hulls were produced, with standout successes like a 3rd-place finish at the 1979 3/4 Ton Cup (sailed as Bark of the Covenant). This fin-keel/spade-rudder design prioritizes agile handling, upwind pointing (35–40° apparent), and speed in moderate winds (SA/D 17.79), blending racing prowess with practical cruising features for coastal or short offshore legs. At 33 feet, it's responsive for 4–5 crew, with a functional interior including V-berths forward, saloon settees, galley, nav station, and quarter berths. The masthead sloop rig delivers a hull speed of 7.15 knots and a stiff, dry ride (comfort ratio 21.40), though it's capsize screening (1.98) favors protected waters over extreme bluewater.
Construction Details
| Designer | Doug Peterson |
|---|---|
| Builder | Southern Ocean Shipyard Ltd. (UK) |
| Length | 32.833 ft |
| LOA | 32.833 ft |
| LWL | 28.500 ft |
| Beam | 10.333 ft |
| Displacement | 9300 lb |
| Ballast | 4233 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.000 ft |
| Year Built | 1976 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 43 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 13.83 ft |
| p | 38.36 ft |
| e | 10.25 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 ft | 13.83 ft | 38.36 ft | 10.25 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Peterson 3/4 Ton (Contention 33) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 38.36 ft - (11692 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 10.25 ft - (3124 mm) |
| Leech | * 39.26 ft - (11966 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.01 ° |
| Diagonal | * 39.36 ft - (11997 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | 196.4 ft² |
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Peterson 3/4 Ton (Contention 33) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 36.14 ft - (11015 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 18.33 ft - (5587 mm) |
| Leech | * 31.35 ft - (9555 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 15.9 ft - (4846 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 287.31 ft² |
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Peterson 3/4 Ton (Contention 33) - GENOA
| Luff | * 42.91 ft - (13079 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 22.35 ft - (6812 mm) |
| Leech | * 40.34 ft - (12296 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 20.75 ft - (6325 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 445.11 ft² |
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Peterson 3/4 Ton (Contention 33) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 42.91 ft - (13079 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 24.89 ft - (7586 mm) |
| Foot | * 24.89 ft - (7586 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 907.83 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.