1995 Contest 46/48 Boat in San Diego, CA 92110 US

Aisling-A Proven Bluewater Cruiser, Ready for Her Next Voyage

Some yachts are purchased for what their owners hope to do. Aisling has spent the past twenty-five years doing what she was designed to do.

Designed by Dick Zaal and built in the Netherlands by Conyplex, Aisling is a 1995 Contest 46/48 that combines Dutch craftsmanship, offshore capability, and exceptional liveaboard comfort. During twenty-five years continuous ownership she has cruised extensively throughout the Chesapeake Bay, the U.S. East Coast, six winters in the Caribbean, the Bahamas, the California coast, Baja California, and the Sea of Cortez. Aisling has remained an actively cruised yacht with continuous maintenance and thoughtful upgrades reflecting decades of offshore experience.

Aisling returned to Southern California in 2026 following an extended Baja and Sea of Cortez cruise and is offered for sale fully equipped for her next owners.

One of the most significant improvement was the complete replacement of the original teak side decks in 2020. The original teak and fasteners were removed, the deck structure restored, and new fiberglass walking surfaces installed. New vacuum-bonded teak was fitted to the coachroof and cockpit coamings, preserving the yacht's classic appearance while eliminating one of the principle long-term maintenance concerns associated with older teak-decked yachts. During the same refit, the standing rigging was replaced, spars were repainted, headliners renewed throughout the interior, and modern LED lighting installed.

Since then, Aisling has continued to benefit from an extensive program of renewal. Recent upgrades include a 920 Ah Epoch lithium house battery bank with Victron inverter/charger, dual high-output Balmar alternators and external regulation, 400 watts of solar charging, Starlink internet, a new Quantum mainsail, professionally rebuilt refrigeration and freezer system, a rebuilt VacuFlush sanitation systems, a new propeller shaft, refurbished AquaDrive and Max-Prop, replacement mattresses, new canvas, and numerous additional mechanical and cosmetic improvements completed while preparing for and returning home from her most recent cruise.

Designed for independent cruising, Aisling carries approximately 160 gallons of fuel, 200 gallon of water, and is equipped with a Spectra Catalina 300 watermaker capable of producing approximately 25 gallons per hour. Her electrical system combines lithium batteries, generator, solar and significant system redundancy. Throughout the yacht upgrades have been made with reliability, serviceability and offshore independence as primary objectives.

Her center cockpit layout provides excellent separation between living spaces. The private aft owner's cabin includes an ensuite head with separate shower, while the forward guest cabin and second head provide comfortable accommodations for family or guests. Between them are a spacious salon, a navigation station, a dedicated office area, and a secure walk-through galley designed for offshore use. Beautifully matched teak joinery reflects the craftsmanship for which Contest yachts have long been respected.

Above deck, the cutter rig combines hydraulic in-mast furling with Reckmann furling headsails and electric Lewmar winches, allowing comfortable short-handed sailing The moderate 5'9" draft permits access to many anchorages unavailable to deeper cruising yachts while maintaining the stability expected of a 33,900 pound offshore design.

Navigation and communication equipment includes dual B&G Zeus2 chartplotters, B&G radar, AIS, autopilot, Standard Horizon VHFs, an Icom M802 SSB/HAM transceiver, and Starlink internet connectivity.

The cruising package is complemented a 2014 AB aluminum RIB with a 15hp Yamaha outboard, Kato Marine davits and outboard lift, extensive ground tackle including Delta, Bruce, and Fortress, a Winslow six-person life raft, Switlik MOM-8A system, EPIRBs, Fireboy engine-room suppression system, and multiple independent bilge pumps.

Aisling has benefited from twenty-five years of knowledge, ownership, continuous cruising, and systematic improvement. She is not simply a well-maintained yacht; she is a proven offshore cruiser whose system have been repeatedly tested under way and upgraded as experience dictated.

For sailors seeking a capable bluewater yacht that is ready for immediate cruising rather than years of deferred projects, Aisling represents a rare opportunity.

Why Aisling?

. Twenty-five years of continuous knowledgeable ownership

. Actively cruised from the Chesapeake to the Caribbean, Baja, and the Sea of Cortez

. Recently completed extended offshore cruising

. Major modernization since 2020, including deck, rig, electrical, propulsion, refrigeration, and sanitation systems

. 920 Ah lithium electrical system with multiple charging sources

. Extensive storage and a layout designed for comfortable long-term living aboard

. Featured in the July 2026 issue of Latitude 38

Highlights

Construction & Deck

. Dutch built by Conyplex to Lloyd's Register standards

. Dick Zaal designed Contest 46/48 center cockpit cruiser

. Original teak side decks professionally replaced with molded fiberglass (2020)

. New vacuum-bonded teak on coachroof and cockpit coamings (2020)

. Painted mast and spars (2020)

. Awlgrip Flag Blue hull

. Sugar scoop stern with folding swim ladder

. Moderate 5'9' draft wing keel

Rig & Sail Handling

. Cutter rig

Standing rigging replaced (2020)

. Quantum furling mainsail (2024)

. North 130% genoa

. North staysail

. Unused North 100% genoa

. Hydraulic in-mast mainsail furling

. Reckmann furling systems for genoa and staysail

. Electric cockpit winches

. B&G autopilot with Whitlock/Mamba drive

Propulsion & Mechanical

. Volvo Penta TAMD31L-A turbo diesel (130 hp, approximately 2200 hours)

. Fischer Panda 6 kW generator

. AquaDrive thrust-bearing system

. New stainless steel propeller shaft (2025)

. Max-prop feathering professionally serviced (2025)

. Side-Power bow thruster

. Dual high-output alternators (120A and 100A)

. Balmar MC-612 Dual external regulator

Electrical & Energy

. 920 Ah Epoch LiFePO lithium house bank

. Victron MultiPlus 12/3000/120 inverter/charger

. 400 watts of solar charging

. BlueSky solar controller

. AGM engine and bow-thruster batteries

. Starlink internet

. Multiple independent charging sources for offshore redundancy

Navigation & Communications

. Dual B&G Zeus2 multifunction displays (12" and 9")

. Six B&G Triton instrument displays

. B&G radar

. AIS transceiver

. Standard Horizon fixed and handheld VHFs

. Icom M802 SSB/HAM transceiver

. Sea-Me radar transponder

Plumbing, Galley & Comfort

. Spectra Catalina 300 watermaker

. Approximately 200 gallons of fresh water

. Approximately 160 gallons fuel

. Two rebuilt VacuFlush heads (2025)

. Frigoboat refrigerator completely renewed (2025)

. Separate keel-cooled freezer completely renewed (2025)

. Force 10 propane range and oven

. Microwave

. Aqua-Air reverse-cycle air conditioning (two zones)

. Webasto diesel hydronic heat

Tender & Cruising Equipment

. 2014 AB aluminum RIB

. Yamaha 15 hp outboard

. Kato Marine davits

. Kato outboard lifting system

. Delta, Bruce, and Fortress anchors

. Simpson-Lawrence windlass

Safety Equipment

. Winslow six-person life raft (recertified August 2025)

. Switlik MOM-8A recovery system (recertified August 2025)

. Fireboy automatic engine-room fire suppression

. Two EPIRBs

. Multiple bilge pumps

. LifeSling

. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Major Recent Improvements

2020

. Fiberglass side-deck conversion

. New coachroof and cockpit teak

. Standing rigging replaced

. Mast and spars painted

. New headliners

. LED lighting throughout

. Quantum mainsail

. 920 Ah lithium electrical system

. AGM starting batteries

2025

. New propeller shaft

. AquaDrive overhaul

. Max-Prop refurbished

. Refrigerator and freezer completely rebuilt

. VacuFlush systems rebuilt

. New dodger and bimini

. New forward and at mattresses

. Starlink installation

. Bottom paint

. Through-hull replacements

2026

. Fresh bottom paint

. Additional through-hull replacements

. Continuing systems maintenance following Sea of Cortez cruise