Contender Boats, the Tournament Angler's Center Console

Built by fishermen in South Florida

Joe Neber founded Contender in 1984 in Homestead, Florida, at the edge of the Florida Keys and the Gulf Stream, and for more than 40 years the company has built boats aimed squarely at people who fish hard. Where many center console builders have moved toward family features, Contender has kept its focus on open decks, big livewells, rod storage and hulls that can run into a sea. Demand was strong enough that it opened a new production plant in 1997.

The company describes its approach as semi-custom. Buyers choose from hundreds of options and rigging details, which is why two Contenders of the same model can look quite different. Contender also supports conservation groups such as the International Game Fish Association, the Coastal Conservation Association and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

The deep-V era, 23 Open, 31 Tournament and 33 Tournament

Before stepped bottoms, Contender's reputation rested on conventional deep-V hulls with a 24.5-degree bottom, and three of those boats now trade only on the used market. The Contender 23 Open is the small one, a 23-footer with an outboard bracket and 150 gallons, rigged with one or two Yamahas for bottom fishing and trolling.

The Contender 31 Tournament is the boat that made the brand famous on the kingfish circuit. It came in several deck versions, including the Open, Cuddy and Fish Around, and used examples now rank among the smartest offshore bargains along the Atlantic seaboard. The Contender 33 Tournament, current around 2009 to 2011, was the larger non-stepped model with 400 gallons, and its deck plan lived on in the stepped boats that followed.

The 25T, 28T and 24S, the smaller current boats

Two classic deep-V tournament hulls survive in today's lineup. The Contender 25T traces back through the 25 Tournament to a 25-foot hull once badged as the 23 Tournament, and now comes with Seakeeper Ride as standard. The Contender 28T descends from the old 25 Open, was sold as the 28 Tournament and 28 Sport in the 2010s, and was relaunched in 2019 with a 600 hp rating. Both keep the integrated transom and big forward fish box that tournament anglers expect.

The Contender 24S (24 Sport) is the softer side of the brand. Launched in 2014 to take over the small offshore role of the 23 Open, it uses a slightly flatter 22.5-degree hull, bow seating and a single outboard, which makes it the Contender most likely to double as a family boat.

The stepped ST family, from the 30 ST to the 44 ST

Contender's move to twin-step bottoms began in 2009, when a stepped 33 ST reused the deck of the 33 Tournament. That boat evolved into today's Contender 35 ST, a 400-gallon console that runs around 70 mph on triple outboards. The Contender 32 ST followed in 2010 and became the core of the brand for offshore anglers: big enough for the canyons or the Bahamas, yet manageable for a small crew and a favorite of kite fishermen.

The Contender 30 ST, which appeared in the early 2010s, is the smallest stepped model and a quick kingfish and sailfish boat on twin outboards. The Contender 39 ST, launched in 2014, adds range and deck space on a narrow 10-foot-10 beam and has a cabin-equipped 39 FA sister. At the top, the Contender 44 ST arrived in 2019 as the flagship, carrying 600 gallons and up to 2,000 hp, later joined on the same hull by the 44 FA and 44 CB.

Contender hulls are known for a sharp entry and deep deadrise aft, which delivers a dry, soft ride in head seas. The trade-off is that they can feel less stable at rest than wider, flatter competitors, something to weigh if you mostly drift or anchor.

• 23 Open, 31 Tournament and 33 Tournament, discontinued deep-V classics
• 24S, 25T and 28T, the smaller current boats
• 30 ST, 32 ST and 35 ST, stepped mid-size tournament consoles
• 39 ST and 44 ST, big-water stepped flagships

Buying a used Contender

Contenders hold value well in Florida, the Gulf and the mid-Atlantic, where tournament crews know the brand. Many used boats have been fished hard, so condition varies widely and a careful survey is worth every dollar. Boats rigged by well-known tournament teams often come with excellent maintenance records and premium electronics, but also with high engine hours. Budget buyers usually start with a 31 Tournament or 23 Open, while late 39 ST and 44 ST boats command most of their new price.

Older Contenders often used outboard brackets rather than integrated transoms, which affects handling, repairs and repower options.

• Outboard hours, compression and lower unit records
• Transom and bracket condition, including fasteners and core
• Fuel tanks, fuel lines and fuel-water separators
• Livewell pumps, plumbing and through-hulls
• T-top welds, mounts and electronics wiring
• Gelcoat cracks around the console, leaning post and hatches