Contender 24S Sport Review, Performance and Buyer's Notes

The Contender 24S in one paragraph

The Contender 24S is the boat Contender built for the angler whose family also wants a vote. Launched in 2014 as the 24 Sport, it put integral seating at the bow and stern of a 24-foot 6-inch hull without giving up the fish boxes, livewell and dry ride that Contender owners expect. It is still in the lineup today as the 24S, now rated to 400 hp, with Seakeeper Ride, an Aegis battery management system and Empirebus digital switching listed among its features in the 2026 brochure.

Its role in the range is specific. The 25T is the stripped tournament entry, the bay boats chase shallow water, and the 24S is the crossover: snapper and grouper on the patch reefs in the morning, a sandbar lunch in the afternoon, lobster season in August. Contender's 2016 site called it the big brother of the 22 Sport, which Power and Motoryacht described as the first Contender under 25 feet.

Why the 24S uses 22.5 degrees instead of 24.5

Almost every Contender rides on a 24.5-degree deadrise. The 24S is the exception at 22.5 degrees, and that choice tells you what it is for. Two fewer degrees means more stability at rest and a slightly shallower draft, both valuable on a boat that will spend time anchored over a reef or drifting with kids aboard. Contender lists the current draft at 16 inches, down from 18 inches on the original spec sheet.

The ride did not suffer much in testing. Sport Fishing ran the boat out of Homestead Bayfront Park into 2- to 3-foot seas with a 15-knot east wind and reported that the hull landed smoothly off wave crests, never thumped hard, and stayed remarkably dry with the wind on the beam, which the tester credited to healthy reverse chines. Construction is hand-laid fiberglass using multidirectional fabrics over a foam-cored molded structural grid, and the tester noted no rattles or creaks underway.

Seating that doubles as fishing structure

The clever part of the 24S is how its family seating works for anglers. Forward, two above-deck 59-gallon storage lockers with a removable insert between them form a U-shaped lounge with cushions, or an elevated casting platform without them. Aft, a pair of jump seats flank the transom livewell; the forward edge of the padded seats cushions your legs like coaming bolsters while fighting a fish, and the seats lift for battery and bilge access.

Fish storage is generous for the size: a 94-gallon forward fish box under the foredeck, a second forward compartment (listed at 43 gallons originally and as 44-gallon insulated in-deck storage today), and two 30-gallon aft fish boxes. The transom livewell holds 26 gallons and, in the test boat, had a latching clear-acrylic lid that sealed against a gasket. Swim platforms sit on both sides of the outboard on the integral bracket, with a pullout boarding ladder and freshwater shower to starboard.

• Two 59-gallon storage lockers under the forward seats
• 94-gallon forward fish box plus secondary forward compartment
• Two 30-gallon aft fish boxes
• 26-gallon transom livewell
• Step-down console with optional marine toilet
• Recessed bow rail and anchor nest in the locker

Tested on a single Yamaha F300

Sport Fishing's test boat carried a single Yamaha F300 V6 on the integral 15-inch bracket, turning a 19-inch-pitch three-blade Reliance stainless prop. With 82 gallons of fuel, two adults, fishing gear, a full livewell and 250 pounds of ice, it planed in 5 seconds and reached 30 mph in 9.4 seconds. Top speed was 53.3 mph at 5,900 rpm at 2.02 mpg. Contender's own lighter-load run reached 55.7 mph at the same rpm.

The most economical cruise came at 4,000 rpm and 29.5 mph, burning 11 gph for 2.68 mpg, which the magazine calculated as a 348-mile range on the original 130-gallon tank. That is genuinely frugal for a 24-foot offshore console, and it matches Contender's 2019 claim of more than 2.5 mpg at 30 mph with a single F300. Running at 37 mph at 4,500 rpm across Biscayne Bay chop was comfortable with throttle to spare.

What changed between 2014 and 2026

The core hull and layout have stayed put, but several published numbers moved. The 2014 spec sheet and the 2019 site listed 5,250 pounds ready to fish, 18 inches of draft, 130 gallons and a 300 hp maximum. Contender's current web page lists 5,000 pounds, 16 inches, 15 gallons of water, 130 gallons of fuel and a 400 hp maximum, while the 2026 brochure prints 120 gallons. The fuel guide on the company's site still lists 130.

Equipment also moved upmarket. Current boats carry a laceless soft top with spreader and puck lights, a Sport console with built-in helm pod and tilt steering, a mini fixed-back aluminum leaning post with four rod holders, a cockpit coaming bolster, Seakeeper Ride and digital switching. Options include upgraded hardtops, electric head with Y-valve, fresh and saltwater washdown, outriggers, gulper pumps, electric reel outlets, shore power and a towing bridle.

Who the 24S suits, and who should look elsewhere

The 24S is ideal for a family that fishes reefs, wrecks and nearshore weed lines and wants a boat that can make the occasional run offshore when the weather allows, as the test captain put it. Its 8-foot 6-inch beam keeps it legal to trailer, and 5,000 pounds ready to fish is manageable for a full-size pickup.

Hardcore offshore anglers who run 40 miles in a building sea should look at the 25T instead, which has the full 24.5-degree bottom, much bigger aft fish boxes and a 40-gallon livewell. Buyers who mostly cruise and swim may find more seating and shade in a dual console. The 24S sits deliberately between those worlds.

Ownership costs and used pricing

Running a single-engine 24S is about as economical as offshore boating gets. Our estimate for annual costs is $7,000 to $16,000 excluding depreciation, covering insurance, storage or a lift, one outboard service, fuel and canvas. At 11 gph cruise, a typical 150-hour season burns roughly 1,500 gallons.

Used prices track Contender's strong brand demand. Expect early boats from about $55,000 to $72,000 depending on engine hours and electronics, mid-life boats in the $85,000 to $110,000 range, and nearly new examples from about $120,000. A documented single-owner boat with a hardtop and an under-warranty engine is worth paying for.