To avid freediver and spearfisherman Joe Neber, boatbuilding seemed like a natural career path growing up in Miami. Entering that industry, he soon came to found his own company, Contender Boats, in 1984. Admittedly competitive by nature, he has constantly pushed the envelope in boat performance, quality, fishability and innovation.

Contender, based in Homestead, Florida, is a recognized leader in building semicustom sport-fishing boats, carefully engineered, meticulously handcrafted and unmistakably aimed toward fishing, even when seas get rough.

Today, Contender ­offers models from 24 to 44 feet, each ready for custom details, from engine power to electronics to upholstery, including teak packages, power-actuated hatches and coolers, livewells and rigging, and several forward and rear seating options.

Neber is also a supporter of the fishing community and a committed conservationist, as evidenced by his company’s 11th-annual donation of a boat (this year, the 2024 ­Contender 28T center-­console) to benefit the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, which undertakes projects such as habitat restorations, artificial reefs, shoreline stabilizations, and restocking of clams, oysters, redfish and sea trout.

Contender 35 ST

Contender proudly calls its 35 ST center-console fast, efficient, powerful and fishy. 

Its patented dual-stepped hull boosts speed, fuel efficiency and handling. A single-level deck, massive fish and storage boxes, and a sea-taming ride make this a fisherman’s dream. Triple (or quad) engines and a 400-­gallon fuel capacity make it a dream with far-­ranging options. It speeds at 70-plus mph.

The 35 ST has Contender’s hand-laid fiberglass construction with multidirectional fabric and a foam-cored glass stringer; foam flotation, an integral dive platform, a full transom and swing-in transom door; and a self-bailing cockpit and a nonskid cockpit sole and deck. Movement is easy on both sides of the two-abreast console, which is lined with vertical rod holders. 

A semicustom boat, the 35 ST has a long and wide list of available custom fishing options, including towers built to spot fish or birds from miles away. Complete second-­station setups give the captain the true bird’s-eye view of air and ocean and their inhabitants. 

A leaning station features a novel removable rigging table. The station is topped by a half-dozen rod holders, and the transom by a pair of 40-gallon clear-topped livewells. Another 80-gallon livewell can be installed in-deck aft of the leaning post as an option; each livewell is served by its own pump installed within a sea chest. Forward of the console, a lounge is lifted electrically to access a large central storage compartment flanked by two other in-deck compartments, besides the coffin box itself. Additional in-deck storage and fish boxes are available.

Editor’s Tip 

Fuel capacity is often ­overlooked, but it’s as important as the boat’s motors. It doesn’t make sense to have a fast, capable vessel and limit its range with a tiny tank. If you plan on unleashing 1,200 ponies, make sure you can fit at least 300 gallons below deck. -Joe Albanese, Executive Editor Salt Water Sportsman

Performance Data

• Test Power: Triple Yamaha F300s
• Test Load: 1,200 lb.
• Test Speed: 68 mph at 6,000 rpm
• Max Range: 576 mi. at 32.7 mph, 3,000 rpm

Specifications

Contender Boats – Homestead, Florida; contenderboats.com

The post Contender 35 ST: 2024 Boat Buyers Guide appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

To avid freediver and spearfisherman Joe Neber, boatbuilding seemed like a natural career path growing up in Miami. Entering that industry, he soon came to found his own company, Contender Boats, in 1984. Admittedly competitive by nature, he has constantly pushed the envelope in boat performance, quality, fishability and innovation.

Contender, based in Homestead, Florida, is a recognized leader in building semicustom sport-fishing boats, carefully engineered, meticulously handcrafted and unmistakably aimed toward fishing, even when seas get rough.

Today, Contender ­offers models from 24 to 44 feet, each ready for custom details, from engine power to electronics to upholstery, including teak packages, power-actuated hatches and coolers, livewells and rigging, and several forward and rear seating options.

Neber is also a supporter of the fishing community and a committed conservationist, as evidenced by his company’s 11th-annual donation of a boat (this year, the 2024 ­Contender 28T center-­console) to benefit the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, which undertakes projects such as habitat restorations, artificial reefs, shoreline stabilizations, and restocking of clams, oysters, redfish and sea trout.

Contender 44 ST

Contender calls its flagship center-console 44 ST tournament fishing’s “most feared and revered,” depending on whether you’re fishing against it or you’re in it. 

The boat is engineered to outpace, outmaneuver and out-fish the competition, no matter the conditions. It is built for speed, range and finding big fish in blue water.  

Rigged with up to 2,000 hp (most often triple or quad ­Yamaha XTO 450 engines) and boasting a standard 600-gallon fuel capacity that can be augmented by 100 gallons more—for this boat, as the company says, “just about nothing [is] off-limits.”

Contender has stayed focused on hardcore fishing with the 44 ST, leaving standard family and cruising touches to other boats—or options on this one. Its fleet mates, the 44 FA and 44 CB, offer more standard protective amenities on the same hull. The 44 ST comes to fish. That’s seen in a wide-open 12-foot-beam, a level deck that welcomes doubleheaders, and a low-profile helm that boosts visibility while still accommodating a pair of 24-inch Garmin screens and Yamaha Helm Master EX controls.

Fishing-ready options ­include a deck-mounted rocket launcher behind the helm seats, and a coffin-box lounge forward of the console. The leaning post, topped with rod holders, features a tackle ­station and a slide-out cooler.

Forward are massive 340-gallon fish boxes and 315-gallon storage compartments; another is accessed electrically beneath the coffin box—you won’t run out of space on this one. The 44 ST has ample bait capacity, with two 55-gallon transom livewells, plus an optional 110-gallon in-deck well aft of the leaning post.

A second-station tower is among options, as is triple Llebroc sliding seating at the helm. An integral engine bracket provides for a full, fishing-friendly ride. 

The standard step-in ­console interior has a flush toilet, a vanity and a sink, with 6 feet, 4 inches of headroom.

Editor’s Tip 

The 28-inch-high gunwales in the stern and bow are the perfect height for reaching the water to release fish. Aside the console, 31-inch-wide walkways make it easy to follow a hooked fish toward the bow. Padded coaming bolsters encircle the interior to cushion legs. -Jim Hendricks, Staff Editor, Boating and Fishing Group

Performance Data

• Test Power: Triple Yamaha 425 XTO outboards
• Test Load: 5 people, 400 gal. fuel
• Test Speed: 66.1 mph at 6,000 rpm
• Max Range: 491 mi., 0.91 mpg @ 3,500 rpm

Specifications

Contender Boats – Homestead, Florida; contenderboats.com

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Founded in 1984, Contender is a recognized leader in building carefully engineered and meticulously handcrafted boats from 24 to 44 feet long, with custom choices in details from engine power to upholstery, all to deliver the performance, convenience and comfort that anglers expect.

More tournaments are won on Contenders, the company says, than any other boat brand. 

Contender 26 Bay

The new Contender 26 Bay builds upon the legacy and running surface of Contender’s popular 25 Bay, adding an integrated transom bustle, new console design, and expanded fishability. The transom bustle helps extend the setback for a single outboard motor of up to 400 hp.

Among the 26 Bay’s other credits are improved bilge access; increased storage, fuel and water capacity; improved rod storage; wider jump and forward seating; and better console area ergonomics—making it easier to move about the fish, fish-on or not. That console’s electronics panel can accommodate a 22-inch screen or a pair of 16-inchers, and speaker mounting surfaces are improved. 

The console front seat, which contains a 70-quart cooler, is wrapped by additional seating, housing three sealed storage compartments. Forward is yet another 125 gallons of dry storage. The deck contains a 70-gallon insulated fish box. The 26 Bay also boasts a standard 40-gallon livewell and 12-gallon baitwell. 

Options include custom electronics packages, underwater and undergunwale lighting, hard and soft T-tops, stand-through second station, shallow-water anchors, trolling motor with lithium battery, casting platforms, and custom seating and leaning posts.

Lenco trim tabs fine-tune the ride. With a 15.5-degree deadrise and 12-inch draft, the 26 Bay is at home in bays, the backcountry or blue water.

Manufacturer’s Remark

The 26 Bay displays Contender’s continued dedication to innovation through fishability and performance.

Performance Data

• Test Power: Yamaha 300
• Test Props: 21 Pitch SWS II prop
• Test Load: Three people, 50 gal. fuel 
• Test Speed: 61.4 mph at 5,800 rpm 
• Max Range: 360 miles (90 percent of 100 gal fuel capacity at 4.0 mpg, 31 mph, 3,000 RPM)

Specs

Editor Says

Contender’s new 26 Bay improves helm ergonomics expanding space for crew and electronics. The integrated transom bustle improves performance with extra setback for single ­outboards up 400 hp. -Jim Hendricks, Staff Editor, Boating and Fishing Group

More Info

contenderboats.com

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Founded in 1984, Contender is a recognized leader in building carefully engineered and meticulously handcrafted boats from 24 to 44 feet long, with custom choices in details from engine power to upholstery, all to deliver the performance, convenience and comfort that anglers expect.

More tournaments are won on Contenders, the company says, than any other boat brand.

Contender 39 ST

Contender calls its 39 ST center-console, powered by triple Yamaha 425 XTO outboard engines, “a rocket ship on water.” Its destination? Your favorite kind of fishing, from Florida Bay to the deep Atlantic.

Contender builds your new 39 ST, but you help design it, selecting electronics and the console on which they’re displayed; determining rod holder type and location, including kitefishing rod holders; and picking power—indeed, details down to the upholstery stitching.

Contender’s palette from which you choose elements of your 39 ST includes, in part: hardtop, tackle-center station and stand-on tower, custom fishing towers, lined and insulated forward fish boxes of 145 and 260 gallons, coffin box, port and starboard aft fish boxes of 105 gallons each, two 40-gallon clear-top transom livewells, flush-mount gunwale rod holders, extra-large walk-in lined and finished console with head compartment, lockable storage, and more. 

This two-step deep-V-hull boat tops out at 72.7 mph at 6,000 rpm, and just under 60 mph at 1,000 rpm lower than that. With a standard 500-gallon fuel capacity, you’ve got the oats for a round-trip range of 450 miles.

Performance Data

• Test Power: Triple Yamaha XF425
• Test Props: XTO OS
• Test Load: 250 gal. fuel, two people, 40-pound gear, five batteries, optional upper station 
• Test Speed: 72.7 mph at @6,000 rpm, 0.64 mpg, 113.8 gph
• Max Range: 450 miles (90 percent of 500 gal. fuel capacity at 0.98 mpg, 36.6 mph, 3,500 rpm)

Specs

Editor Says

Many of the brands we cherish today sprang from the same boatbuilding region in which Contender’s roots were formed. They continue to own bragging rights for smooth riding performance and competitive fishability that backs down to no one. -Randy Vance, Editor-at-Large Boating and Fishing Group

More Info

contenderboats.com

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Contender builds semicustom sport-fishing boats, each matched to the individual needs and tastes of its owner. 

Homestead, Florida-based Contender Boats says its employees’ extensive experience in boats imparts a companywide respect for ever-changing offshore conditions. The boats are ready for adverse weather but, in the meantime, provide superb platforms for fishing and family boating. Contenders—25 to 44 feet—are built on both stepped and deep-V hulls, and come in the Tournament, Bay and Fisharound models.

Among Contender’s nearly 40-year record of successful tournament fishing, Contender One was the top center-console fishing boat in Bluewater Movements’ 2017 Quest for the Crest. More tournaments, the company says proudly, have been won on Contender boats than any other brand.

Contender 44 CB

Contender’s latest model is the 44 Canyon Berth, inspired by the fishing die-hards of the Northeast for whom far-off canyons seem ever-calling.

Sharing the proven hull used in Contender’s 44 ST (a traditional center-console) and 44 FA (a Fisharound, with a more expansive cabin), the CB splits the difference. The modest console cabin, with a two-person padded berth, offers an escape from the elements—or a place to rest up during overnight trips to the canyons or islands or. A -slide-out marine toilet, plus a sink and freshwater faucet, make the break more pleasant.

On the spacious deck are two 55-gallon transom livewells; you can opt for another belowdecks. A pair of 110-gallon fish lockers are beneath the aft deck, another of 340 gallons is in the bow. Two rod lockers in the bow, by the way, welcome rods up to 10 feet long.

In the front of the cockpit, a console lounge seats two; additional seating options are available throughout the boat. Other options include air conditioning, a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer, and vertical rod holders in the cabin.

The 44 CB is powered by triple or quad Yamaha 425 hp XTO V-8 outboards.

Manufacturer’s Remark

Being a semi-custom builder allows us to craft boats that deliver the ultimate performance, strength, durability and comfort you expect from a Contender.

Performance Data

• Test Power: Triple Yamaha 425 XTO
• Test Props: XTO Offshore, 16 1/8” x 23”
• Test Load: 21,950 lb.
• Test Speed: 66.6 mph @ 6,000 rpm 
• Max Range: 491 mi., 0.91 mpg @ 3,500 rpm

Specs

Editor Says

Contender’s long standing reputation for hardcore fishability, power boat performance and durable
construction is exemplified in their latest models. – Randy Vance, Editor-at-Large, Boating & Fishing Group

More Info

contenderboats.com

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Contender builds semicustom sport-fishing boats, each matched to the individual needs and tastes of its owner. 

Homestead, Florida-based Contender Boats says its employees’ extensive experience in boats imparts a companywide respect for ever-changing offshore conditions. The boats are ready for adverse weather but, in the meantime, provide superb platforms for fishing and family boating. Contenders—25 to 44 feet—are built on both stepped and deep-V hulls, and come in the Tournament, Bay and Fisharound models.

Among Contender’s nearly 40-year record of successful tournament fishing, Contender One was the top center-console fishing boat in Bluewater Movements’ 2017 Quest for the Crest. More tournaments, the company says proudly, have been won on Contender boats than any other brand.

Contender 35 ST

It gets to the fishing spot in a hurry, then swiftly back to the dock for weigh-in or ahead of a storm. In between and always, the Contender 35 ST is ready for fishing.

Credit the blistering performance—including top speeds of 70 mph—to the innovative dual-step hull design, which, in addition to boosting speed, aids fuel efficiency and handling.

A single-level, nonskid sole and deck facilitate efficient fishing. Within that deck and elsewhere are enormous fish and storage boxes. An integral dive platform—and full transom with transom door—makes dealing with a big catch a breeze.

Contenders are all semicustom builds: You select the fishing options—such as towers, a second station and more—that match your fishing style and tastes, add navigation and sonar to suit your budget and Contender assembles them.

Beyond stunning speed comes generous range. A 400-gallon fuel capacity provides for a range of more than 550 miles.

Manufacturer’s Remark

Being a semi-custom builder allows us to craft boats that deliver the ultimate performance, strength, durability and comfort you expect from a Contender.

Performance Data

• Test Power: Triple Yamaha F300s
• Test Load: 12,000 lb.
• Test Speed: 68 mph @ 6,000 rpm
• Max Range: 576 mi. @ 32.7 mph, 3,000 rpm

Specs

Editor Says

I’ve experienced Contender’s step-hull design first-hand on the 35 ST while fishing for sails off Florida’s east coast. The design offers strong lift and level trim for efficiency and speed, as well as a smooth ride and easy handling. – Jim Hendricks, Staff Editor, Fishing Group

More Info

contenderboats.com

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First Impressions

Location: Miami, Florida

Timing: Late fall

Weather: Sunny, winds W 10-15 mph, 2- to 3-foot chop

Load: Six adults, 350 gal. fuel, 100 gal. water

Contender’s 44 Fish Around offers features that bluewater anglers crave, along with a cabin and accommodations that enable multiday offshore-fishing trips.

On the fish side, the 44FA comes with twin 55-gallon transom livewells with an 80- or 100-gallon deck well available as a custom option, a 300-gallon forward fish box, and a pair of 100-gallon fish lockers under the aft deck.

Read Next: Contender Boats 44 ST Boat Review

Cabin amenities include a queen-size V-berth; galley with sink and freshwater faucet, refrigerator/freezer and electric cooktop; and enclosed head with a vanity, sink, faucet, electric marine toilet and stand-up shower.

Triple Yamaha 425 XTOs rocket the twin-stepped hull to a top speed of 65 mph at 5,500 rpm, where the three engines burn 112.5 gallons per hour for 0.58 mpg. At 3,500 rpm and 36 mph, the 44FA achieves optimal fuel efficiency of 0.87 mpg, equating to about 450 miles of cruising range, based on 90 percent of the 575-gallon fuel capacity.

Performance

Engines: Triple Yamaha 425 XTO outboards

Time to 30 mph: 12 sec.

Top Speed: 65 mph @ 5,500 rpm

Best MPG: 0.87 mpg @ 36 mph (3,500 rpm)

Hull

LOA: 43 ft. 10 in.

Beam: 12 ft.

Transom Deadrise: 22.7 deg. DRAFT: 2 ft. 3 in. WEIGHT: 22, 500 lb. (ready to fish)

Fuel: 575 gal.

Max HP: 2,000

Base Price: $665,980 (base with triple Yamaha 425 XTO outboards)

Contender Boats

Homestead, Florida

contenderboats.com

The post Contender 44 Fish Around Boat Review appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Contender builds boats from 24-44 feet for fisherman and their families to explore the blue water, or just enjoy a day cruising around the bay to the sandbar.

Each boat is custom-built featuring different options for engine power, electronics, and upholstery. The list of options seems nearly endless with a variety of fishing, convenience, and other options available to every model. Front and rear seating are available on all models, but standard options traditionally keep the cockpit minimal and clean.

Contender Boats’ founder, president and owner Joe Neber is an avid saltwater angler who has been very active in marine-resource conservation, particularly the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA).

The company proudly proclaims, “When adverse weather prevails without notice, people are confident in our product to get them home safely and comfortably.”

Contender 44FA

The 44FA, new for 2020, is built from the same hull as the game changing 44ST, with a fisharound cap that features queen-sized berth, an enclosed head with shower, a galley sink, refrigerator/freezer, and stovetop. Together they create a luxurious and comfortable setting for travelling offshore or to the islands. Compared with the 44ST, it’s more cabin than console, but doesn’t sacrifice walk around fishability for the cabin comfort.

The 44FA remains very much a fishing boat, and one that allows you to catch ‘em big: The 44FA has a 250-gallon forward fish box and a pair of 110-gallon aft fish boxes.

78 percent of walkaround boaters are satisfied with one livewell, but the 44 FA (designated by the Fish Around cap) offers two 55 gallon live wells for dividing baits between multiple tanks, a practice used by many tournament fishing crews.

The dash is massive, ready for two large multifunction displays. There is no lack of feature choices on the custom boats including triple Llebroc helm seating, second-row seating beneath the hardtop, bow lounge seating, and triple or quad Yamaha 425XTO Offshore outboards.

This boat may be luxurious, but it’s not boring–it’s “44 feet of full-tilt, wave-cutting, chest-pounding bad-boy boat,” according to Contender.

Survey Says: On Target

⋅Spacious fish boxes

⋅Two livewells to keep separate bait species lively

Owners Say

⋅Looks sharp

⋅A great fishing boat

⋅Handles very well in heavy seas

⋅Fast, spacious, reliable

⋅Built like a tank

Brand Says

⋅Built to fish

⋅Unparalleled fishability, comfort, range and speed

⋅Boats born from passion

More Info: contenderboats.com

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In this age of megasize center-consoles, some boatbuilders have gone beyond sheer size to ­garner the spotlight, filling the boat with family features such as expanded console cabins, bow loungers, open‑air galleys, mezzanine seating, big-screen TVs in the cockpit, and more.

Contender Boats chose a different tack with its new flagship, the 44 ST. As Sport Fishing’s group publisher Scott Salyers and I stepped aboard the 44 at Crandon Park Marina in Key Biscayne, Florida, we found an expansive, level deck left wide open, clearly dedicated to fishing. Oh, sure, you can customize the 44 ST with lots features, including a second row of helm seating. Yet in its purest form, this boat epitomizes the moniker “­fishing machine.”

Welcoming us aboard the company ­tournament boat, C1, on this early March morning were Contender’s Jordan DeLong and tournament team members Capt. Jon Cooper and first mate Billy Hinckley.

Bait Up Before leaving the dock — and because we planned to target sailfish — we picked up two-dozen goggle-eyes from a local bait vendor and loaded them into the starboard 55-­gallon transom livewell. That left the port livewell empty, but not for long.

As we left the marina, a buddy boat called us in to an area in Biscayne Bay that was thick with Spanish sardines and cigar minnows. Cooper throttled up the triple Yamaha 425 XTO outboards, and we quickly arrived. The chirp sonar on one of the twin Garmin GPSMap 8624 displays showed schools of baitfish in 23 feet of water. The 56-inch-wide dash panel was designed specifically to accommodate the width and height of these 24-inch displays.

Four crewmembers began to fill sabiki rigs with wriggling baits. In the process, I got my first glimpse of how easily the aft deck — which measures over 12 feet wide and 8½ feet long — accommodated a group of anglers. Within 15 minutes, the port livewell brimmed with liveys.

The 44 ST also features two deck wells — a 110-gallon tank in the aft deck and a 40-gallon well in the ­foredeck. Raw-water outlets in the aft quarters allow you to feed portable deck wells too.

Stepping Out Hinckley stowed the bait-catching rods in a deck locker equipped with rod racks on the starboard side of the foredeck, and we were off. I grabbed one of the three-across adjustable Llebroc helm seats as we zoomed out past Cape Florida at 4,200 rpm and 39 mph.

The twin-stepped hull handled marvelously, allowing us to dodge the occasional lobster-pot buoy, while providing a super-smooth ride. A wrap-around polycarbonate windshield protected the helm from wind blast.

We soon arrived at our target depth of 140 feet in purple-blue water at the edge of the Gulf Stream. Cooper turned the bow into the 10 to 12 mph ­northwest breeze, then ascended the tower with its second station. Hinckley swiftly rigged lines at the prep/tackle station abaft the helm seating, which included an optional rigging tray and 200-quart Frigid Rigid that slides in and out at the press of button.

Go Fly a Kite Our 44 ST was equipped with 12-volt power ports on each side, under the coaming pads, for electric kite reels. Hinckley swung out the Lee carbon-fiber outriggers and routed the kite lines through rings in the halyards to create greater separation between the kites. Once we had baits out, Salyers and Hinckley tended lines from a ­pedestal rocket launcher in the center of the aft cockpit.

In the meantime, DeLong took me on a tour of the bow, which extends 16 feet from the front of the console to the anchor locker and is 10 feet across at its widest point. The C1 is equipped with an above-deck stowage module with an upholstered pad on top. Under the forward portion resides an insulated cooler, and dry-stowage ­compartments lie on both sides.

We also took a look at the step‑down console interior, accessible via a companionway on the port side. The interior accommodates a flush toilet, vanity and sink, and features teak ­flooring and 6 feet, 4 inches of headroom.

Sudden Action As we made our way aft, DeLong explained that the 44’s market largely comprises current owners of Contender 39 STs. “There are about 180 Contender 39s out there right now,” he says. “Of course, other boating anglers will buy the 44, but so far, about half of the orders are from owners of the 39.”

Our conversation was cut short around 9:30 a.m. when a sailfish ate one of the bridled kite baits. Salyers picked up the left long line and wound tight to release the line from the clip and secure the circle hook in the corner of the sail’s mouth. A second sail ate the bait on the left short line and DeLong was up. Then a third inhaled the bait on the right long and Hinckley was on. Suddenly, we had a triple hookup with sailfish ­seemingly jumping everywhere.

While photographing the action, I noted how the wide-open deck allowed the three anglers to battle the fish with nary a tangle. The 28-inch-high gunwales in the stern and bow were the perfect height for this crew. The 31-inch-wide walkways aside the console allowed the anglers to easily follow fish toward the bow. Though one fish pulled the hook, the crew ­successfully released two.

Helium Help As we motored back to the strike zone, the wind began to abate, so Hinckley and Cooper rigged the kites with balloons, using helium tanks stowed in an insole locker under the bow stowage/seating module. A motorized lift lets you tilt up the module to access a cavernous ­compartment underneath.

Around 10 a.m., nearly as soon as the baits were out, another school of sailfish attacked. This time we had a double. One fish broke off fairly quickly, but DeLong remained hooked up to a tough ­customer — an 80- to 90-pound sail that fought for more than 20 minutes before Hinckley was able to lean over the ­gunwale to leader and release the fish.

As if double and triple hookups weren’t enough to test the 44 ST, the next flurry found us with a quadruple hookup on sails. DeLong, Hinckley and Salyers were all busy with a triple when the fourth fish bit, and so I picked up the rod. Two fish came to the boat fairly easily for quick releases, but two sails decided to head in opposite directions. Mine sprinted south from the bow, while Salyers’ charged north from the stern.

Backing Down Cooper decided to chase Salyers’ fish first, reversing so the angler could gather line. With the integral engine bracket, the 44 ST backed down beautifully without taking a drop of water over the full transom or through the scuppers. Soon the fish was within range, allowing Hinckley to leader the sail for a successful release.

Now it was my turn: Good timing since I was nearly out of line. Cooper motored forward, allowing me to put line back on the reel and battle the fish to the boat. The first mate laid on the bow, reached out to grab the leader, and released the fish. We went four for four on that series, and were seven for nine for the morning. Quite a trip, and it wasn’t even noon yet.

Running the Numbers As the afternoon started, the wind died completely. We brought in the lines and headed inshore to gather performance data with a real-life load of 400 gallons of fuel, five adult males, and the 110 gallons of water in the transom livewells. The triple 425 XTOs propelled the 44 ST to 30 mph in 12 seconds. The big Contender posted a top speed of 65 mph at 6,000 rpm, where the outboards burned 109 gallons per hour for 0.6 mpg.

Read Next: Contender 39 Fisharound Review

Best fuel efficiency occurred at 4,000 rpm and 37 mph, where the triple XTOs consumed 46 gph, resulting in 0.8 mpg. That translates to a range in excess of 430 miles, based on 90 percent of the 600-gallon fuel capacity. Of note, the 44 ST is available with quad 425 XTOs, and both the speed and efficiency are improved in that ­configuration, ­according to Contender.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a mega-center-console that captures the essence and passion of offshore angling — without a lot of nonfishing add-ons — consider taking a very close look at the Contender 44 ST.

Performance Power: Triple Yamaha 425 XTO outboards Load: 400 gal. fuel, five crew Top Speed: 65 mph @ 6,000 rpm Time to 30 MPH: 12 sec. Best MPG: 0.8 @ 37 mph (4,000 rpm)

Hull LOA: 43 ft. 10 in. Beam: 12 ft. 1 in. Transom Deadrise: 22.7 deg. Dry Weight: 19,600 lb. (ready to fish) Draft: 2 ft. 3 in. Fuel: 600 gal. Max Power: 2,000 hp MSRP: $646,583 (base w/ triple Yamaha 425 XTOs)

Contender Boats Homestead, Florida 800-645-2906 contenderboats.com

The post Contender Boats 44 ST Boat Review appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

For 35 years, the company founded by South Florida boater, saltwater fisherman and conservationist Joe Neber has been building hardcore fishing boats focused on fishability, comfort, range and speed.

He’s had help: Contender buyers select many features of their boats — engines, ­leaning posts, offshore fishing ­towers, rod holders, outriggers, livewells, transducer, GPS, and other custom sport-fishing items.

Simply, you help build the fishing boat of your dreams.

The Homestead, Florida, company makes fishing boats 24 to 39 feet long. Contender One was the top center-console in Bluewater Movement’s 2017 Quest for the Crest — one victory in a long history of ­successful tournament fishing in Contenders.

Contender cheerfully and confidently avers that whatever your level of fishing expertise, “you’re starting with the unfair advantage of a Contender ­fishing boat.”

Contender 25 Bay
Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay are among the watery inspirations for the Contender 25 Bay.

The company says, “A Contender gets the job done on the bay.” And beyond. When seas are calm, the 25 Bay is comfortable offshore too.

Standout features include spacious casting platforms forward and aft. Covering boards and bolster pads the full cockpit length protect knees when the fight is on.

Clean aft rigging creates a trouble-free fishing and fish-fighting stage. Jump seats beckon when it’s time to take a break.

The 25 Bay’s standard features include a 340-quart dry-storage compartment with additional battery storage, 180-quart insulated in-floor fish box, 40-gallon livewell/baitwell and 12-gallon baitwell (together meeting or exceeding the numerical needs of 93 percent of survey respondents), and 170-quart insulated cooler. The console front seat houses another custom 70-quart cooler. Two rod lockers guard gear.

Options help you dial in the top, console, leaning post and electronics you want.

A skinny-water specialist, the 25 Bay draws just 12 inches and welcomes an optional jack plate. Transom deadrise of 15.5 degrees augments its stability.

But on the right day, it likes blue water too — and gets there in a hurry, thanks to its twin-stepped hull that shortens both time to plane and travel time.

Survey Says: On Target

• Plenty of space for large displays on helm
• Livewell systems meet or exceed expectations

Owners Say

• Like how well it runs on any kind of sea
• Level deck, easy to maintain, fast and fuel efficient
• Good livewells and fish boxes, good storage and rod holders

Contender Says

• All-around fishing mojo
• A plethora of comfort options
• Attention to detail allows you to custom-build a boat that fits your needs

More Info: contenderboats.com

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