Contender Boats For Sale
Founded in 1984 by a Florida fisherman, Contender builds semi-custom center console boats from 25 to 44 feet — all in Homestead and Fort Pierce, Florida. The 24.5° deep-V hull with stepped hull technology is tournament-proven offshore. If you fish hard, this is the lineup built for it.
Contender Boats was founded in 1984 in Florida by Joe Neber, a Miami native and avid spearfisherman who had been rigging fiberglass hulls before launching the company's first model, the Classic 25, that same year. Production has remained based in South Florida ever since, currently split between facilities in Homestead and Fort Pierce, with the larger models built at the original Homestead yard.
The brand is built almost entirely around center console and express fishing boats, ranging from roughly 21 to 44 feet, all powered by outboard engines — typically Yamaha — rather than inboard diesels. Construction is hand-laid fiberglass, with a semi-custom approach that lets buyers configure layout, livewells, and tackle storage to their fishing style. The signature element is a deep-V hull with a 24.5-degree deadrise and reverse chine, engineered specifically for rough-water stability rather than top-end speed; later models added a stepped-hull variant for improved fuel efficiency on plane.
Within the offshore and tournament fishing community, Contender carries a strong reputation for seakeeping in chop and a dry ride at speed, qualities that have made the boats fixtures on the Southeast Florida tournament circuit. The Classic 31 and 32 ST in particular hold numerous offshore fishing records. The boats are not designed with cruising comfort or bluewater passagemaking in mind — they're built for serious anglers who prioritize a stable platform and fast runs to the fishing grounds over creature comforts.