Riviera Beach, FL

Sport Fishing Magazine ; If you qualify as a truly hard-core offshore fisherman, you won’t find a more complete, better-designed fishing platform than this Contender. Two above-deck livewells in the transom augment another in the cockpit sole. Huge in-deck fish boxes outboard on both sides can handle numerous large tuna.At first glance, it’s surprising to find no under-gunwale rod storage as standard equipment. Further investigation reveals five vertical rod holders on each side of the helm console, four more across the back of the T-top, five across leaning post back and racks for seven rods in each of two large in-deck compartments forward of the console. Of course, with many avid kite fishermen as owners, Contender mounts five in-gunwale holders along each side, with optional under-gunwale outlets for electric reels.You can find an amazing amount of room alongside the console – enough for two large anglers with fish on to pass each other. One will also marvel at the security in a rough sea. No matter where you stand aboard the Contender 36, if you start to lose your balance, there’s something close at hand to grab onto and a place to plant your feet.As an example of attention to fishing detail, bow gunwale heights have been designed with spinning reels in mind. An average adult can reel down on a fish (remember, the reel is below the rod) and not bang the reel into the deck.Finally, thanks to the boat’s weight and size, one engine in gear provides a perfect live-bait speed.