Models · Contender
Contender 39 ST
DemoOffshore Fishing · 39–40 ft · 900–1200 hp (triple) · advanced skipper · typically not trailered
Serious Contender tournament boat.
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Where the joy lives
Serious Contender tournament boat. Bluewater days are unforgettable; twins, towers, and fuel turn joy into a second job if you undersize the budget.
- offshore fishing
- tournament
Watch-outs
Honest watch-outs — so more days feel like why.
- bottom-paint
- electronics-heavy
- insurance-hard
- tow-vehicle-3/4-ton
- twins-fuel
Common watch-outs
- Hard use fatigue at tuna tower / hardtop mounts
- Fishbox macerator and pump failures
- Fuel polishing needs on long-range tanks
- Multiple outboard alignment and hydraulic steering service
- Sea deck / foam decking water intrusion at edges
- Electronics network (NMEA 2000) ground loops and connector corrosion
Safety notes
- File a float plan; carry redundant comms, EPIRB, and offshore-rated PFDs.
- Sea-state honesty beats fish reports — turn around early.
Crew (approx)
Day 6
Draft (approx ft)
2.5–4.5
Used band (demo)
$125,999–$489,999
Costs — yearly care snapshot
Demo estimateEducational snapshot so surprise spend doesn't steal boat days — not a quote, not the reason you're here.
Educational demo estimate from offshore-fishing · ~40 ft · outboard. Assumes 50 engine-hours/yr, wet-slip, coastal, 5-year hold. Boat day proxy = engine-hours ÷ 4. Not a quote, appraisal, or underwriting offer. Fuel, multi-outboard service, tower work, and electronics define cost. Tournament use accelerates wear. Survey and insurance for offshore use are stricter. Serious Contender tourna
Annual mid
$48,650
5-yr total mid
$329,490
$/good day hint
$5,272
Assumes 50 h/yr · wet-slip · coastal · 5-year hold. Range $35,649 – $64,902/yr.
Maintenance rhythm (clear the deck)
Engine oil and filter change (4-stroke)
~100h / ~12 mo · Follow OEM; sooner in dusty/trailered abuse cycles.
Lower unit / gearcase oil
~100h / ~12 mo · Check for milky oil (water intrusion) every season.
Fuel/water separator service
~100h / ~6 mo · Critical in ethanol fuels and humid climates.
Impeller inspection/replacement
~200h / ~24 mo · Replace sooner if overheating or sediment-heavy waters.
Anode inspection
~6 mo · Saltwater owners: check more often; replace at ~50% wasted.
Winterize / fog / flush
~12 mo · Freeze-belt mandatory; flush after every salt outing.
Boat Day survey intel
Educational overlayAdditive survey priors from the Boat Day failure corpus — not a marine survey. Prefer a credentialed surveyor before purchase.
- structure
- salt
- safety
Extra common issues
- Salt outboard corrosion
- Fishbox core wetness
- Tower fatigue
Survey focus
- Structural around fishboxes
- Seacocks
- Fuel tanks
Campaign / bulletin diligence
- Educational: Offshore structure around fishboxes, seacocks, and outboards.
- Educational: offshore boats need structural + systems survey — not a 'looks clean' checklist.
Top findings for offshore-fishing
- Outboard powerhead / midsection corrosion (salt)high · high
- Hull stringer / bulkhead moisture at fishboxesmedium · critical
- Seacock / thru-hull noncompliancemedium · critical
- Tower / hardtop fatigue cracksmedium · high
- Fuel polishing needed; tank sludgemedium · high
Corpus: /api/v1/datasets/survey-failures · Pre-purchase checklist · Find them online · surveyors
Cost & survey cues
Fuel, multi-outboard service, tower work, and electronics define cost. Tournament use accelerates wear. Survey and insurance for offshore use are stricter. Serious Contender tournament boat.
Survey focus
- Structural survey of tower/hardtop loads
- Multiple-engine compression and sync
- Fuel tank and polishing system condition
- Sea trial performance / hole shot / trim behavior
- Safety gear and EPIRB/VHF install quality
- Fishbox drains and macerators
If budget is tight
Waterways: sw-florida
Clear next steps
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Specs, years, and HP ranges are approximate educational demo data — not OEM specifications. Verify with manufacturer literature, a qualified marine surveyor, and current listings before purchase or service decisions.