Contender 23 Tournament/23 Open

The new contenders

If I had a dollar for every time I am asked - what is the best-riding (trailer)boat of all time? - I could retire a rich man. More often than not it's the leading question from offshore anglers in the new-boat market. The quest for the best is the overriding consideration for those who want to lock horns with big fish and contest tournaments, come hell or high water.

Up until now, the first brand to spring to my mind is Boston Whaler. This fine magazine ran a 24 Outrage demo boat that was the bomb. But as great as that badge is, Contender has knocked it off its perch. And I say this after a lengthy boat test in less-than-friendly seas where I, too, appreciated that smooth - and surprisingly dry ride - from this brace of centre consoles. 

Naturally enough, the ride quality comes back to hull shape and the boat's monocoque or one-piece construction. After which other things begin to hold sway: there's a purpose-built minimalist layout for serious fishing; the latest direct-injection two-stroke outboards for snappy acceleration and economy; and a keen price for such well-made boats.

With the Contenders - or at least the exemplary 23 Tournament and 23 Open models tested here - it's very much a case of less being more. The uncompromising boats will appeal to tournament anglers who grimace at Clayton's fishboats with decks adorned with line-snagging fittings, a bow that you can't access easily, and livewells and fishboxes that look more like goldfish bowls and glove boxes.

On the Contenders, the decks are clean and uncluttered. There's concealed anchoring gear, pop-up nav. lights and deck cleats, plus under-gunwale cleats below hawsepipes, recessed internal grabrails and underfloor or transom fish and bait tanks. Everything you need but tucked away or built-in is an integral part of the boats.

Just as importantly, the outboard pod isn't too big on these boats, which means you can clear your rod tip and keep the line away from the prop when fighting a deep slugging fish. And this, I add, isn't so common on Yankee fishboats that place the emphasis on performance and, as such, go with extended outboard pods.

CUSTOM OPTIONS
Though a production builder, Contender isn't averse to suggestions. The T-tops on the demo boats were enlarged for a little more shade from our savage summer sun. There was also the option of shifting the centre console forward to gain more aft cockpit fishing room, a detail being considered by the agent.

Florida-based, Contender also builds necessarily long-range boats for local anglers with tickets on fishing the Bahamas, Outer Banks, canyons and so on. That helps explain why one of the first Contenders sold here went to a couple of anglers in Townsville, who apparently intend to run 100km to the outer reefs for better fishing.

Meantime, Contender importer Sam Wallrock from Wallrock Marine offers promising support. He is a marine mechanic, engineer and Master V with 12 years experience in the boating industry. Though he intends to establish a national dealer network in Australia, he says he will personally fit-up engines and accessories in a consistent manner here.

But from what I hear, Contender isn't a yard that experiences many issues. Construction involves handlaid biaxial and triaxial cloths, foam sandwich, vinylester resin and polyurethane foam injected into the subfloor voids for stiffening, sound deadening and flotation.

The 23T is a three-piece boat, as in separate hull, deck and liner moulds, while the 23 Open is a two-piece hull. Built for rough water, the Contenders are backed by 10-year structural warranties and, on the water, are delightfully rattle and bump free.

THE VITALS
The primary focus of this test is the 23T, which is short for Tournament Series. The range starts with a 21 footer and ends with a 36 footer. All the boats are big for their size.

The 23T is 25ft 3in (7.57m) excluding the optional bowsprit. So think of it as a 25 footer. The 8ft 6in (2.55m) beam is on the trailerable limit - towing weight is about 2600kg dry on an aluminium Magic Tilt four-wheel-disc braked multiroller trailer.

The 23 Open measures 23ft 3in (6.97m) overall with an 8ft 3in (2.47m) beam. With a dry towing weight of 1900kg on the above mentioned trailer, it will prove to be an easy tow by today's trailerboat standards.

While I'm all for four-stroke outboards, the direct-injection E-TECs were a fitting match. On the 23T, the twin 150hp direct-injection two-strokes are built on a compact and torquey V6 block. The single E-TEC 250hp on the 23 Open, which you can option with twin 200hp outboards, was similarly punchy.

Rated up to twin 200hp outboards or down to a single XXL-shaft 300hp outboard, the 23T's twin 150hp Evinrude E-TECs were spinning 17 x 15¼in stainless-steel Rebel props. These gave snappy acceleration right through the rev range - handy for bar work – and the boat bounded to planing speed in the blink of an eye.

The low-profile 23T hull has a huge 662lt fuel capacity that it carries down low and amidships to assist stability. In fact, the surefootedness of the boat was amazing and surprising considering the 24.5º deep-vee hull. The boat also has a stepped pod, big chines and a rounded planing plank for lift.

It's a similar hull on the 23 Open, but with a fuel capacity of 567lt. Also, above the water, the 23 Open has a slightly different style, with relatively higher sides, more freeboard in the bow, and more flare in keeping with a traditional Carolina-style hulls. Nice lines indeed.

HOOKS, LINES BUT NO SINKER
Clean lines and concealed fishing features are a big part of the 23T's attraction. The recessed Lenco trim tabs won't foul lines - the tabs are only needed in strong crosswinds - SeaStar hydraulic steering makes light work of helming, and I noted a tidy engine fit-up with clean wiring looms.

There's a marlin door leading out to what Contender calls a dive platform, which has a swim ladder but as mentioned, it's not an intrusive appendage. I also noted room to mount a berley pot.

A deck hatch leads into the bilge, which has big-boat bronze seacocks on the skin fittings for the livebait tank pickup, the saltwater and freshwater wash downs, and good access to the fuel filter. All the switches and breakers located inside the centre console are waterproof and there's a high-capacity 2000gal/h or 7500lt/h bilge pump.

Both Contenders are self-draining. The deck mouldings and drains will ensure your toes stay dry and there's a subtle but grippy non-skid underfoot. The low-profile gunwales that hit at high knee level offer support when tracing or fishing stand-up tackle.

From bow to stern, the pair are true fish-around boats and wonderfully snag free.

The 23T has an in-transom 189lt livebait tank, massive 530lt insulated fishbox forward flanked by two additional fish or gear storage boxes with 287lt capacity, and two more underfloor storage holds back aft. Add rod, gaff or tagpole racks under the gunwales and details like an anchor-holding tube in the bow to prevent rattles when underway, and you have a complete fishboat indeed.

The 23 Open has three sub-floor storage or insulated fishboxes, the biggest of which will take a decent tuna, plus a 114lt in-floor instead of in-transom livebait tank. Rodholders are heavy-duty Lees models - the best gear.

DRIVING STATIONS
The centre consoles on the Contenders are fitted with optional leaning posts, oversized T-tops, rocket launchers and additional rodholders. A zip-out panel in the bimini lets you poke the rod tips out the top when running. All told, storage for 10 outfits.

The boats were fitted with Rupp aluminium outriggers and Top Gun bases, plus rear spotlights, a big LED cockpit night-fishing light and wonderful anodised alloy T-top frames. The 23T had a Plexiglass windscreen much appreciated in the bitter winter winds.

Inside the console are things for dry storage plus the boat's battery banks, isolators and oil bottles. The wiring is nice and neat, too.

On the dash, multi-function engine gauges offer data on fuel flow and consumption. With NMEA 2000 interface you can see E-TEC data on your nav. screens, too.

The recessed electronics boxes are handy for a 10in or two 7in screens, there's room for radios, and stainless steel steering wheels.

NO HOLDING BACK
The Contenders are purposeful looking boats, so I didn't hold back. The 23T with its extra weight and half fuel load performed brilliantly. It was loathe to leap out of the water and spent more time cutting through the rough stuff.

The 23T jumped to planing speed and cruised at 20 to 21kts at 3000rpm consuming 34lt/h on both 150hp E-TEC outboards. The boat hit a 30 to 31kts high-speed cruise at 4000rpm for 47lt/h, ran up to 40kts at 5000rpm for 53lt/h, and returned a top speed of 42.3kts at 5400rpm (it was too rough to trim the boat out and reach top revs of 5800rpm).

The 23 Open clocked 19 to 20kts at 3000rpm, 26 to 27kts at 4000rpm, 34kts at 5000rpm and a top speed of 43.5kts at 6000rpm. In both cases, the ride was commensurate with that from a real pedigree and, for my money, you won't find a pair of smoother riding offshore racehorses on which to punt your fishing money.