Contender 31 Fish Around
No doubt about it, the Contender 31 Fish Around is a serious fishing boat.
July 1, 1999
Serious offshore fishermen have
always had a bias against walkarounds, identifying them as "family" boats. These anglers feel that
center consoles are the only true fishing boats. Admittedly, some walkarounds are clunky and don't
handle as well as center consoles. Others aren't optimally designed for fishing. However, one look
at Contender's 31 Fish Around has me convinced that dedicated fishermen might soon be changing
their tune.
Contender is a unique company, and its style is revealed in its president, Joe Neber. He's
not one of your bean-countin', golf-playin', glad-handin' presidents: he's a true fisherman. I
fished with Neber in last year's Miami Billfish Press Day Tournament and, acting as captain, he put
us onto sailfish, dolphin and kingfish - not bad for half a day. I almost get the impression he
builds boats just to make sure he has a good one to use on fishing trips.
One look at the 31's cockpit reveals that this boat is designed by fishermen. With a
generous 9-foot-4-inch beam and the helm station set far enough forward, the Fish Around provides
anglers a roomy, clutter-free cockpit. The boat I'm testing has a dozen in-gunwale Lee rod holders,
compared to the standard four. Offshore fishermen are a persnickety bunch, and knowing this,
Contender allows anglers to have their boat set up just the way they want. The 31 doesn't come with
under-gunwale rod storage because Contender has found that most serious offshore fishermen prefer
the cockpit to be free of obstructions, but the company will install them if you want.
Set atop Contender's proven 31-foot center-console hull, this well-balanced fishing machine
can handle the rough stuff in style. All Contenders from the 21-footer up to the flagship 35-footer
feature a 24.5-degree deadrise for great offshore performance. We decide to record top-end speed in
a shipping channel before fueling, firewalling the twin 250-hp Yamaha EFIs through extremely rough
conditions. We get on plane with little bowrise and reach 30 mph in 7.63 seconds. The ride is
thrilling as we launch off cargo-ship wakes on our way to a top speed of 46.6 mph. Even though I'm
beating myself up good with only one hand to hold the T-top and one on the radar gun, the ride is
controllable and as soft as you could expect in these conditions.
After fueling, we take the boat offshore and run in 4-foot seas to check out the ride.
Despite the fact that the 31 Fish Around is not tremendously heavy at 4,750 pounds, I'm impressed
with its solid ride. The steep deadrise does a good job of slicing through nearly dead-on waves,
while using a little bow down trim at moderate speeds. I'm surprised that I don't need to work the
standard recessed trim tabs more when running beam - just a blip here and there.
At trolling speeds, the 31 Fish Around doesn't waddle around. Even in 4-footers, I can stand
in the cockpit without having to hold on to anything for support. Fast trolling for species like
wahoo is usually a gas-guzzling, hull-plowing affair, but the Contender can scoot right along
without excessive stern squatting or bow lifting.
Downseas, running at fast speeds is nice. The Fish Around doesn't tend to nosedive when
coming off a wave. Directional control when pushed from behind is excellent.
Set into the deck are twin 225-quart fishboxes that feature gasketed, non-banging lids like
the other storage boxes onboard. The standard 40-gallon transom livewell has an optional clear lid
for better bait orientation and monitoring.
Most walkarounds are tough to fish on. There's usually a step-up to the forward sole (which
I invariably trip on), and walking around when hooked to a fish in rough water can be tricky. In
contrast, the 31 is a breeze to circumnavigate. The one-level deck allows you to watch fish, not
your feet. The passageway is wide enough to move quickly forward, and in certain rough-water
conditions, it might even be the best place to fight a fish. By widening your stance, squatting
down, locking your knees under the gunwale and using the cabin as a backrest, you'll feel as snug
as an offshore racer in a bolster seat.
There's fish-fighting room in the bow, which has a seat in front of the cabin. I like the
generous gunwale in the bow, which has enough area to use as a working surface for retrieving the
anchor or throwing a cast net.
Contender has done a great job of integrating a cabin that not only doesn't make the boat
look boxy, but actually enhances the look with its curved lines and accent stripes. Entering the
cabin is easy. Just flip up the gas-assisted, smoked Lexan Bomar skylight door, and walk down. With
its clever long, narrow and deep design, those looking for a haven from the hot sun will find a
spacious cabin that sleeps two in comfort, with or without the drop-down dinette table and filler
cushion in place.
The head compartment is not one of those "flip-up-the-cushion" affairs, but a real stand-up
head with a privacy door, shower with 70-gallon tank, sink and storage. There are other surprising
features, such as a full galley with refrigerator.
Sitting at the helm, I notice the helm console is fairly narrow, but tall enough for a large
fishfinder, GPS, stereo and all necessary gauges - including Yamaha's fuel management system, which
is standard on all Contender boats with dual outboards.
The base price for the Contender 31 Fish Around is $82,143 without engine. Contender doesn't
load up its boats with a lot of features some anglers might not want, so there are no less than 74
options available. The company rigs its outboard-powered boats to accept Yamaha engines.
Recommended power is either twin 225s or 250s.
The Contender 31 Fish Around is a nice-riding, fuel-efficient fishing boat with a
comfortable, functional cabin. This would be the perfect boat for serious anglers to take to
isolated fishing spots, or bring the family on offshore excursions in style.