Contender 39 ST Reviews: Owner Pros, Cons & Boats for Sale
Disclosure: Worldwide Yachtsman is a brokerage marketplace. This page summarizes public owner discussion and links to live listings from licensed brokers. It is not an independent review magazine, and it does not rate brokers.
The Contender 39 ST is a stepped-hull center console built in Homestead, Florida for offshore fishing: 39 ft LOA, a 10'10" beam, about 24.5 degrees of deadrise, and a 500 gallon standard fuel load. Contender rates it to 1,600 hp. In short, owners praise the high-speed offshore ride and the fishing layout, and they flag gelcoat stress cracks plus a hull that wants to run fast. Buyers shopping used examples usually compare it with other 35 to 42 ft Contenders, Yellowfins and Freemans.
What owners like
Offshore ride when you can stay on top. A 2014 Contender 39 ST owner who put about 250 hours on the boat in one season wrote a detailed Hull Truth review after long Gulf runs. He reported that the boat covered ground at 40-plus mph even in winter chop, and that the hull does not pound the way he expected from a mono.
“The boat really doesn't pound at all.”
MakoMyDay, The Hull Truth, Dec 2019
“All summer I was not just satisfied, but impressed with the ride. In anything less than 3' we found the best cruise was at 4800 rpm which was 55mph.”
MakoMyDay, same thread
Later, with about 600 hours on 39 STs, the same owner put the model at the top of its monohull class:
“Owned a 39st for 600 hours and just now I'm getting another. My opinion is that it’s the finest riding mono in its class.”
MakoMyDay, The Hull Truth, Feb 2022
Fishing layout. The same one-year review called the deck, storage, fishboxes and livewells a no-nonsense tournament layout.
“The boat fishes perfectly. Flat deck ,tons of storage, huge fish boxes, gunwale height ideal, large livewells with sea chests, it's a no nonsense fishing machine. Zero complaints.”
MakoMyDay, The Hull Truth, Dec 2019
Magazine tests agree on speed and heft. boats.com's Lenny Rudow test of a triple 350 Yamaha boat reported about 70 mph top end and a 50 mph cruise at 4,300 rpm, plus a dry ride in a two-foot chop leaving Atlantic City. Sport Fishing's 2025 buyers guide lists a 72.7 mph top end on triple Yamaha XF 425s and about 450 miles of range at 36.6 mph with the 500 gallon tank. Those are press numbers, not owner GPS logs.
What owners criticize
Gelcoat stress cracks. Contender owners treat spider cracks in inside corners as common cosmetics when the boat is run hard. The 39 ST review called them out, and other Contender owners on the same thread agreed.
“There are more stress cracks than I'm used to(I'm used to none), but that's the way it is with Contenders from what I can tell.”
MakoMyDay, The Hull Truth, Dec 2019
“yes, in the corners of the gutters and corners of the fishbox just about all Contenders have spider cracks.”
MakoMyDay, same thread
“Cosmetic stress cracks on the inside corners are common on contenders and others. Mostly in the splash well and near the floor in the back.”
offshore3144, same thread
Owners and shops usually distinguish those hairline gelcoat cracks from structural cracks. A surveyor should still sound and inspect anything that looks open, wet or growing.
The hull wants to go fast. Slow night runs and low-speed loitering take more throttle and tab management than a cat or a displacement hull.
“The Contender wants to go 45+ at all times, and you have to force it to go slower than 35. Constant on and off the throttle and use tabs.”
MakoMyDay, The Hull Truth, Dec 2019
Fuel burn and complexity. Triple outboards in this class are thirsty. The same review called Yamaha F350s “thirsty motors by comparison to f300s or V350s,” and noted a roomy but complex bilge with lots of plumbing. Optional Seakeeper installs are major glass work, not a bolt-on afternoon job.
Passage width vs a cat. Compared with a 42 cat, the owner flagged less stability at rest, less seating comfort for a big crew, and narrower console walkarounds. That is a monohull vs cat comparison, not a claim that the 39 ST is small.
What to check on survey and sea trial
Use owner reports as questions for a survey and sea trial. They are not a diagnosis, and they do not replace a surveyor.
- Gelcoat and structure: map stress cracks, then ask the surveyor which are cosmetic and which need further NDT. Sound decks, stringers and the stepped bottom.
- Engines and drives: confirm the triple package, hours, service records, compression or sea-trial data, and any flywheel or gearcase work on Yamaha F350-era boats.
- Fuel system: Contender tanks are glassed in. Smell the bilge, check fittings and vents, and ask how tanks would be accessed if a fitting failed.
- Plumbing and through-hulls: the bilge is crowded. Locate sea chests, livewell pumps and seacocks before you need them offshore.
- Sea trial: mid-40s and mid-50s cruise in a known chop, tab behavior, spray, and whether the boat will hold a slow night speed you are willing to run.
- Options: tower, hardtop, Seakeeper, coffin box, extra fuel (owners mention rare 600 gallon builds), and leaning-post bait prep.
We do not invent failure rates. If a seller cannot show service history, budget for unknown deferred maintenance.
Contender 39 ST specs
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Contender 39 ST (stepped tournament center console) | Contender 39ST |
| LOA | 39' | Contender |
| Beam | 10'10" | Contender |
| Draft | 24" | Contender |
| Deadrise | 24.5 degrees | Contender |
| Ready-to-fish weight | 15,400 lb | Contender |
| Fuel | 500 gal standard (optional +50 or +100) | Contender |
| Fresh water | 40 gal | Contender |
| Max HP | 1,600 | Contender |
| Press livewells | Two 40 gal transom wells standard | Contender |
| Magazine top end | About 70 mph (triple 350 Yamaha test); 72.7 mph (triple XF 425) | boats.com; Sport Fishing |
Confirm every figure against the specific hull's build sheet. Contender is semi-custom, so options change weight and layout.
Contender 39 ST boats for sale on Worldwide Yachtsman
2014 Contender 39 ST
Indiantown, Florida
2019 Contender 39 ST
Daytona Beach, Florida
2025 Contender 39 ST
Homestead, Florida
Contact the listing broker through the listing page for current availability and sea trials.
Also see: Contender boats for sale.
FAQ
Is the Contender 39 ST a good boat?
Owners who fish long offshore runs and want a fast monohull center console generally say yes. The Hull Truth one-year review called it among the best-riding monos in class. Buyers who want catamaran stability at rest or a soft slow cruise will find tradeoffs.
What are common Contender 39 ST problems?
Owners most often mention cosmetic gelcoat stress cracks in inside corners such as fishbox gutters, thirsty triple outboards, and a hull that prefers to cruise fast rather than plod. Treat each hull individually and hire a surveyor. Do not invent failure rates from forum chatter.
How fast is a Contender 39 ST?
Owner and magazine numbers put cruise in the mid-40s to mid-50s mph when the sea allows, with top ends reported around 70 to 73 mph on triple high-horsepower outboards. Verify on a sea trial with the load you expect to carry.
What should I pay for a Contender 39 ST?
The listings on this page show current asking prices. When this guide was written in October 2026, the three Contender 39 ST boats on Worldwide Yachtsman were asking $275,000 to $515,000, for 2014 to 2025 hulls. Engines, hours, tower, Seakeeper and fuel capacity move the price as much as year.
Who is the Contender 39 ST for?
Tournament and canyon anglers who want a semi-custom center console that can run hard offshore, with livewells and fishboxes sized for bait and billfish. Families who need a soft 25 mph night cruise may prefer a different hull.
Sources
Every quote on this page comes from a public forum post, linked beside it, fetched on 2026-10-19.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| The Hull Truth: Contender 39st one year review | Owner pros, cons, stress cracks (MakoMyDay, offshore3144) |
| The Hull Truth: Contender 39 fish around | Later 600-hour ST opinion (MakoMyDay) |
| boats.com: Contender 39 ST Triple Threat | Press test speed and construction notes |
| Sport Fishing: Contender 39ST 2025 buyers guide | Performance table |
| Contender 39ST | Builder specs |