Are Contender Boats Unsinkable

Assessing the probability of a Contender Boat for sale sinking

Contender boats are boasted to be unsinkable. Contenders are competitive to Sea Hunter and Sea Vee boats. As these are tournament and angler boats, and because the competitors have made it a point to showcase their unsinkable and indestructible hulls, it is advisable to look at the durability of the contender brand and see if it too is unsinkable.

The Hull Design

While the contender boats have eliminated a great deal of the wood in the construction, there are a few areas which still have wood in the hull. One place would be in the transom and the other would be in the bottom anchor locker. The anchor locker is not too big of a concern, but there should be consideration given to the transom. Regardless of the foaming, sealing, fiberglass wrapping, etc. which is used on the wood, it is wood. This means that it is absorbent and that it is apt to cracking, expanding, and warping. This can all lead to leaks on the boat. This is uncommon, but it does occur.

There is wood in the console as well, but this does not contribute to the floating or sinking of the ship, just be aware that it does exist here.

Insulation

Like many sports boats, the hull is insulated to make it to where it will float in any circumstance. The tight seals as well as the insulation absorbs impact to the hull while allowing for the boat to still maintain a relatively low overall weight. This lower weight minimizes scrubbing on launches which further goes to the claim that it is unsinkable. Depending upon the model that you choose, there may be additional steps taken in the insulation. Keep in mind that you do have that fiberglass on the hull construction.

Likelihood of a leak or sinking

Review after review will confirm that the contender boats for sale are virtually unsinkable. The design is solid and even when there are cracks and bore holes in the wood, the vessels tend to hold up to the elements. Note that if there are cracks on the transom that you would want to have these mended as water can seep into the hull gradually causing a much bigger problem down the road. Owners have stated that the Contender boats have a high enough wall that water does not accumulate on the deck. Additionally, praise has been given to the rapidity of water drainage from the deck when sloshing and waves have managed to get to the deck area.

It would be foolish to say that the Contender is an unsinkable ship as there are variables which would cause for it to do so such as a hole in the hull, poor maintenance of the draining and overflow system, and post market additions (such as improperly pairing the engine power to the size boats which could cause rolling and such). Yet, that being stated, if you use the boat according to its intended purposes and maintain the boat, you could have it for 10 to 15 years and still have the functionality and aesthetics of a new vessel.

Where can you find a contender boat for sale?

Should you with to find a Contender boat for sale and do not wish to go directly through the manufacturer, you may be able to find a pre-owned vessel from Vessel Vendor. Vessel Vendor offers an array of boats from various vendors claiming to have unsinkable ships including Sea Hunter, Sea Vee, and Contender. Please browse our selections of current listings to find the right boat for you.

Additional information about Contender can be found on the manufacture’s review pages. Model specific information can be found on the boat review pages.

Are you looking to sell your Contender boat on Vessel Vendor? We would love to hear from you. Vessel Vendor’s platform is specifically designed to pair boat enthusiasts looking to sell their boats with qualified buyers. Not sure where to start? Our help pages can get you started, but if you have additional questions, please feel free to fill out the appropriate form on the website and we will get back to you shortly.