Perry, Florida | Since 1996
NOT TRYING TO BE THE BIGGEST. JUST THE BEST.
In the summer of 1996, Big Bend Marine placed an order that would define the next three decades of their business: a 27 Open with twin Yamaha 2-stroke 250HP engines. That first Contender opened the door. The next 30 years kept it wide open.
Nearly 30 years later, Zak Morgan and his brother are running the family business their father and uncle started back in 1982, and Contender boats remain at the center of what they do. The partnership between these two family-owned companies isn’t just about boats. It’s about shared values that have kept both businesses thriving for generations.
“I think a key similarity between us and Contender is the saying ‘we aren’t trying to be the biggest but the best,’” says Zak Morgan of Big Bend Marine. “I think we both go the extra mile to retain our customers and set a bar that is higher than average that we strive to meet every day we walk through our shop doors.”
When your family has worked together for over 40 years and everyone’s still standing, you’ve done something right. You’ve built a business where quality isn’t negotiable, where cutting corners isn’t an option, and where customers know exactly what they’re getting every single time.
FROM HARDCORE FISHING MACHINES TO FAMILY PLATFORMS
Offshore fishing has changed dramatically since Big Bend Marine opened its doors. What was once considered a men’s sport has evolved into quality family time on the water. More families are turning offshore fishing into shared experiences, and Contender has evolved right alongside them.
The boats have changed over the years—more comfort features, better amenities, configurations that work for families who want to spend long days on the water together. Anglers want seating configurations that work for families. They want amenities that make long days offshore more enjoyable.
But according to Morgan, Contender has “never let that affect the quality or durability they’ve always been known for.”
Comfort without compromise. Big Bend Marine has been watching Contender pull that off for three decades.
BUILT FOR BIG BEND’S BRUTAL CONDITIONS
Taylor County sits in Florida’s Big Bend region, where shallow coastal waters meet long offshore runs and some of the most challenging chop you’ll find anywhere. The conditions here separate boats that handle rough water from boats that just survive it.
Contenders don’t just survive Big Bend. They dominate it.
“With Taylor County being in the very shallow Big Bend area of Florida, the Contender brand has become a boat of choice for the serious offshore angler,” Morgan says. “They’re the perfect boat to tackle the long runs we have to make to and from the offshore fishing grounds. They’re very fast, efficient, and an unmatched ride makes them the perfect match for any offshore fisherman looking for a long-range offshore fishing beast.”
Big Bend’s seas are unforgiving. Short, steep, relentless chop that tests hull designs and punishes anything that isn’t built right. Morgan has watched countless prospective buyers experience it firsthand.
“If you get a customer to go on a test run in a Contender on a good sloppy day in our nasty Big Bend chop, the boat will sell itself 90% of the time without saying a word,” Morgan explains. “Our seas are like a washing machine, so it’s a very good test facility to prove how a boat rides.”
The ride tells the story better than any salesperson could.
THE CUSTOM BUILD PROCESS: MATCHING FISHING MACHINES TO DETERMINED ANGLERS
Every Contender is custom-built to the buyer’s specifications, and Big Bend Marine has refined their approach to guiding customers through that process over nearly three decades.
The first question Morgan asks isn’t about budget or timeline. It’s about how the customer plans to use the boat.
“First thing I do when a customer is interested in a Contender, I always try to find out what the customer is going to be mainly using the boat for. Fishing or sandbar? Bottom fishing or trolling? That helps me weigh in on a particular boat model and options lineup to fill their needs for the intended use.”
Big Bend Marine has built up a large local Contender population over the years, so they can even take prospective buyers to see a customer’s boat nearby if they don’t have that specific model in stock.
That kind of approach, Morgan says, “lets the customer know that you’re here to help them through the boat buying process and not here to just sell them any boat.”
CUSTOMER LOYALTY THAT SPANS DECADES
Big Bend Marine has customers who’ve bought half a dozen Contenders. Some are upsizing as their fishing ambitions grow. Others are downsizing as their priorities shift. And some just want that fresh gelcoat smell again.
“I think Contender does a tremendous job in retaining customers,” Morgan says. “Contender offers so many models of boats and so many options that it’s hard for anyone looking to buy a high-quality boat to not be able to build the perfect boat for their needs with the Contender lineup.”
When customers come back for their second, third, or sixth Contender, it’s not because they’re unhappy with the last one. It’s because they know exactly what they’re getting: a boat that performs, lasts, and holds its value. Built by people who won’t settle for close enough.
THE NEXT GENERATION TAKES THE HELM
Zak Morgan and his brother took over Big Bend Marine in 2018, right as the internet marketing boom was taking off and marine technology was evolving at a running pace. The timing, Morgan says, was perfect.
“I feel like this gave me and my brother some advantage being more fluent with today’s new technology and more savvy with computers,” he explains.
But the fundamentals haven’t changed. Morgan’s approach to customers is the same one his father and uncle built the business on.
“With the same Morgan blood flowing through our veins, we will always be all gas no brakes with customer service and honesty being our first and foremost goal. We guarantee you that we will give all of our customers the ultimate small-town service and loyalty before, during, and after a boat sale.”
Three decades of Big Bend Marine and Contender proving that quality, honesty, and integrity are what turn first-time buyers into lifelong customers.
FIND BIG BEND MARINE
Big Bend Marine
3482 S Byron Butler Pkwy,
Perry, FL 32348
Ready to fish Florida’s Big Bend in a Contender? Visit Big Bend Marine and find out why three decades of anglers have trusted them to match the right boat to the right captain.
