THE BIGGEST UPGRADE IN MORE THAN A DECADE
Here at Contender, we never stop innovating. But that doesn’t mean we change things up for sport. Certain aspects of our boat design will likely never change (because, “never say never.”), but when we start hearing from anglers what needs to be better about one of our boats, we listen. Then we innovate, engineer, and deliver.
Last Fall, the 39ST just went through its biggest upgrade in more than a decade.
Captains, tournament anglers, and our own craftsmen spent months identifying exactly what needed to change. That input became a new console, a new hardtop, and a new leaning post engineered by people who know what it takes to win and refuse to settle for “good enough.”
The helm of our 39ST is now wider, smarter, more ergonomic; a captain’s environment built for control, comfort, and confidence when conditions get real.
GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL(ER) PACKAGES
The redesigned 35ST—announced earlier this year at MIBS—carried forward that same thinking, refined for one of the most popular offshore platforms in the Contender lineup. It was built with input from captains, tournament anglers, and craftsmen who know what it takes to win and the result is a helm environment with improved visibility, cleaner integration, and greater confidence at the wheel.
That’s what craftsmanship looks like: thoughtful refinement where it matters most.
Now, the 32ST gets the same treatment. The same updates engineered for the 39ST and carried into the 35ST now extend to Contender’s smallest ST platform, sized for the fleet’s most compact offshore boat.
THE CONSOLE: BUILT-IN CONVENIENCE, ACROSS THE LINE
On the 39ST, the console got 5 inches wider and 2 inches longer for better protection from the elements, with console height reduced 1.5 inches to improve sightlines to the bow. The dash moved to a modern acrylic helm face that accommodates dual 22-inch screens, backed by molded-in dash trays, an oversized lighted glovebox, and three access compartments so electronics service doesn’t mean tearing apart the helm.
The new console is built around a captain’s priorities. It gets an acrylic electronics face for a clean, modern dash with capacity for large-format displays without clutter, an XL lighted glovebox and molded-in dash trays to keep essentials within reach, and multiple interior access compartments for seamless service and electronics access.
THE HARDTOP: FUNCTION THAT DOESN’T QUIT
All three redesigns treat the hardtop the same way: integration over add-ons. The 39ST’s hardtop got a molded-in radio box for flush-mounting overhead VHFs or screens and integrated speaker and lighting pockets, meaning there’s no need for aftermarket brackets, and no exposed hardware to corrode. The 35ST and 32ST followed suit.
THE LEANING POST: BUILT FOR LONG DAYS
Tournament days stretch from pre-dawn departures to sunset weigh-ins, and the new leaning post was built for anglers who spend serious hours on the water.
On the 39ST, an 18-inch mezzanine seat height that puts your feet on the deck, 50% more cooler capacity, tackle storage under the helm seats, on both sides of the leaning post, and behind the mezzanine seat backrest, and rounded edges throughout so movement around the deck flows easier.
The all-new ergonomic leaning post carries the same thinking into a smaller footprint, while preserving the open, fishable layout the 35ST and 32ST are known for: a slide-out cooler for easy access underway or at the dock, refined geometry for comfort and stability while running, integrated storage that keeps gear organized and close at hand, and rounded edges that allow smoother movement around the console during active fishing.
COMMAND WITH CONFIDENCE
The 39ST has been winning tournaments for years, and redesigns like these are what keep the model at the top of the game. That same standard now carries down the ST line. The redesigned 35ST and 32ST deliver unmatched comfort, control across two of the most capable offshore size classes in the Contender lineup.
