With a narrow forefoot and fine entry, the Contender handles the rough stuff as well as any monohull we’ve driven.

In May 1997, senior contributing editor Al Herum sold his charterfishing boat, a 37-foot Stapleton. He was tired of the on-call nature of the business and the tremendous maintenance demands of a twin-diesel boat. So our Al was relieved when he sold the boat, called “All Key’d Up.” Trouble was, his desire to fish offshore remained.

Al set out to find another boat, one for personal use. He already had the size, style, and layout firmly in mind—a simple, efficient light-tackle open fishing boat that would slice through the Florida Keys’ 2- to 4-foot seas without causing injury to major organs. He wanted something seaworthy and durable, with a smart topside layout…