Unveiled at the 2021 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in late October, the new 44CB (Canyon Berth) from Contender Boats is designed to serve as a premier offshore fishing machine while also offering a modest console cabin for overnighting during trips to the canyons and islands.
With the 44CB, Contender now offers three distinctive interior layouts, each with unique console designs, for this 43-foot 10-inch stepped hull, which is available with up to four outboards and boasts a maximum power rating of 2,000 ponies. The two others versions in Contender’s flagship series include the 44ST, with a traditional center console, and the 44FA with a more expansive cabin.
Built to Fish
Hardcore offshore anglers will love the 44CB’s two 55-gallon transom livewells, as well as the optional below-deck well. This Contender boasts two 110-gallon insulated fish lockers under the aft deck and a 340-gallon insulated fish locker below the forward deck. The bow area includes two 10-foot-long rod lockers, as well as an anchor locker with an in-stem anchor chute/roller.
Cabin Accommodations
Accessed via a companionway on the port side, the 44CB’s step-down console interior with a fully gelcoated liner features a padded berth for two in the forward section. A 400-quart locker under the berth offers room for stowing gear.
Farther aft is a marine toilet, which slides away when not in use, a countertop, a stainless-steel sink and a freshwater faucet. Control panels for onboard systems, as well as access hatches to the helm rigging, the optional air conditioning and available Seakeeper gyro-stabilizer, all reside in the cabin’s aft bulkhead. Buyers can also order vertical rod holders for inside the cabin.
Powerful Player
Like all Contender models, each 44CB is custom built to suit a buyer’s needs and desires, with a wide range of available options. Among the most notable are power choices, including quadruple Yamaha 425 XTO V-8 outboards. The 44CB is also available with triple 425 XTOs.
A performance chart posted to the Contender website indicates that with the triple-outboard package, the 44CB accelerated from zero to 30 mph in 10.64 seconds. The boat achieved a top speed of 66.6 mph at 6,000 rpm, where the engines burned 110.9 gallons of fuel per hour for 0.60 mpg.
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The chart indicates that testers found the most efficient cruising speed at 3,500 rpm and 31.7 mph, with the trips burning 34.6 gph for 0.91 mpg. That equates to a cruising range of 490 miles based on an effective fuel capacity equaling 90 percent of the 600-gallon tank.
Seating Options
The 44CB features a forward console lounge that accommodates two crew members, as well as forward seating nooks with dry storage lockers beneath.
This Contender model can also be equipped with an optional second row of helm seats for extra comfort on long runs to the canyons or the islands. Coaming pads line the interior to cushion legs, and the level deck from bow to stern eliminates trip points. The 44CB’s wide helm panel can fit a pair of optional 24-inch multifunction displays.
