[threegills]

Please forgive the ignorance, but I'n no boat builder. On the contender website there is a link for the "process"

Here it states in #1 (post gelcoat application of hand laid fiberglass,balsa coring, strake reinforcement) does not look like they are working on the deck or inner liner,

#2 states that the stringers are foam cored (not solid glass, which was my point)

#3 says the inner liner is made with a pvc core sandwich fiberglass construction.

So were is the balsa?? from looking at the "process" it seems that it's somewhere below the waterline.

Not to say that contenders are not great boats. I have a friend in Puerto Rico where 5-7 seas is a good day. Even though his cuddy cabin-deck joint is coming apart and the inner wall of his deck-transom joint is coming apart. He swears by the boat. I've been on it in 5-7 running around 20 knots and we could not keep the boat in the water. We would get airborne on every wave. Re-entry was nice and smooth though. Even though the boat made a bad squeeking noise I've never heard

Contenders are great boats. They should just be a little heavier, same for all boats made now. Which is why people love older, heavily glassed boats that weigh a ton. that is what you want out there.