How many guests fit on the Contender 38?

Up to 12 guests on daytime charters and up to 10 on the Night Rental. The price covers the whole boat for the full duration whether you bring 2 people or the full group.

How much is the Contender 38 night charter?

$3,000 for a 4-hour private night charter to Palomino Island, departing from Marina Puerto del Rey in Fajardo. That includes captain, mate, fuel, water, sodas, ice, beer, snacks, fruit, sandwiches or wraps, floating mat, Bluetooth music and the underwater lighting.

What are the underwater lights on the Contender 38?

LED lights mounted below the waterline that illuminate the water around the hull and change color. Over Palomino's shallow white-sand bottom the light spreads out and the water itself appears to glow turquoise, blue, purple or pink. The hardtop is lit with colored lighting as well.

Is the Contender 38 night charter a bioluminescent bay tour?

No. The glow comes from color-changing LED lights mounted under the boat, not from plankton. Bioluminescent bay tours depend on the moon phase, the weather and the season and are usually done by kayak in a group. Because our light is produced by the vessel, the Contender 38 night charter looks the same on any night of the year and photographs well.

Where does the Contender 38 depart from?

Marina Puerto del Rey in Fajardo, Puerto Rico — roughly an hour from San Juan by car. Optional roundtrip transportation from San Juan hotels is available.

Does the Contender 38 have a bathroom on board?

Yes. There is an enclosed head below deck with a sink and running water, plus a V-berth cabin with a cushioned berth and an overhead hatch that works as shade or a place to change.

What is the deposit and cancellation policy?

A 30% deposit secures your date, with a full refund on 48 hours or more notice. Weather cancellations are the captain's call and are fully refundable or reschedulable.

Contender 38 Charter Puerto Rico | Day & Night

The Boat

A 38-foot center console rigged for the dark.

Most charter boats get a light bar bolted on as an afterthought. This one was put together around the idea: LEDs mounted below the waterline so the water itself lights up, colored lighting in the hardtop so the deck glows, and a big open cockpit with synthetic teak underfoot so ten people can move around without tripping over each other in the dark.

Twin Mercury outboards on the transom get you from Marina Puerto del Rey to Palomino in about fifteen minutes, which means almost all of your four hours is spent anchored where you actually want to be.

Worth saying plainly: this is not a bioluminescent bay trip. The light is ours, not the plankton’s — which is why it works on any night of the month, in any season, and why the photos actually come out.

This boat only runs the night charter. It isn't on the daytime roster, it doesn't do the Icacos runs, and it won't get booked out from under you for a snorkeling trip. If you want it, you want the night.

See the Night Experience →

Specifications

Length38 feet
TypeCenter Console
CapacityUp to 12 by day · 10 at night
EnginesTwin Mercury Outboards
BaseMarina Puerto del Rey · Fajardo
CrewCaptain + Mate
CabinV-berth below deck
HeadEnclosed, with sink
GalleyCooler & service station
ElectronicsGarmin
LightingColor-changing underwater LEDs
HardtopCanopy shade + colored LED lighting
DeckingSynthetic teak
SoundBluetooth speakers
Available ForDay charters & the Night Rental
Ideal ForProposals · Anniversaries · Birthdays · Bachelorettes

Transparent Pricing

Five ways to run this boat.

Four daytime charters for up to 12 guests, and the Palomino Night Rental for up to 10. All private, all from Marina Puerto del Rey in Fajardo. Pick your date, then pay only a 30% deposit — the remaining 70% is paid later.

Guests watching the sunset from the bow of the Contender 38 with a cheese and fruit board on the cockpit table, off Fajardo, Puerto Rico — The 2-hour Sunset Cruise — golden hour, the cockpit table out, and back at the dock before dark.

2 Hours · Easiest Start

Sunset Cruise

$1,500

2 Hours · Up to 12 Guests

Golden hour on the water
Drinks, ice & snacks included
Floating mat & Bluetooth music
Cabin & private head on board
Captain, fuel & all fees included

30% deposit to reserve: $450.00
Remaining balance of $1,050.00 paid later

Select your charter date

Select your date first

Subject to availability — we confirm your date by WhatsApp within minutes. Full refund if we can't take your date.

4 Hours

$2,000

Private Charter · Up to 12 Guests

Everything in the Sunset Cruise
1 Beach — Palomino or Icacos
Snorkeling + swim
Double the time on the water
Captain, fuel & all fees included

30% deposit to reserve: $600.00
Remaining balance of $1,400.00 paid later

Select your charter date

Select your date first

Subject to availability — we confirm your date by WhatsApp within minutes. Full refund if we can't take your date.

Palomino Night Rental

$3,000

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM · Up to 10 Guests · Deposit $900

Colour-changing LEDs under the hull turn the water around the boat turquoise, purple or magenta, and the hardtop is wired to match. It is not a bioluminescent bay tour — the light comes from the boat, so it runs on any night of the month, in any moon phase. Includes captain and mate, all food and drinks, floating mat and Bluetooth music.

See the Night Rental →

How payment works: what you pay at checkout is a 30% reservation deposit, not the full charter price. The remaining 70% is paid after booking, before or on the day of your charter. Daytime charters carry up to 12 guests; the Night Rental is capped at 10. All charters are subject to availability. 30% deposit secures your date — full refund with 48+ hours notice. We accept cards, Zelle, CashApp, Venmo and cash.

On Board

A cabin, a head, and room to spread out

Below deck there's a V-berth cabin with a cushioned berth and an overhead hatch — shade when the sun gets heavy, and somewhere to change out of a wet swimsuit. Next to it, an enclosed head with a sink and running water. Up top, the hardtop and canopy shade the whole cockpit, the deck is synthetic teak, and there's a cooler and service station within reach of the helm. Garmin electronics, Bluetooth speakers, twin Mercury outboards, and the colour-changing LEDs under the hull that make the night charter possible.

V-berth cabin below deck on the Contender 38 with cushioned mattress, striped pillows and an open overhead hatch — The V-berth cabin — shade, privacy, somewhere to change.

Enclosed marine head on the Contender 38 with sink, mirror and chrome fixtures, on a private charter from Fajardo, Puerto Rico — A real head with a sink and running water.

Spacious synthetic teak aft deck of the Contender 38 with helm seat, cooler and service station and speakers, Fajardo, Puerto Rico — Room for 12 without anyone climbing over anyone.

Where You'll Go

Palomino Island. Fifteen minutes, then dark water.

From Marina Puerto del Rey in Fajardo it's a short run out to Palomino — a private cay with a long white-sand beach and shallow, calm, clear water. In daylight it's the postcard shot of Puerto Rico. At night, with the lights on under the hull, it's something almost nobody sees.

The Only Stop

Palomino Island

Shallow white-sand bottom, calm water, and a beach that empties out completely after sunset. The sand is why the underwater lights work so well here.

After Dark

The Night Scene

On the right nights the anchorage fills with boats running their lights and music. Anchor in the middle of it, or slip off to an empty stretch of beach — your call.

Make It Yours

Optional add-ons

All optional. Message us and we'll have it aboard before you arrive.

Decorations & Champagne

Quote on request

Flowers, candles, balloons, a bottle on ice. The most-booked add-on on this boat.

Private Chef

Quote on request

Full menu cooked and served onboard while the lights are on.

Catering Package

$200–$300

Upgrade from snacks to a full spread for the group.

Open Bar

$500

Bartender aboard. Unlimited cocktails, rum, tequila, seltzers, mixers.

BBQ Before Dark

From $250

Head out earlier, grill at the island in daylight, stay for the lights.

Photographer

Ask us

Someone who knows how to shoot colored light on black water.

San Juan Transport

$40/person RT

Roundtrip from your hotel so nobody drives home at midnight.

Seabob

Add-on rental

Underwater scooter — genuinely wild in lit water.

Before You Book

Frequently asked questions

What is the Contender 38 used for?

Daytime charters to Icacos, Palomino and Culebra for up to 12 guests, and the Palomino Night Rental for up to 10. It's the only boat in our fleet set up to run after dark.

How many guests fit?

Up to 12 on daytime charters, up to 10 on the Night Rental. Either way the price covers the whole boat for the full duration, whether you bring 2 people or the full group.

How much is it?

$3,000 for 4 hours, private. Includes captain, mate, fuel, water, sodas, ice, beer, snacks, fruit, sandwiches or wraps, floating mat, Bluetooth music and the underwater lighting. A 30% deposit ($900) secures your date.

What are the underwater lights?

LEDs mounted below the waterline that light the water around the hull and change color. Over Palomino's shallow white-sand bottom the light spreads across the sand, so the water genuinely glows — turquoise, blue, purple, magenta. The hardtop is lit too.

Is this a bioluminescent bay tour?

No — the glow comes from LED lights mounted under our hull, not from plankton. Bio bay trips depend on the moon, the weather and the season and are usually paddled in a group; this is your own boat, your choice of color, and it looks identical on any night of the year. More on how it works on the night charter page.

Where does it depart from?

Marina Puerto del Rey, Fajardo — about an hour from San Juan. Optional roundtrip transportation from San Juan hotels is available.

Can I book it for a daytime trip?

Yes. The Contender 38 runs four daytime charters for up to 12 guests: a 2-hour sunset cruise at $1,500, 4 hours at $2,000, 6 hours at $2,500, and a full 8-hour day to Culebra at $4,000. It also runs the Palomino Night Rental at $3,000 for up to 10 guests.

Do you need a boating license?

No. Every charter includes a USCG-licensed captain and a mate. We don't offer bareboat rentals.

Can we drink onboard?

Yes. Beer, ice, cups and cooler space are provided, and you're welcome to bring your own liquor, champagne or mixers. The captain and mate don't drink on duty.

What's the deposit and cancellation policy?

30% deposit secures your date. Full refund with 48+ hours notice. Weather cancellations are the captain's call — reschedule free or full refund.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The captain makes the call. If it isn't safe or it isn't going to be good out there, we reschedule for free or refund in full.

Contender 38 ft
Private Charter