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Posts: 200
Location: Milwaukee, WI | Anyone have experience or opinions about Crestliner boats in particular the Raptors. Trying to decide between a 1875 Impact or the 1850 Raptor. Both in a side console.
Likes or dislikes. |
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Posts: 200
Location: Milwaukee, WI | By the lack of responses I guess I have my answer. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Patience, it's the Holidays. Someone has one... |
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Posts: 2327
Location: Chisholm, MN | I don’t have a raptor but I have a fish hawk. My opinion of crest liner is that it’s one of the best made Muskie boats for a reasonable cost. I purchased mine new in 2013 and have zero regrets. |
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Posts: 483
| the first casting edition was my favorite tin boat , but not in my price range at that time , for me the best tin boats for the fisherman casting because large front decks and rod storage |
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Posts: 267
| If looking at aluminum muskie boats, it would be one of the top choices IMHO. |
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Posts: 93
| Look up a Kingfisher 1825 Warrior Sport.
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Posts: 1000
| Had an 04 Fishhawk 1850 until August this year. It was an excellent musky platform. Big deck, low to the water, take's rods >9', and tows well.
Only boats I considered for upgrades were 08-14 619/620's, tuffy X-190, kingfisher flex 2025, and skeeter mx2025/2040. It's an excellent musky rig |
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Posts: 52
| In that segment, for my money, I'd get an Alumacraft Competitor 185 paired with a Suzuki 175 (max hp).
The Impact's console looks too forward to me, reducing deck size, and the passenger side of the Raptor is needlessly shortened.
If you're looking at used/older models I'd check for transom rot; not sure if or when either moved away from wood.
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Posts: 53
| I've owned 4 different Lunds. All great boats, 2 of them were Mr. Pike 18s which were essentially replaced by the Impact line. One of my buddy's dad has had a 1850 Fishhawk. It always drove me nuts how much large his front deck was. If you mostly cast and have 2 guys up front it made a big difference. Looking at pics on the website I'm not certain that it true anymore. But you've probably seen both in person and to me if you cast mostly and with 3 guys at times, that is reason enough alone to go with the Crestliner. Both great boats, good luck deciding. Hey it's a good problem to have. |
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Posts: 2327
Location: Chisholm, MN | I never looked at the kingfisher before. Looks nice, but I would still prefer a crestliner. The back deck is one huge reason to go with crest liner. They are huge and you can stand really close to the edge of the boat. As the driver, I prefer to cast and control the trolling motor from the back deck. I suppose I learned this from guiding a few years back. But I cannot stand up front and cast while my boat partner picks throw second water. This is why the back deck of the crestliner was my first choice. Also, if you have an uncomfortable back deck and you are the type that insists on driving from the front, then your partner may not enjoy the experience as much standing on a little platform that’s far away from the gunnel. |
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Posts: 267
| Kirby nailed it. Best back deck in the business. |
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Posts: 291
Location: New Jersey | I have musky fished out of both. Both nice, comfortable musky fishing boats. One thing that i noticed about the raptor was how high your standing compared to the Lunds when you are on the front deck. i found figure eighting a little harder on the back in the Raptor. I guess you could combat that with longer rods.
Anyway, thats my 2 cents.....
Rob |
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Posts: 38
Location: Central Illinois | I've fished out of both boats and use to own a Raptor. Both are good boats. I would agree with the back half of the Raptor being a bit better. I never did find the Raptor bow to be too high - could do a good figure 8 - but the rods I use most of the time are 9'. Both are good boats - difficult choice. Go to a dealer for each and get into each boat and check them out in detail. If you do that do two things - make a list of specifics you want to check out based on your online research ahead of time. Also take a bunch of pictures. You'll appreciate it back home when you're pondering each and trying to remember everything. |
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Crestliner Raptor