Posts: 15
Location: Menominee MI, in Da UP, eh? | Y'all mind if I weigh in on this?
You name a big water boat and anyone will defend it as well as defend their own choice. The fact is there are a lot of really great boats out there. And each is different in some way or another.
Speaking from having seven different brands of boat over the years, there was only one brand I bought more than once. It was Ranger. They make a fine boat to be sure and lead the industry in innovations on some things.
As you see in my signature I am now a Patriot Pro Staffer. The boat is different than Ranger for sure, but in big water the ride is awesome. Not that this is meant to be a commercial for any boat...
Why the change? A lot of reasons, both personal and professional. Being at a crossroads in my life, it was time to re order some priorities, and at that time I felt several sponsorship deals were stagnating and went looking for a challenge and a smaller company to have fun with. For me, helping something grow and become is more fun than standing at the top yelling "we're number 1" or some such thing.
To the issue of Tuffy, they were the first company to sponsor me and my first glass boat, which was purchased before the sponsorship deal was made. Enough about me...
These new Tuffy's are awesome and the best lineup they have ever had, IMHO. Fiberdome indeed has stepped up to offer a great boat line competitive in many different types of water and fishing. Tuffy has, in my estimation, always lead the drive for a true glass Musky boat, and were the first, aside from Lund with the Mr Pike, to have a boat dedicated to Musky anglers in the Esox.
The new web site is awesome, as awesome as the new lineup. I may be slightly partial as a friend of mine did the new web site, but just the same, wow.
As a recomendation to anyone considering a new boat, of any brand, take the advice gained on these boards as well as your own observations. The salesman will be some help too. However, temper all advice through this filter, "What does the advisor have to gain from me buying this boat".
Pro staffers will always be Pro company, sometimes rabidly....LOL!!! (You should have talked to me 5 years ago to see what I meant by that)
Guides and everyday anglers opinions also carry a great deal of weight, and most guides will tell you straight out about the boats, as well any angler that bought a boat because he reserched it.
Please don't get me wrong about what is said above, don't discount a Pro's advice. These guys run these boats and run them hard, in all sorts of nasty stuff. I guess the point is, there are some dozen or more "Big water" boat lines all with accompanying Pro's. All say they are the best. Clearly only one can be the best. But that is for you to decide.
As to the original question the Tuffy vs the Ranger, they are both different hulls and will handle the same water differently, with the same guy at the controls. The best advice would be to run them both, yourself, in similar conditions. I have always found contacting a few different guys at tournaments a good way to get rides in different boats for comparison.
After all that, use the filter and decide for yourself, drive the boat yourself and buy based on your needs, you will never go wrong.
Edited by Nofish 1/9/2005 10:12 AM
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