Location: Grand Rapids, MI | I've spent a number of days running a ZV18. I wish I owned one and if money was no object I would choose it over the ZV21. In my opinion it is the perfect boat for muskies, big front deck but lots of cockpit space. The fit and finish is as good as every ranger I've been in. The boat fishes like a much bigger boat, honestly feels like a 620. I've run it with a 200 opti and kicker and also with a 150 4 stroke, if I was buying I would get it with the 150 four stroke and save the weight of the kicker. With three guys and a normal load it would do 49 with the 150 , the 200 pushed it to 53.
There is one minor but irritating problem with the ZV's, unless they've changed it from the 14 and 15 models. The grab rails aren't curved and have a 1" over hang. I first noticed it when running a ZV21 but didn't think much of it at the time because it was only the net would hang up on them because it didn't have front rails. When fishing in the ZV18 that had the front rails, it's a rod grabber. On day one I almost broke a rod, on day two I broke a big nasty that got caught under the overhang on the rail. As I stated it's a minor thing. |