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Posts: 267
Location: Ft. Wayne, Indiana | So I am going to sell my current boat....and i'm looking at two different options. I have it narrowed down to a Ranger 618 and a Crestliner 1850 fishhawk. What are some of the advantages of the Ranger over the Crestliner and vice versa.
Thanks in advance. |
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Posts: 485
Location: On my favorite lake! | I favor the ranger. Personally I like the layout better. I also like Rangers glass compared to crestliners aluminum. Resale usually too is better with the ranger. Personally I also like Lund and alumacraft much better than crestliner boats. I feel those two are built better than crestliner. Stabilty will be better with the ranger. Only things thats better with the crestliner is that is lighter and you can get away with less motor to move it. I would get the ranger if it was me. That's purely my opinion. |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | The resale for both brands is good. The Crestliner will cost you less up front, and will retain it's value well. The Crestliner will have more fishable interior room. The Ranger will offer a better ride in rough water, and will also hold value well. I'd sit in each, look at storage and rod lockers, run both if you can, and make a decision. |
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Posts: 572
Location: Germantown, WI | Also take a look at a Lund 2010 Predator.... it's sweet! |
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Posts: 267
Location: Ft. Wayne, Indiana | Thanks for the replies guys, still not sure what im going to go for...but I still have a lot of time to decide.
dward - 11/15/2010 9:30 PM
Also take a look at a Lund 2010 Predator.... it's sweet!
Wish I could afford that! I'm buying used. |
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Posts: 539
Location: WI | If you are going to fish smaller lakes, I would say the fishhawk would be great. I picked one up last year and the layout of the boat is great for muskie fishing. However, if you are going to be fishing big water, I'd go w/ the ranger. My two biggest complaints w/ my fishhawk is the wet ride in choppy water and boat control when fishing wind/waves. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | We're talking apples and oranges here. Both boats, while good, are worlds apart. How do you fish? Where do you fish? Big water? Rivers? Where do you launch? What do you want in a boat? How much motor do you want to mess with? How much boat upkeep are you willing to do (yes, both require upkeep, but glass requires work to keep the gel coat looking nice if that matters to you)? These are all questions that will add up to help us/you decide which is the better boat for your uses. |
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Posts: 670
Location: Otsego, MN | I assume you are talking the 618 console and not the tiller......I owned a Ranger 618vs for 2 seasons and did not like the boat at all. Storage?? There is none. Rod locker is nice you can fit a 8-6 rod into it. The ride is ok on smaller lakes but really not fun on bigger water at all. I live in MN and hated the boat out on Tonka the sides are just to low.
The boat is just to small IMOP. Not enough storage and it's pretty narrow compared to most boats, it has only a 83" beam. That Fish hawk is probably a lot more roomy.
The 618 tiller on the other hand nice boat!
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Posts: 267
Location: Ft. Wayne, Indiana | Thanks guys, I mainly fish in Indiana so no huge lakes there...but I will be fishing St Clair numerous times over the course of the year. But I am leaning more towards the Fish Hawk. |
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Posts: 1184
Location: Iowa Great Lakes | Having owned both glass and Alum and still fish out of both of mixed brands I will have to say I love my glass. Look around for deals till you find what you like. I got lucky on something I wasnt looking for and have a great rig for a cheap price. While not perfect it gets the job done and gets me on thw water. My next one will have the same or similar hull, but will most likley have a Tuffy name. |
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | If you overly care about the way a boat looks and pull the boat up on shore often the aluminum is a winner. Glass doesn't look too good after it rubs over rocks lots of times. Been there and done that. Of course if you're like me, a boat is a long term fishing tool and looks aren't as important as functionality is. I opted for a Tuffy glass model because it offered a superior fishing platform. The last thing I would ever worry about is resale value because after I'm done with the boat it's a relic. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Billy B - 11/16/2010 12:21 PM
Thanks guys, I mainly fish in Indiana so no huge lakes there...but I will be fishing St Clair numerous times over the course of the year. But I am leaning more towards the Fish Hawk.
The Fish Hawk would do fine on LSC as long as you watch the weather and know how to drive it. For the fishing you describe, I think you'd be fine with that boat. I love my glass, but I fish big water exclusively. Needing/wanting to fish smaller water and launch on smaller ramps is part of the reason Sled sold it to me; so he could get a smaller boat. It is possible to have too much boat if you don't mostly fish big water. |
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Posts: 2024
| We have a Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk. Great boat, great layout, HUGE casting deck up front and the one in the back is excellent as well. I can get the boat in just about anywhere. Storage is a little lacking, but with a bit of creativity you can stash things in various places (e.g., livewell holds extra tackle storage, extension cord, misc. clothes kept in Ziploc bags, etc.). I've had it on big water like Mille Lacs and Lake of the Woods down to small <100 acre lakes. You're not going to get the super comfy ride of a glass boat, but it will get the job done. Best part, if I scrape the sides on a piece of metal at a dock or on a rock at our shore lunch location... I don't care! We run a 135 Opti on ours with a 9.9 kicker. At WOT speed is about 42-44 depending on weight with stock aluminum prop. I wouldn't go anything less than a 115 on this boat. |
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Posts: 582
| i agree, these 2 boats are worlds apart. for me it's ranger. I know it will last and i know as long as i do my part, it will sell when i am ready to upgrade. |
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Posts: 81
Location: Indiana | I can't comment on the 618 but I have a Ranger 1860 Angler and it's great for the Indiana lakes and wouldn't be worried to take it out on bigger water. Brother in law has 620 and it works great as well. Both boats have been on small lakes like Bruce, Ball, Loon, Long without any problems and on the Great Lakes. I like that the glass boat doesn't get pushed around by the wind as much |
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