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Posts: 865
| I have a neighbor who is putting his boat up for sale it is a 18ft 6inch Ranger Sport R80 it is a 1996 ....It looks like a nice boat and was well taken care of and Garage kept and has a 150 EFI Mercury on it . Total Hours are 42 .................was actually thinking of selling my aluminum and was just wondering if anyone is running this type of rig or has had any experience in this style boat..... I could get the Boat / Motor and Trailer for $3800. input anyone? Thanks Mike |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Good price, and a decent boat for Muskies. It's a bass boat. |
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Posts: 865
| I know, I never had a fiberglass boat and it looks like a nice size Bow casting deck, it sure looks like it would get me from one spot to another fast enough... I really only fish local lakes and stuff right now, but would like to try bigger water in the near Future and was wondering if this boat would handle it? Thanks Mike Sr. |
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Posts: 646
Location: In a shack in the woods | You have to use your head but I'm running a r70. I can run 3-4 footers without a problem but fishing in them can get a little wet. |
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Posts: 303
Location: WI | I have an '97 R-80. Use it mainly on lakes under 1000 acres. I've had it for 6 years and I have no complaints. I actually love fishing out of it. It has a 150hp motor, and that gets me going as fast as I'll ever need (4 blade renegade prop). No frills and bare bones interior, but thats kinda nice as I don't have to worry about extra stuff getting broke or dirty. Great for fishing 2 guys. Make sure to put a 24v trolling motor up front. Any other questions just PM me here.... oh, sounds like a great price!! |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Well what kind of tin boat do you have? The R boats are actually still pretty popular amongst guys, but I'd not trade a 20' Lund for one, for muskie purposes. I like glass boats, but bear in mind that while tin or glass boats require work to keep looking nice....glass takes more and aren't as easily repairable and don't take stumps and rocks as well as tin does. Beyond that, 96 is before Ranger went 100% to pultruded transoms, so make sure the wood is good to go before you pull the trigger. I was either 96 1/6 or 97 1/2 that they went to all pultruded, so this boat may or may not have wood in the back. But that does sound like a good price if the boat has been maintained. Got any pics? |
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| glass...aren't as easily repairable and don't take stumps and rocks as well as tin does.
in what ways do you think this is the case?
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | lambeau - 12/21/2010 2:19 PM
glass...aren't as easily repairable and don't take stumps and rocks as well as tin does.
in what ways do you think this is the case?
Well catastrophic failure is the same in either boat. Neither is bombproof, but tin wears better and tolerates impact damage better. If I were to pop a rivit in my Dad's Lund, I can buck a new one. If I put a glancing dent in that same boat by running over a stump in the river, it's likely a fairly easy metalsmith repair if you "need" to repair it at all. If I hit a stump with my Ranger, I can't just do a glass lay up in the garage and be back on the water the next day. At the very least, chipped gel coat consists of filler, sanding, feathering, new gel, buffing and polishing. And that's just gel damage...if you damage the glass itself, that's major repair if you "can" repair it at all.
And I've broke ice in a Lund, but you couldn't pay me to do that in my glass boat. I'm not saying glass is fragile. I'm saying that a tin boat will take some abuse better than glass. And that's not even mentioning oxidation, fading and all the other cosmetic stuff in a glass boat that you need to stay on top of to keep it looking good.
Case in point, you see KeelShields on glass boats, but how many do you see on tin boats (though I have actually seen them on pontoons)? Beach a tin boat on gravel, no biggie. Beach a glass boat on that same beach and you're likely going to chip something without a KeelShield.
Are you of a different opinion?
Edited by esoxfly 12/21/2010 1:51 PM
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Posts: 392
Location: KY | Cast4musky
If you are true to your name the R80 would be a great buy. The only downside I see is that it would not be suitable for trolling. 42 hrs/garage kept, you will be pulling that thing out of a time capsule in like new condition.
I have an R70 and love it. I use mine here in KY and try to take a trip each year to N WI. You should have no problems exept in very bad weather that most would not want to fish in anyways. |
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Location: minocqua, wi. | R70 ... can run 3-4 footers? ... i'm going to assume that's a bit of an exaggeration. |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | And that's just gel damage...if you damage the glass itself, that's major repair if you "can" repair it at all.
If you damage a fiberglass hull so badly it can't be repaired, rest assured that impact would have also destroyed an aluminum hull. Glass is far easier to repair back to original surface and integrity than aluminum, especially if the aluminum is creased or badly dented by impact. All aluminum boats have a built in keel shield in the form of the welded or riveted keel over the hull. Those pieces will wear, scratch, and be damaged just like a Keel Guard if pulled up on sand and rock. Gel coat on glass is a few mils thick, paint on aluminum even thinner, and both surfaces show wear and can be repaired.
Aluminum punctures far easier than glass, but there's precious little out there that will cause puncture damage. Both materials are excellent for boat building, and both are quite durable. |
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Posts: 393
Location: Hopefully on the water | For the amount of time that boat has on it, I would think it would be a great buy. I ran a R70 with a 115 Johnson Fast Strike on it and was pushing right at about 50 mph. I have run it on on 7000 acre lakes with out a problem. It can be a little bit a wet ride on windy days on lakes that size but can be done just generally not wide open. The glass will handle completly different than the aluminum and I personally think in a good way. It helps when you know who had the boat before you and how it was taken care of. God luck with th purchase and hope you enjoy. |
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Posts: 865
| Thanks Everyone, I am going to make my decesion tonight. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | sworrall - 12/22/2010 11:18 AM
All aluminum boats have a built in keel shield in the form of the welded or riveted keel over the hull. Those pieces will wear, scratch, and be damaged just like a Keel Guard if pulled up on sand and rock..
I guess that's my point. You're comparing bare aluminum to a KeelShield...not to glass. I know aluminum boats have protective keels on them...made from aluminum! Glass boats don't have glass keels glassed on to wear...you have to install a sacrificial wear strip in the form of a Keelshield. And I'm not talking about paint on an aluminum boat or mil thickness, as I know it will scratch just as easily, of course. It's obvious our opinions differ on this and that's cool. I'm just saying there's a reason why river boats out west, air boat hulls, landing craft and work boats in AK are all aluminum...it wears better and takes dings better than glass and gel. We do agree that either material makes for a fine hull...but I contend that each has it's own strengths and weaknesses. I guess I've just had better luck roughhousing a tin boat than glass. |
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Location: Twin Cities | bassinbob84 - 12/21/2010 6:37 AM
You have to use your head but I'm running a r70. I can run 3-4 footers without a problem but fishing in them can get a little wet.
Uh, my 690 doesn't run in 3-4 footers without getting wet, my step dad's r70 sure has hell can't do that either...
They are not a good muskie boat, IMO. No place to put anything. |
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Posts: 107
Location: central illinois | If you would like to have a kicker motor in the future don't forget to find out if the transom can support one.
Edited by dway 12/23/2010 6:59 PM
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Used to own an R71....Ran it on LOTW, Eagle, and countless other bigger lakes....It can handle big water fine if you use your head. Being low to the water is nice, great for figure 8's but the deck can get a little crowded up front with nets and baits and rods.....I would suggest jumping on it, that boat never gave me any issues and it's still a Ranger |
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Posts: 1451
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | JRedig - 12/23/2010 2:41 PM
bassinbob84 - 12/21/2010 6:37 AM
You have to use your head but I'm running a r70. I can run 3-4 footers without a problem but fishing in them can get a little wet.
Uh, my 690 doesn't run in 3-4 footers without getting wet, my step dad's r70 sure has hell can't do that either...
They are not a good muskie boat, IMO. No place to put anything.
I know I get a chuckle out of guys who say they have no probs in big water in little boats. I just figure what they are calling 3-4 footers is not what I call 3-4 footers.
I never really measured the waves but a guy could watch his graph to see the difference between trough and crest. That should work. All I know is I've been on gb and Big Bay taking gallons over the bow of my 619---waterfall going over the walk through step and know it's time to go.
Edited by Cowboyhannah 12/25/2010 6:55 PM
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Posts: 865
| I would like to thank everyone again for helping me make the right choice, I really wanted the Ranger but after looking at the way I fish, Casting and then trolling I thought I would not be happy or very comfortable while trolling , also the Mounting of a Bracket for my 9.9 kicker looked like it woukd be very difficult to mount because of the angles..... This was hard Choice for me But I guess I wanted this Bass Boat to be a Musky Boat.... I have Purchased a Lund Pro Angler 17 instead ,It has a 60 Mercury EFI 4 Stroke. Hope thats enough Power to get it up and go? Seller said it was? We'll see Mike Sr. anyone running one of these?
Edited by cast4musky 12/31/2010 6:46 AM
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