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Location: Green Bay, WI | Really? I find this interesting as I was told that the only things you can change on a Ranger are the factory options. There is no ability to change the rig other than that, is what I've been told. So if there's an option for a particular feature, then you can choose that option. I have been told by a couple people that Ranger and Skeeter basically make their boats with only a limited number of options. So if the dealer can make some other change, then you can do it--but otherwise the boats come as the boats come.
So Sled you're saying that you can work with the Ranger engineers directly, on changes to the boat? Please clarify because I have never heard this from anyone before.
TB
EDIT: I forgot to ass that one of the things Ranger has going for it is what you pointed out at the end there--you can get basically anything in the boat replaced, right from the factory. So even if you have a 1990's-era Ranger, you can restore the upholstery by getting it from them. I consider that to be a GREAT selling point, but I'm not sure that other companies don't offer that service. For instance, that might be an issue with Warrior, given that it's essentially a new company in many ways. I'll have to ask about that when I visit their factory.
Edited by tcbetka 5/21/2013 7:09 AM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i've been on a couple conference calls with ranger relating to my older boat and have had trailer fender specs developed to build for me. they will take measurements and build deck extensions etc...
also, you can pretty much create your own boat for color scheme, upholstery etc...
i ran a 620 albeit with a saltwater top but also wonder about the comments of a rough ride in big water. in that stuff there is a lot that is contributed by the pilot, but i just don't buy that ranger lacks in big water performance either. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Oh I think that Ranger will work with you on older boats, no doubt. And I also agree that roughness on the water has much to do with the pilot. I also think they've improved their hulls over the past few years. But I've been in a few of their boats on Green Bay and can tell you that they are no better than some of the other fiberglass rigs out there. Hey, 4-5 foot waves in any 20-foot boat are very significant, and I'm not saying that a Warrior or a Skeeter would be much better. I just don't know because I've never been in such seas in those boats.
So maybe it wasn't entirely fair to list "rough ride" as a fault of those boats. But none of the Rangers I've ridden in (619, 620 or 621) were any smoother than my Lund Tyee was, truth be told. In fact I think the Tyee did better than the Rangers I've been in. The problem with the Tyee was that is was relatively light for it's exposed surface area, so it got blown around a lot. But people who've been in both the Warrior and Lund glass hulls tell me they are smoother than a Ranger ride. However I have never been in a Lund glass boat and the little bit of chop we had on the day of the Warrior test drive was insignificant. The problem is that it's just not feasible to go for multiple test rides in several different brands, in various sea conditions. It's hard enough to match schedules in order to get out in the boats at all...much less on several different days and water conditions. So like it or not, you pretty much have to do online research and get advice from several people, and then choose your test rides accordingly.
But your point of the ride being driver-dependent as much as anything is a very good one.
TB
EDIT: By the way...what is a 620 with a salt-water top? Is that their bay boat?
Edited by tcbetka 5/21/2013 7:34 AM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | in 2000-2001 (i think they were only available for a few years) they built the 200C which was what i had ... it's owned by esoxfly (jeff breidenbach) now and there are some pictures around this site of that boat. they discontinued it and now only offer the bayranger series and i believe the smallest option now is a 22' but it's own hull design in the saltwater series. of-course skeeter, triton and all the rest compete in the same market with similar boats.
i'd always "heard" the triton 215 is a great ride in the bad stuff as were the older targa and champion glass boats. once you are in the class of boat you're talking about, there are some fantastic options. it then comes down to materials, fit and finish.
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Tooling changes, like removing the interior rear side tanks, are not likely to happen for one boat. That includes all major boat builders. Deck extensions, seats, and other items not related to the hull and deck mold are not much of a problem. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | sworrall - 5/21/2013 7:46 AM
Tooling changes, like removing the interior rear side tanks, are not likely to happen for one boat. That includes all major boat builders. Deck extensions, seats, and other items not related to the hull and deck mold are not much of a problem.
Right...which is exactly why you need to find the best floor plan for your needs, as a starting point. The other stuff you are talking about is relatively inconsequential in the scheme of things. But as I may have mentioned before, a company like Warrior will work with you on things like the size of a compartment or an access hatch. I'm sure they aren't able to change a deck though, because that would indeed require a mold change as you mentioned. Impractical and very expensive, to be sure.
So the starting floor plan is pretty important in the big picture. If the starting point isn't something that suits your fishing style, then it probably isn't going to get much better from there.
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | Tom,
I know you said it doesn't match your ideal floor plan, but if you want to get out for a ride in a Tuffy 2100 with a 250xs let me know.
I have a 2013 2100 with a Merc 250XS that will be for sale at the end of the year. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | A tyee rides as good or better than a 620? I'm not buyin that one! ; )
So what boat are you leaning towards? |
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Location: 31 | I think rating a boats ride is very subjective to start with... I wouldn't necessarily be looking for the boat that rides the best in rough water, as I'm sure they will all get the job done.
I'd be looking for the one with the best fishability under for the typical conditions I anticipate being in the majority of the time, but can still handle the roughest water I plan on fishing in… 4-5’ with an occasional 6’ rogue.
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Location: Green Bay, WI | BNelson - 5/21/2013 1:40 PM
A tyee rides as good or better than a 620? I'm not buyin that one! ; )
So what boat are you leaning towards?
Not necessarily...although the Tyee does pretty darn good out there. I think you'd be surprised. But what I really meant was that MY Tyee (with me driving) rode better than most of the Rangers (with me NOT driving) I've ridden in on Green Bay. But then again I have been driving small boats on reasonably large waves since I was about 12 years old, so I would like to think I've picked up one or two things along the way. The biggest complaints I have about riding in a couple of the Rangers I've been in had as much to do with the driver simply going way too fast for the seas we were in. I don't know what it is about owning one of those boats, lol.
"It's a Ranger so I can go as fast as the engine will take me!"
Ah no...unless you want to meet Mr. Frank Hematuria soon thereafter.
TB
EDIT: Forgot to answer your last question there... Right now the Warrior V203 has the nicest floor plan for me, hands down. There isn't as much storage as in a Ranger or the Skeeter MX 2025 (or the Tuffy 2100, probably), but it's not bad in the bow--and the cockpit space more than makes up for a little bit less storage back there. And there is storage by the way--it's just not laid out the same way as in those other boats.
Edited by tcbetka 5/21/2013 9:26 PM
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Jerry Newman - 5/21/2013 9:13 PM
I think rating a boats ride is very subjective to start with... I wouldn't necessarily be looking for the boat that rides the best in rough water, as I'm sure they will all get the job done.
I'd be looking for the one with the best fishability under for the typical conditions I anticipate being in the majority of the time, but can still handle the roughest water I plan on fishing in… 4-5’ with an occasional 6’ rogue.
Wow Jerry--looks like there is a submarine about to surface there off the starboard stern!
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Location: Green Bay, WI | nwild - 5/21/2013 12:06 PM
Tom,
I know you said it doesn't match your ideal floor plan, but if you want to get out for a ride in a Tuffy 2100 with a 250xs let me know.
I have a 2013 2100 with a Merc 250XS that will be for sale at the end of the year.
If you're over near Green Bay sometime this Summer, I'd love to go for a ride. Otherwise I'll be in Tomahawk a fair amount too--and I do want to have Mr. Worrall teach me to fish again. So maybe we could hook up somewhere over by you guys too.
Thanks for the offer!
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Location: 31 | tcbetka - 5/21/2013 9:22 PM
Jerry Newman - 5/21/2013 9:13 PM
I think rating a boats ride is very subjective to start with... I wouldn't necessarily be looking for the boat that rides the best in rough water, as I'm sure they will all get the job done.
I'd be looking for the one with the best fishability under typical conditions I anticipate being in the majority of the time, but can still handle the roughest water I plan on fishing in… 4-5’ with an occasional 6’ rogue.
Wow Jerry--looks like there is a submarine about to surface there off the starboard stern!
TB
You noticed the longer than normal distance between the waves too..'....''..'''............. <<>battle stations<>>
Even though the sea was “just a touch” heavier than my 6’ max, we still felt reasonably safe fishing from a 20’ boat when that picture was taken. I'm pretty confident that any of the boats you listed would stay afloat no problem too.
However, even though you can discount any boats rides on a day like that, some will certainly fish better than others… provided you don't mind getting your teeth kicked in a little bit in the process.
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Here she is....amazing boat and plenty of power with the 250 Pro XS
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Nice looking boat Mike. A caster's dream...
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | and the interior lay out...which is AWESOME!!!!
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | It is definately an awesome boat to fish out of. Plenty of storage, awesome ride, fast, huge casting decks...it's got it all!!!
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Yeah, but it's certainly built for the caster more so than a troller. Not that a guy couldn't stand on the big back deck there while trolling, but in 3-4 footers (or more), I don't think that's something I want to attempt. My cold-water swimming days are over. It's a great-looking boat though, for sure.
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Posts: 32904
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | There are several brands that have the same interior as the 2100 offering about equal cockpit square footage. That interior is very popular with a number of Pro walleye anglers who troll more than cast. It's not a dedicated 'Troller', it's what the boat builders call 'multi-specie'. The boats with a postage stamp front deck sell to a limited market (dedicated trollers), so many builders compromise as much as can be. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Right...there's certainly going to be compromise because there aren't an infinite number of boats out there to choose from. So you just have to choose between "feature A" and "feature B" and move on. Decide which is more important to you in that sense, and make your choice. The odds of finding one's "perfect boat" seem to be just about equal to the odds of catching a 64" muskie.
Not that it couldn't happen, it just isn't all that likely.
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Posts: 32904
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | it might be..some builders do listen, and don't sell thousands of boats per year, so selling 25 of a particular model is a big deal. The job is to convince them a dedicated 'troller' will do that well. I bet THAT could happen! |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Just like no one says you can't troll from a "casting" boat, you can certainly cast from a "trolling" boat. So in that sense, I wouldn't think that it would be a waste of time for someone like Tuffy to offer one of their hulls in a "trolling series" as we've talked about before. Take the 2060 for instance--shorten the front deck by 18-20" and move the console forward, and that becomes a trolling machine. But a guy could still cast from it, although you might get only one guy up there casting at a time. So what?
I really like the look of the hull on the 2100 but wouldn't really even give that boat a second look because of the floor plan. There are simply too many other boats to look at to settle for a rig where I have to work around the limitations (for my needs) every time out. Trolling is getting to be a much bigger deal now than it used to be. Places like Green Bay, Mille Lacs (in the Fall), the St. Lawrence, LSC, Georgian Bay and even LOTW are go-to destinations for big fish in the late season. Call me silly but I would think ever serious manufacturer would want to offer at least one or two options for guys who want to troll primarily. In the case of Warrior it just so happens that is what their boats are sort of known for...not that you can't cast from them. You can indeed. However they have a reputation as a big water boat, and they place a premium on cockpit floor space. So the bow is smaller--and that will no doubt cost them sales to guys that primarily cast.
Last I heard though, they had just put on some more help not that long ago, and the new iteration of the company has sold over 160 boats (I think) in the past 18 months since they've been hard at it. Certainly not a lot by the standards of Ranger, Skeeter, Triton or Nitro maybe, but a respectable number given what they had even two years ago.
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Posts: 32904
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Sounds like you need to buy a Warrior. Good folks, and a very well built boat. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | That may indeed be the case, but I have a few other things to check out. I also want to visit the factory. So this is going to take a while yet most likely. But I think you're right in that the boats are very well-built, and everything I've about the folks running the place is very impressive. Kent Anderson is a great rep for that company and has thus far been incredibly helpful. They are doing to right things to sell boats, and I predict they will have great success in the future.
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Posts: 79
| If I was a troller only and wanted a glass boat it would be pretty tough to top a Warrior boat. Every time I see them run in some chop I marvel at how nice they appear to ride. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Agreed... Also, the rear of the cockpit makes it very easy to cast from the floor (for stability). The cockpit wall leans outward at just the right angle to lean against, say when doing a figure-8. It does need a bit of padding against the top of the wall, but that should be a relatively simple matter. But the point is that a person could pretty easily cast from the floor while another person casts from the bow.
On the day I went for a ride in the V203 there wasn't any wind to speak of, but the boat was very stable with four big guys in it. I've been researching the history of their hulls though, and indeed it appears that they are well-known for being rough water boats. For instance, I haven't found one negative comment regarding how stable they are in heavy seas. Same goes for Tuffy by the way. And while there have been some reports of "wave spearing" in Rangers, I think that was probably with the older hulls--and I'll bet was as much related to the driver as the boat.
In other words I guess what I am trying to say is that any of the major boat builders' boats will probably do an excellent job in big water. There probably isn't a bad boat being made today--so you just have to find the one with the features that are most important to you...and write the check. Then go fishing!
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Location: The desert | Write the check man! Lol.
I will say this is the most in depth I've seen anyone get into buying a boat. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Pointerpride102 - 5/27/2013 10:45 AM
Write the check man! Lol.
I will say this is the most in depth I've seen anyone get into buying a boat.
Thanks, I think. LOL.
I also think we're getting close, but there are other things in play here that have a pretty significant influence on this process. But as far as making the choice goes, I just need to visit one or two factories and then I think we can pull the trigger. Then the waiting begins, as anything we get at this point will likely need to be built. So like I said, it might be unlikely that we'll have it much before the end of the season...depending upon the rig we choose.
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I've heard fall is a decent time on Green Bay.... |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Indeed!
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