Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

notarealone

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 21, 2005
Messages
36
Do you feel that Ranger boats are still as good as they once were? Or do you think another boat company has surpassed their legend for quality?
 

gonefishie

Commander
Joined
Jul 28, 2004
Messages
2,624
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

don't know, they're all very comparable these days and Ranger is the most expensive of the bunch. I like the new Skeeter, not the I class, design better because personal of preferences.
 

skeeterboy

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 7, 2003
Messages
344
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

Rangers are WAY overated period! Best boat manu would be the ones you DONT hear about. Gambler, allison, stroker and bass cat make extremly great boats along with champions. The big 3 would be triton, ranger and skeeter which of course are all over TV during the Ts. Dont get me wrong they are good boats, BUT everyone has one. The Z series is a rip off. There is nothing special about the boat and when I was comparing a skeeter with the Z series it was 19k over the skeeter and they both had the same merc 225 on it and same length. Now you cant tell me there is some price markup for that name now. hmmmm.
 

imported_bjs

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
368
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

ranger are like snap on tools youre paying for the name.how could one boat make you catch anymore fish than the other.i drove a ranger worst turing and handling boat i ever drove.looked at a new skeeter. there kind of cheap bulit reminded me of a nitro.not very good craftsmenship and they are pricey.thats just my opinion i sure you could argue all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

koolerb

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Messages
370
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

I just overheard a conversation today on this very subject. This guy came into the marina for a winterization while I was in for some parts. He owned a Stratos, thought he would step up to a Ranger for his next boat. Took one out for a test drive, and bought another Stratos. He said the overall fit, finish, and features of the two boats were comparable. But the Stratos cost less and handled better.
 

cart7

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Messages
119
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

Ranger boats had the advantage for many years of being tied to the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. They sponsored many pro's and events. The average Joe buying their boats also paid for all that sponsorships by paying a premium price for a Ranger boat. Ranger recipricated by producing one of the best boats on the market for many years, quality wise. They're resale value couldn't be matched.<br /><br />Times changed. Ranger is no longer in fashion like it once was and Forrest Wood doesn't own the company, it's now part of the GenMar conglomeration. <br /><br />As for the quality, everyone else caught up. In the late 70's through the mid 80's there were plenty of fly-by-night boat builders out there producing less than quality boats, time has shaken them out of the trees. Now, most all bassboat manufacturers are making stuff just as good as Ranger so now you start looking beyond the workmanship.<br /><br />Rangers are a nice boat to fish out of but their handling and rough water capabilities don't match the high price. If I'm spending Ranger prices I think I should be buying a boat that's not only well built, fishes well but also gets me there in comfort with handling to take on the worst conditions. Ranger's only meeting a couple of those criteria. I can find just as good or better for thousands less.<br /><br />The resale value is no longer what it was either.<br />Shop around and test drive before you buy anything.
 

LubeDude

Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
6,945
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

My next boat will be 20' with a 200-250HP engine and will be a regular Bass tournament style boat. No more dual consoles for me. What it will be is yet to be determined. It will be used and very well could be a Stratos.
 

gonefishie

Commander
Joined
Jul 28, 2004
Messages
2,624
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

<br />ranger are like snap on tools youre paying for the name.how could one boat make you catch anymore fish than the other.i drove a ranger worst turing and handling boat i ever drove.looked at a new skeeter. there kind of cheap bulit reminded me of a nitro.not very good craftsmenship and they are pricey.thats just my opinion i sure you could argue all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
What part of a new Skeeter that you find cheap and bad craftmanship? of course there are different models and the low end model wouldn't be as nice as the high end. Have you take a look at the new Nitro lately? there are nothing cheap about them.
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

Let's talk about boats in the Boat forum.
 

LubeDude

Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
6,945
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

I remember back in the early eighties when the Bass boat market was really getting going, I was looking pretty hard at all the top boats. Rangers at the time were a finished boat in that if you stuck your hand somewhere you wouldnt normally put it, everything was smooth, however if you stuck your hand in the same place an most any other boat, you may not get it out in one peice. Now days, I think you would find it hard to compare boats in the same way and Im not sure that you could by a bad boat anymore. Most of the manufactures of the higher quality boats are going away from any wood products at all and its about time. Its going to boil down to what you want in the boat.<br /><br />Bullets and Gamblers are fast because they are around 3-400 #s lighter. Champions and stratos are great rough water boats, Rangers depending on the model seem to be for whatever reason not as fast or as good with rough water, Nitros seem to be a decent reasonable quality all around boat. Im really picking at straws here though.
 

imported_bjs

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
368
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

would could talk all day long about boats as for the skeeter i looked at was a bass boat there were wires hanging from under the dash the lids were hard to open cause they didn't fit good.there wasn't any lights in any rod lockers that was extrafor the the price you would think that would be standard equipment not knocking skeeter i know they have a good reputation friend has a nitro talk about poor quality!!!!!!!!!!!yes i looked at them a bass pro i would not buy one.but that's just me.
 

phantoms

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 14, 2005
Messages
246
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

Originally posted by racer 15:<br /> ranger are like snap on tools youre paying for the name.
While it has nothing to do with the topic of this thread, let me state for the record as a Auto Tech that there is a difference between Snap-on, Mac, Matco tools and Craftsman, Husky, and your other home type tools. Is the difference worth it for most home repairs, weekend tinkering, etc? Not most of the time. But when your livelihood depends on your tools, it is.
 

Booner

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
276
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

1989Skeeter: You know that Genmar is the parent company of Ranger. So does Forest Wood still build em one at a time? Probably not its big business. But if you were to get a motorcycle twin V would it be a Harley or a Jap bike? That’s your comparison yes you pay for the NAME. But with the name you get quality maybe not the best but the history and the quality of the name and something to proud of. If I were in the market for a new boat I probably would get a new Skeeter.
 

gonefishie

Commander
Joined
Jul 28, 2004
Messages
2,624
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

<br />would could talk all day long about boats as for the skeeter i looked at was a bass boat there were wires hanging from under the dash the lids were hard to open cause they didn't fit good.there wasn't any lights in any rod lockers that was extrafor the the price you would think that would be standard equipment not knocking skeeter i know they have a good reputation friend has a nitro talk about poor quality!!!!!!!!!!!yes i looked at them a bass pro i would not buy one.but that's just me.<br /><br />
Like I said, you must have looked at a low end model. Skeeter SX model don't have everything, TZX have almost everything and ZX are loaded like a Mercedes. Nitro 9 series are loaded also. You can't get a low end model Ranger or any other brand and expect to get a lots.
 

txswinner

Banned
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
2,326
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

Ranger still sets the mark. When people discuss boats it is most often compared to the Ranger. Those who do not care for Rangers or often those who refuse to spend the money to own one.
 

skeeterboy

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 7, 2003
Messages
344
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

I dont mind spending 40K on a GAMBLER or ALLISON but for a ranger youve got to be kidding. I want a boat made to MY specs and the way it should be not something that everyone has. Either way id take one if given one, but id sell it the next day.
 

imported_bjs

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
368
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

is it necessary to have all that fancy stuff to catch a fish most of the time you don't even use your fish finder.as for snap on tools i also do mech.work for 21 yrs my tools take off nuts and bolts just like your snap on tools do or what ever you buy but thats your choice.im not saying i would not buy a skeeter.nitro no way its all about the beam.skeeter does have a wide beam the boat i looked at was a top of the line.why look at the cheap models.
 

eric fairbanks

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
34
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

I tell you what, I've owned alot of boats, and my Ranger is by far the best. I could in no way afford a new one, but in 2000 I bought a '95 VS690, that is a 19ft fisherman, Ranger's version of a walleye boat paid 10g's. It has been fished hard for the last 5 years on lake erie and the detroit river, and the hull looks new. The only problem I ever had was one of the disk brake calipers was froze up on the trailer--and it was like that when I bought it--fixed it and been fine ever since. After having aluminum boats split down the keel, and older fiberglass boats have transoms rot out. I bought what I thought was the best walleye boat--a 18ft Lund Tyee--used of course--can't afford new. This boat was a nice rough water boat, but Erie took its toll and rivets started leaking, and the wood in the transom was starting to get soft, so I unloaded it. And got the Ranger, which I never plan to get rid of--no rivets, no wood. You will get wet in this boat on rough water, but only a small price to pay for the durability. I repowered the boat in 03 with a new 150 XR6 (it was underpowered with a 115 merc since new), and now it is the perfect boat for me. I do have about 14g's into it now after selling the 115 and getting a killer deal on the 150. And I bet I could sell it for 12g's tomorrow.
 

gonefishie

Commander
Joined
Jul 28, 2004
Messages
2,624
Re: Are Ranger Boats still a "Ranger" ?

<br />im not saying i would not buy a skeeter.nitro no way its all about the beam.skeeter does have a wide beam the boat i looked at was a top of the line.why look at the cheap models.<br /><br />--------------------<br />brad stephens<br /><br /><br />
It can't be a top of the line if it doesn't have storage box lights. This is still one step below top of the line and stuff like that come standard.<br /><br /> http://www.skeeterboats.com/product_pages/zxboats/zxfeatures.html
 
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