Ok guys looking for anybody who has bought a Z18, ranger 188 alum or the tracker 19ft alum.
This is big stepup from my current boat. Need the good and bad.
Good luck with your decision. You know I have always liked the culture of Ranger Boats and the way they build everything in their factory. They make good running, great fishable boats that last and keep their value well.
What kind of fishing do you do? Tin or glass? Have you considered the new Lund Pro V Bass?
Based on the three boats you listed, if I were sticking to smaller, inland lake 90% or more of the time, I would take a very long look at the RT188. Guys rave about that boat once the TM is down. It will get you high 40s to 50 and with a 4-stroke, 115 it will be a very efficient boat. If you are fishing the Great Lakes often, I'd stick with the fiberglass Ranger or the deep V Lund.
Went to D and R yesterday to crawl around on boats. The ranger is out, hard to get up from behind console. Ranger made it for the average size person. The z-18 is very roomy now the hard part 150 2stroke or 4. Speed is not the most important thin, longevity is?
What is a Z-18? A Nitro? Depends on which brand of motor you go for or have the choice of. I would go with a 4-stroke Yamaha for dependability, longevity and mileage. I don't know about other brand 4-strokes from much personal experience so maybe a 2-stroke if another brand.
Z18 is just under 19ft, it replaced the z7. Everything I read says it is a good boat. It only comes with Mercury power plant. This be HUGE UPGRADE from my bayliner cobra. I wish I could go the ranger with a yamaha route.
The Skeeters come with the Yamaha SHO 4 stroke. I love my 250 SHO on my FX20. Great hole shot and gas mileage. Have you even looked at a Skeeter? Lake Drive Marine in Coldwater, MI. Talk to Jeff.
The Merc 150 4-stroke has gotten rave reviews since it came out. I wouldn't hesitate to get that engine. All the routine maintenance have videos and it was designed for ease of use for the weekend warrior.
The ideal fishing boat is different for every angler, and often different at different times in your life!
I ran bass boats for over 15 years, but I always had a small aluminum utility boat at the same time. There are just too many situations when a smaller aluminum is the right match for the situation.
I have recently sold my last bass boat. It was an awesome boat and I loved it, while I was fishing a lot of tournaments, but I fish very few tourneys these days and I fish a lot more multi-species lately, so I have gone back to an aluminum rig ( a tiller for that matter ).
I find that aluminum rigs are a bit more rugged, and require a bit less work. Try to get a ride in several style of boats before you make the investment.
Good luck.
JC
i came out of a tracker avalanche which i owned for 10 years. I think tracker aluminum boats are ok, but tracker marine including nitro is probably one of the worst companies to buy a boat from. A lot of pieces and parts are cheap plastic and if you get a new boat make sure you have a lawyer read the warranty to you because they will find every which way possible to get out of fixing it for you.
I had minor issues with my tracker, all things that were "under warranty" they were fixed over and over every year until the warranty lapsed - so its really not worth much.
Quote from: thedude on June 01, 2016, 09:38:45 AM
i came out of a tracker avalanche which i owned for 10 years. I think tracker aluminum boats are ok, but tracker marine including nitro is probably one of the worst companies to buy a boat from. A lot of pieces and parts are cheap plastic and if you get a new boat make sure you have a lawyer read the warranty to you because they will find every which way possible to get out of fixing it for you.
I had minor issues with my tracker, all things that were "under warranty" they were fixed over and over every year until the warranty lapsed - so its really not worth much.
That Avalanche was a real nice fishing platform, for bass fishing, when it was running tho!