Triton or ranger?

[gonefishin3]

Okay in a tangle there's a 20 ft 6 ranger with custom jack plate and prop for sale nice boat and a 22 foot triton they are both 2001 boats and about the same price whitch one would u guys pick ? They are both good deals... ranger is a little more fancy looking but I just dunno.

Both are 225 motors... this is quite a jump from a 84 skeeter fish and ski

[walkeraviator]

brand of outboard, trolling motor specs, electronics, boat condition... all sorts of factors... but all things being equal I like Ranger...

With that said... 2 feet in length can make a big difference in fishing space.. how are the lockers laid out?

[bassboogieman]

I like Triton, but a 22' boat is a beast, unless you'r fishing a lot of big water. A 225HP isn't the ideal motor on a boat that size either, but will move it along OK. Rangers are SLOW but the 225HP is a good match for it. Condition and accessories will be a big factor in the price, especially if they have upgraded since the boat was purchased. Old electronics don't add very much to the price of an older boat. Be certain to have at least a compression test on the outboard, best to have a mechanic give it a good look. On used boats I've compromised and offer to pay for the mechanic if it passes, and if it fails it's on the seller. But if the seller balks, I'll walk. The T/M on that vintage boat is likely is a 24v, ok on a 20' Ranger but the Triton I'd want a 36v. Final conclusion: all things being relatively equal on condition, I think the Ranger is the better buy.

[gonefishin3]

two for the rangers okeydoke... i kinda wanted to hear it that way... like i said i dont want anyone to worry about price.. the ranger comes with extra set of finders ect for the trailer i dont need to go more than 65 mph i think its a waste to be flying that fast down the lake unless its a huge lake... The only thing is the ranger comes with 10 year old lorances that id have to pay another 3 grand to replace... witch is a must i think.

[jc2bg]

That 20'6" Ranger is a great performer with a 225, but the 22' Triton, aside from not being a Ranger, will be a tugboat with the same h.p. The only thing worse than a boat that isn't that fast on top end is a boat that is sluggish at all speeds. I've had a 22 foot boat with 225 and a fishing buddy has that model Ranger with 225, which although not a speed demon exactly, still has great acceleration and overall handling. Those Rangers have great deck space, too. Get the Ranger if other factors suit you.

JC

[carolina-rig-01]

Rangers are good boats but I can tell you from first hand experience that they are now head and shoulders above all other brands like once was the case. At one time Ranger was the best boat on the market by a long ways. That gap has not only been narrowed but pretty much eleminated altogether. I just traded off a Ranger for a Triton, and although my Triton is bigger and several years newer than the Ranger I still can't remember what I thought was so great about my Ranger. My 21x has the smoothest ride of any boat I have ever been in, with maybe the exception of the Champion 210 Elite and I will call that about even. I have passed a lot of Rangers of equal size in rough water, not because I was running 70 mph but because I could run 60 or 65 mph in stuff that they could only run maybe mid 50's in and they looked like they were taking a beating. The fit and finish of both boats are very close in my opinion as are storage. One thing that Kevin told me when I was shopping for boats is in a Triton you strap your rods further back so that you have more space up by the trolling motor pedal to walk around with out rods being under your feet. That is my favorite thing about my boat too. Tritons have a huge front deck and with the way the rods will be strapped further back on the deck allows you a lot more room than the Ranger will.

I just wanted to give you some first hand advice from a Triton owner. I don't think you can go wrong either way, just make sure the motors are in good shape and pick which ever one fits you the best.

[George_Welcome]

Without a doubt: Ranger

[nmanley]

Originally Posted by jc2bg

22' Triton, aside from not being a Ranger, will be a tugboat with the same h.p.
JC

JC, the rest of your post was great but you don't know squat about Tritons or any Earl Bentz built boat. Earl builds SPEED clear and simple.

I totally agree the Ranger is a class act as I've owned one but I'm on my 2nd Stratos and would not be shy about getting a Triton if the right deal came along. So as most have said it's about what you may want gonefishin3. A faster than Ranger or The Ranger

[walkeraviator]

Originally Posted by nmanley

JC, the rest of your post was great but you don't know squat about Tritons or any Earl Bentz built boat. Earl builds SPEED clear and simple.

I totally agree the Ranger is a class act as I've owned one but I'm on my 2nd Stratos and would not be shy about getting a Triton if the right deal came along. So as most have said it's about what you may want gonefishin3. A faster than Ranger or The Ranger

I think his point was more that a boat as long as the triton mentioned above should have more HP...not so much that Triton is a slow hull design. As for build quality... well now with new models dont matter much... Triton, Stratos, Ranger.... all same company now...

[nmanley]

Your probably right that the Triton is rated for more motor (250+) but I'd bet it's faster than the 20' ranger motor for motor.

My apologizes to JC if I came across harsh as not meant to be so.

[jc2bg]

No worries. And I did mean that under powering, especially in a very big boat, can lead to disappointing performance. We all have different preferences and expectations, but a pretty strong rule of thumb in bass boats is get the max h.p. Getting on plane and up to speed quickly is very helpful in shallow water and smaller, tighter bodies of water; max h.p. makes for quick acceleration when "driving through" rough water; and max h.p. is typically rewarded on resale.

JC

Originally Posted by nmanley

Your probably right that the Triton is rated for more motor (250+) but I'd bet it's faster than the 20' ranger motor for motor.

My apologizes to JC if I came across harsh as not meant to be so.

[Bob Smith]

If you are a tournament fisherman and care about your catch then the Triton is your boat. Triton has the best livewell system that is installed from the factory. 22' with a 225 is a little under powered, but if you ain't worried about running in the upper 50s to low 60s then I wouldn't be too concerned (a fast Triton can be a bear to learn to drive at high speeds! YOu either become an expert raceboat driver or you slow down).
The Ranger is a nice boat pure and simple. It is hard to sit down in a Ranger and not appreciate the quality and detail (which surprises me about the livewell system, but they still have a manual valve that you have to pull out, on the inside the livewell, to pump it out!DOH!). Not knowing which boat style you are looking at, I'll guess it's a Comanche, a 20' 6" will go an easy 70 mph and ride very nicely.

[Doc Irv]

I like Rangers. However, between those two you mentioned, the one with the better and stronger motor based on compression and leak down tests would be my choice.