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Old 04-10-11, 12:12 PM   #1
b.a.s.17
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Default Boat Comparison

I'm currently looking for my first bass boat, and I'm looking to spend between 10 and 13k. I have been looking at Ranger and Champion boats because they are the only 2 I have experience with. I'm probably leaning towards getting a Ranger, but how do other brands like Nitro and Skeeter compare?
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Old 04-10-11, 12:24 PM   #2
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That really depends on how old the boats are. There was a time many years ago when Ranger was head and shoulders above the competition. However in my opinion that gap has not only been narrowed but Ranger is actually below some other companies in some catagories. Nobody makes a bad boat now days, it's all just what you are wanting out of a boat. If speed is your thing then Ranger and Champion are probably going to be last on your list, Ranger being the slowest. If you are wanting a good ride, go Champion, if you want a little less smooth ride but a dryer ride consider Ranger. I think the Nitro Savage hull was a good boat but other than that I haven't heard too many good things about their older boats but their newer boats have come a long way.

If engine brand means anything to you then keep in mind that you are going to be hard pressed to find a Skeeter that has anything but a Yamaha on it since Yamaha owns Skeeter. This might be a factor for you or it might not but I thought it was worth mentioning.
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Old 04-10-11, 01:05 PM   #3
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Thanks for the response carolina. I'm looking for a boat in the the 95 to 2001 range. Those years seem to fit my budget pretty well. I don't know much about the engines is their one in that year range that has performed better than the others? One of the boats I'm looking at right now is a 99 Ranger R93vs with a 200 Mercury efi. My friends Ranger doesn't seem to rock as much as my dads Champion thats really the only reason I was leaning towards the Ranger.
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Old 04-10-11, 02:33 PM   #4
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My last boat before I bought my Triton was a 2001 Ranger R91 with a 200 Optimax. It was really a good boat. It was a 70 mph boat when I was alone and had a half tank of gas. With two people and a full tank of gas it was more of a 67-68 mph boat. But it rode great for a 19' boat and it was a very dry ride. It was a very stable platform and I honestly can't say anything bad about it.
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Old 04-10-11, 02:39 PM   #5
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The more I think about it, there was one area that I wish I could have changed with my R91. The front deck got fairly narrow up at the front of the boat which wasn't a huge problem I guess but I just don't like having to worry about stepping on rods when I go walking around. With 2 or 3 rods on each side it wasn't bad but when I was pre-fishing and I had 12 or so rods out it was deffinately a little cramped. I laugh when I hear people worry about how long a front deck is because the width of the front deck means so much more than the length when it comes to having room to move around. Yes you want a deck long enough to lay your rods down and not worry about them and maybe fish two guys up front but if it's narrow you still won't have any room to move around. All in all I think the R91 was a really good boat and I am sure the R93 will fish very similiar.
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Old 04-11-11, 04:30 PM   #6
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Hard to go wrong with either, both hold their value well. Ranger guys are always happy just because they have a "ranger". The only thing I have head from the skeeter guys is the sx owners wish they had spent the money on a Z. Little things like latches n small upgrades they could be happier with. I like them both but will take the ride of my stratos hands down, I like my kidneys. Ranger does make a salt water bass boat (188vsS I think) that would be cool if you plan on hitting the salt. Pretty much personal prefrence, I think the pro max might be a little better than the opti.
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Old 04-11-11, 04:54 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lvitch View Post
Hard to go wrong with either, both hold their value well. Ranger guys are always happy just because they have a "ranger". The only thing I have head from the skeeter guys is the sx owners wish they had spent the money on a Z. Little things like latches n small upgrades they could be happier with. I like them both but will take the ride of my stratos hands down, I like my kidneys. Ranger does make a salt water bass boat (188vsS I think) that would be cool if you plan on hitting the salt. Pretty much personal prefrence, I think the pro max might be a little better than the opti.
It is interesting to hear the Ranger guys go on and on about how Ranger is the best boat on the water and then see them get passed by most other brands because either they are just out and out faster than a Ranger or because they ride better than a Ranger and can run harder in rough water. Ranger makes a good fishing platform, no doubt about it. But they are not the fastest or best riding boat out there, although I don't think any other boat is built better than a Ranger.

I loved my Optimax, and all 3 powerheads that it had on it lol. The first one was a warranty deal (2001 200hp Optimax's had a big problem), the 2nd one blew up on me with 251 hours on it (sucked up a pebble in my low water intake and a T-stat stuck open, I am not a fan of low water intakes because of this), and the boat was traded off on my Triton as soon as the 3rd powerhead was put on it. I will say it again though, in all honesty that R91 was a great boat.
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Old 04-11-11, 09:59 PM   #8
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Lol, same about champions I think too. I'm happy with my old stratos, although I would like a newer one. Have to make sure they still ride like Cadillacs though.

Heard love hate things on the opti-pops. If you get a good one its great, if not..... haven't heard much bad about the yammy's accept 5 blew up off the start of a big tourney in CT. All for different reasons supposedly.
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Old 04-11-11, 11:31 PM   #9
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I have 3 buddies that run Champions, one is a 198 and the other two are 210 Elites. I will say that the 210 Elites although not overly fast they do ride good and with a good driver they will keep you dry, however the 198 that my other buddy has doesn't ride well at all in my opinion and you will get wet. I personally don't see where they have anything on my Triton, my 21x rides every bit as good if not better and is a lot faster.........even in rough stuff. Plus I have a lot more front deck space and my bow doesn't sit high out of the water like the Champs do, if you want a work out try and keep a Champion on a windy point with the trolling motor.

I have only rode in one Stratos, it was an 06 I believe. It was the 20 footer with a 225 Etec and I was impressed with the boat as a whole. It rode good, was fairly fast, and was very stable.
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Old 04-12-11, 01:50 PM   #10
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Yep, not the best at any one thing, but does everything well. Mine is an 18.5 with a 150. Handles rough water well, rides great, fishes well, and gets mid 50's. Not in the same league as the 20+ footers but good enough for me.
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Old 04-13-11, 09:36 AM   #11
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B.A.S what you need to do is decide what you want in the boat, layout is IMPORTANT item that a lot of guys over look. Reguardless what make you choose the key is that it fit you, you're looking at boats 1995-2001 so if you need to fix or replace a item will you be able to get it? As far as I know Ranger is the only one that you can get parts forr older models. Be patient, shop smart, sites like craig's list, bass boat central, federation web site, etc can give you an ideas on what you like and where to look. One of my club members found a great deal on a bigger boat 2 years ago, drove to Tenn and made the deal, before the season was over he had the new boat up for sale. When I asked why he said he didn't like the layout or ride. It was bigger and faster than his old one but he wasn't patient. I hope this helps. Good Luck on your new adventure. bigbasser
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Old 04-13-11, 08:22 PM   #12
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I'm still trying to figure out what I like so I probably just need to spend some time looking at the different brands and different options. Take them out on the water and see what I like. I think I like the single console because it gives a little more deck room and makes it easier to move around the boat. I feel like it is sometime difficult to get around my dads dual console Champion. The thing that is most important however is that the motor is reliable. I would hate to let the boat sit in my driveway and not be able to use it while I save up for the repair.
What are your guys thoughts on the different brands of motors? My dads boat has a 200 Johnson and it's never given him a problem...
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Old 04-14-11, 09:57 PM   #13
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Their all as good as their taken care of.
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Old 04-14-11, 11:06 PM   #14
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Besides doing a compression test how would you go about finding out what kind of condition the engine is in, and how well it's been taken care of?

Thanks for all the replies guys I really appreciate it!
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Old 04-15-11, 08:28 AM   #15
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Kind of like buying a used car,you take your chances.
Trust your judgement,take a ride or buy from a known person it all helps.
Truth is we all search for something bigger or better,starting smaller and gaining in length and hp,also in knowledge how to run and care for along the way.20 ft plus boats run better in rough water,15-16 ft boats cost a lot less,somewhere in between lay all the others.More storage less storage,more hp,less hp most of how it fits you is dependant upon you and where its run at,and how its run.
Take a look at what most run in oklahoma and sort of duplicate,should be close.
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Old 04-15-11, 06:06 PM   #16
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For the money your looking to spend the owner should have had the motor looked at by a shop (usually about $200). They will test it out and give you some paperwork also. The owner usually pays for this as it helps him for a selling point (fresh maintain and a dyno sheet). Beware people who won't. Most of us are proud of our rigs and how they run. NEVER EVER EVER BUY A BOAT WITHOUT A TEST RUN. Also the rest of the boat will tell you a lot about the up keep. In this market you can find some seriousi deals and should get a lot for your money.
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Old 04-15-11, 06:11 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lvitch View Post
For the money your looking to spend the owner should have had the motor looked at by a shop (usually about $200). They will test it out and give you some paperwork also. The owner usually pays for this as it helps him for a selling point (fresh maintain and a dyno sheet). Beware people who won't. Most of us are proud of our rigs and how they run. NEVER EVER EVER BUY A BOAT WITHOUT A TEST RUN. Also the rest of the boat will tell you a lot about the up keep. In this market you can find some seriousi deals and should get a lot for your money.
Very good advice and I agree 100%.
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Old 04-16-11, 10:56 PM   #18
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Well guys I found a boat that I'm very interested in (99 Skeeter zx210c with 225 Mercury), but now I'm not going to be around to get to test drive it. Long story short I'm a minor league baseball player that got released this spring, and didn't know if I was going with another team. Well another team offered me a contract Friday. So assuming things go well I won't be home till the first week of September. I got a reference to a good mechanic to look at the motor and see what type of shape its in. Whats killing me is that I won't be able to drive myself. I'd have to rely on my dad to give me an extensive review of the ride and everything else. The seller told me the deck carpet needs to be replaced but I still feel like it's a pretty good price assuming everything mechanically is working right. Asking $10,800

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Old 04-16-11, 11:18 PM   #19
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You can look up prices to person to person on nada price lists,sounds about right.
As for any used boat with age expect a few things to be repaired or replaced,it is after all 12 years old.Mine is a 1990 with a 1977 motor some things do last if taken care of.
Goodluck on the new job dont drop the ball.
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Old 04-16-11, 11:25 PM   #20
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haha thanks! I've never been on a Skeeter so that part is killing me. I like a lot of space up front and in all the pictures I've seen it looks like they have more than the other boats I've been looking at. Anyone out there with a Skeeter that can chime in and share a little information with me?
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Old 04-26-11, 10:50 PM   #21
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Well I've got my first boat! Didn't realize my dad was planning on buying a new boat, but he pulled the trigger on one today so I'm buying his 91 champion with a 200 johnson for 5k. Even though I've been fishing on it with him the last 13 years I'm still really excited to actually own my first bass boat. All I need to fix are the live wells and find replacement windshields. All in all I felt like it was to good of a deal to pass up. Certainly not as nice as some of the other boats I've seen but it's also about 12k less and I know how well my dad took care of it.
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Old 04-27-11, 09:49 AM   #22
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Congrats! It should be a good rig for you and as a plus your already familiar with it. Live well pumps are usually cheap n easy. Windshield can usually be gotten on the internet or eBay. That price is a steal as well. Enjoy!
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Old 04-28-11, 07:24 PM   #23
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Thanks Lvitch! I tried to look up the nada value and it kept saying around $3,500... That can't be right I must be doing something wrong???
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