Ranger or Stratos????

[Doug]

On 28 Feb 1999 05:05:33 GMT, airbr...@aol.comNoSpam (Airbrush4u)
wrote:

>>I am considering my first bass boat and have narrowed it down to the Ranger
>>R71 or the Stratos 273. The Stratos is about $1000 cheaper and they are
>>offering $1200 worth of free Daiwa rods and reels.
>>
>>Any advice would be appreciatted.
>>
>
>Steve, I personally would take the Ranger. Ranger doesn't need to give away
>tackle, their products quality speaks for itself.
>Stratos is a well made boat also, so I am not knocking Stratos at all. Check
>into what's under the Stratos' hull and see if they use wood stringers, etc. Is
>the transom on the Stratos a solid fiberglass design like Ranger uses? Another
>consideration is resale value. Here in California a Ranger would sell a lot
>faster than a Stratos, and for a higher price.
>Also. The decision is yours so do your homework, ask for a test drive, and talk
>to owners of both and get some input from them.
>
>
>Mike
>
>Remove the "NoSpam" to reply in e-mail
Not all Ranger boats are composite. some still use wood.

[Mark D. Hall]

Steve, that's a tough decision. I'm not real familiar with the sport series
by Ranger, but I know the Commanche series has a very high resale value. I
almost bought the same Stratos you are looking at, but couldn't really
afford it so went with an aluminum boat instead, but from what I could tell,
the Stratos boats are made very well. I don't recall if that one is all
composite, but some of their models are. I think Ranger still uses wood,
but that's okay. I don't always subscribe to the "newer is better"
philosophy always.

Now, on a personal note, whenever I look throught the magazines and see the
new boats, I like them all, but if I had unlimited funds, I still think I'd
go with a Ranger. They may not be the fastest (though they're pretty fast),
and they may not the smoothest running, but there's just something about the
Ranger name...

--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address

CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

SDK8505 wrote in message <19990227235100...@ng145.aol.com>...

>I am considering my first bass boat and have narrowed it down to the
Ranger
>R71 or the Stratos 273. The Stratos is about $1000 cheaper and they are
>offering $1200 worth of free Daiwa rods and reels.
>
>Any advice would be appreciatted.
>

>Thanks, Steve

[SDK8505]

[Airbrush4u]

Steve, I personally would take the Ranger. Ranger doesn't need to give away

[Airbrush4u]

>The Stratos is about $1000 cheaper and they are
>offering $1200 worth of free Daiwa rods and reels.

Now, if they were offering G. Loomis rods and Shimano Curado reels, that would
make it a LOT tougher decision. LOL

[Doug]

On Sun, 28 Feb 1999 19:29:53 -0500, "Mark D. Hall"
<skipp...@NOSPAM.esslink.com> wrote:

>Steve, that's a tough decision. I'm not real familiar with the sport series
>by Ranger, but I know the Commanche series has a very high resale value. I
>almost bought the same Stratos you are looking at, but couldn't really
>afford it so went with an aluminum boat instead, but from what I could tell,
>the Stratos boats are made very well. I don't recall if that one is all
>composite, but some of their models are. I think Ranger still uses wood,
>but that's okay. I don't always subscribe to the "newer is better"
>philosophy always.
>
>Now, on a personal note, whenever I look throught the magazines and see the
>new boats, I like them all, but if I had unlimited funds, I still think I'd
>go with a Ranger. They may not be the fastest (though they're pretty fast),
>and they may not the smoothest running, but there's just something about the
>Ranger name...

Everyone wants one. Ranger has good publicity through B.A.S.S.. I
don't think there is anyone that dose not know about Ranger.

[Bob Redding]

One boat I haven't seen mentioned here is the Gambler, of
which I have only seen one. As Mark said, if I had unlimited
funds, I would take a serious look at this boat. It has one
feature I have not seen on any other boat: A single console
in the center of the boat big enough for the boater and
non-boater to sit behind with plenty of leg and storage
room. The rest of the boat, fore and aft, is one large
fishing platform.

The one I saw was a 20+ footer, and appeared to be real
solid. It zoomed across waves I had to 'troll' through in my
16.5 foot Procraft. Don't know who makes the boat. Could be
that Gambler is a model designation instead of the
manufacturer.
--
Good fishing. And may your fish be as big as your tales!

[Doug]

I wonder who had the design first Gambler or Nitro. Was the steering
on the port or starboard side?

[Bob Redding]

Right side.

Doug wrote:

> I wonder who had the design first Gambler or Nitro. Was the steering
> on the port or starboard side?

--

[Mike]

> Not all Ranger boats are composite. some still use wood.

Which models do you think use wood?? Maybe some of the aluminum models use
wood as a backing for the lids on lockers, but none of the fiberglass
Rangers have wood in them.

[Mike]

I had a Ranger R70 a few years ago and it still is one of the best boats I
have ever owned. I ran it with a 125 Mercury. I sold the boat for close to
what I had paid for it and the new owner still has it and still thinks its
great.

SDK8505 wrote in message <19990227235100...@ng145.aol.com>...

>I am considering my first bass boat and have narrowed it down to the
Ranger

>R71 or the Stratos 273. The Stratos is about $1000 cheaper and they are

>offering $1200 worth of free Daiwa rods and reels.
>

>Any advice would be appreciatted.
>

>Thanks, Steve

[Warren's All Stars]

Take it from a Stratos owner; Stratos is alot more boat for alot less
money. I love my boat!

Warren

[Warren's All Stars]

There's not a toothpick of wood in a Stratos, and it comes with the best
hull warranty in the business...10 years. It's a known fact that
Rangers are overpriced. They make you pay for the name. And they're
falling from grace too. Most of the new boats I see are Stratos,
Tritons & Gamblers, at least for the past three years or so...

Warren :-)

[Warren's All Stars]

Actually, they're offering Team Daiwa reels & thier top of the line
through-the-blank rods, three $400 rigs that I'd sure like to own...

Warren :-)

Airbrush4u wrote:
>
> >The Stratos is about $1000 cheaper and they are
> >offering $1200 worth of free Daiwa rods and reels.
>

[Mark D. Hall]

Bob, have you seen the new Nitro center console boat they make? I don't
know the model number, but it looks just like a car...and you drive it from
the left side. It's kind of cool sitting in the center because the driver &
the passenger can get up at the same time & aren't tripping over each other
trying to get down the "center isle."

I liked the Gamblers too, but all the pictures I've seen of them are red.
Do they make any other color? :)
--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address

CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

Bob Redding wrote in message <36DA787D...@sprintmail.com>...

>One boat I haven't seen mentioned here is the Gambler, of
>which I have only seen one. As Mark said, if I had unlimited
>funds, I would take a serious look at this boat. It has one
>feature I have not seen on any other boat: A single console
>in the center of the boat big enough for the boater and
>non-boater to sit behind with plenty of leg and storage
>room. The rest of the boat, fore and aft, is one large
>fishing platform.
>
>The one I saw was a 20+ footer, and appeared to be real
>solid. It zoomed across waves I had to 'troll' through in my
>16.5 foot Procraft. Don't know who makes the boat. Could be
>that Gambler is a model designation instead of the
>manufacturer.

[Mark D. Hall]

>I wonder who had the design first Gambler or Nitro. Was the steering
>on the port or starboard side?

I think there were a couple boat mfgs, that tried a center console in the
past but none have really had much success with it. I think Gambler had
theirs before Nitro.

[Mark D. Hall]

[Mark D. Hall]

Mike wrote in message <7bf06g$mmj$1...@nusku.cts.com>...

>> Not all Ranger boats are composite. some still use wood.
>
>Which models do you think use wood?? Maybe some of the aluminum models use
>wood as a backing for the lids on lockers, but none of the fiberglass
>Rangers have wood in them.

Mike, according to Ranger, their fiberglass boats do have wood in some areas
and aren't totally 100% composite, though the stringers, flooring & transom
are all fiberglass. Some boats like the Stratos are 100% wood free, with no
wood anywhere.

Here's a quote from Bassin', Feb 1999 from Ranger Boats president Randy
Hopper: "Our hulls & stringer systems contain no wood, but completely
sealed plywood covered in fiberglass is used in critical areas where
stiffness or screw retention is essential."

[Mark D. Hall]

Warren's All Stars wrote in message <36DB13...@erols.com>...

>falling from grace too. Most of the new boats I see are Stratos,
>Tritons & Gamblers, at least for the past three years or so...

Warren, you're right about Triton. They seem to have blown in from no where
with everyone talking about them & wanting them. Several bass magazines
have gone to using Triton's as their exclusive test boats. I wanted to look
at them before buying our boat, but there are no dealers around here.

As far as Stratos being a lot lower priced that ranger, I don't know what
you call a lot, but the prices I got quoted were right in line with Rangers,
only $1500 or so less. Maybe when you get down to negotiations the price
can goes a lot lower, but we never got that far because they all cost more
than we wanted to spend unfortunately. :(

[Mark D. Hall]

Warren's All Stars wrote in message <36DB13...@erols.com>...

>Actually, they're offering Team Daiwa reels & thier top of the line
>through-the-blank rods, three $400 rigs that I'd sure like to own...

We bought a LOWE boat, which is also made by OMC, and while they weren't
giving away Daiwa rods, they were giving away a free GPS unit, which I
didn't even know about when first starting to look at them. Actually, I
think the GPS came with the motor, but either way, we got a nice free gift.
:)

[Lee Greer]

Hmmmm, I thought Allisons have been center console long before any of the
other boats. Great speed and efficiency among bass boats, but the console
and layout is not for everybody. Neither is the price for the Allison :)

Airbrush4u wrote in message
<19990301203756...@ng-ca1.aol.com>...

>>I wonder who had the design first Gambler or Nitro. Was the steering
>>on the port or starboard side?
>>
>

>Skeeter had a huge, center console 20' boat several years back. Wasn't it
>before either of these two?
>
>
>Mike
>G. Loomis and Shimano for me :)
>Remove the "NoSpam" to reply in e-mail

[Lee Greer]

Mark D. Hall wrote in message <7bfbau$gtr$1...@usenet43.supernews.com>...

>Warren, you're right about Triton. They seem to have blown in from no
where
>with everyone talking about them & wanting them. Several bass magazines
>have gone to using Triton's as their exclusive test boats. I wanted to
look
>at them before buying our boat, but there are no dealers around here.
>

I've had a small 17' Triton for over a year now and I love it. I wanted to
stay
with a smaller boat for budget/towing/storage reasons, and among the many
brands I looked at this was by far the best buy. It was a toss up between
the
Ranger R70 and the Triton TR17 as far as quality, but the Triton was much
cheaper and had more storage (more than any other I looked at in this
class).

I've been extremely happy with my boat, and looks great. Note that I'm not
a
speed demon, and both Tritons and Rangers are not necessarily the speediest
hull designs for folks who want speed as much as a fishing platform..

Check out www.wmi.com if you want some hard core opinions. Beware though,
that some of those guys get real sensitive about their boats!

[Tony Elrod]

sdk...@aol.com (SDK8505) wrote:

|I am considering my first bass boat and have narrowed it down to the Ranger

|R71 or the Stratos 273. The Stratos is about $1000 cheaper and they are

|offering $1200 worth of free Daiwa rods and reels.
|

Stratos is supposed to be all composite this year. I have a 95 275, and have
been pleased with it, overall, but of course would like the name Ranger on it.

------------------------
Tony Elrod
770.569.9486
770.663-4064 (fax)
tel...@flash.net
http://www.flash.net/~telrod/

[Airbrush4u]

>One boat I haven't seen mentioned here is the Gambler, of
>which I have only seen one.

I hear that they are very fast and a little wild to control. Haven't seen one
yet. I like that huge casting deck though.

[Airbrush4u]

>I wonder who had the design first Gambler or Nitro. Was the steering
>on the port or starboard side?
>

Skeeter had a huge, center console 20' boat several years back. Wasn't it
before either of these two?

[Airbrush4u]

Mark said:
>I liked the Gamblers too, but all the pictures I've seen of them are red.

>Do they make any other color? :)

Here's their site Mark. I think there are some other colors shown there :)
http://www.gamblerboats.com/

[Airbrush4u]

>It's a known fact that
>Rangers are overpriced. They make you pay for the name. And they're

>falling from grace too. Most of the new boats I see are Stratos,
>Tritons & Gamblers, at least for the past three years or so...

Not so here Warren. Ranger is still #1 with Champion #2

[Airbrush4u]

>Take it from a Stratos owner; Stratos is alot more boat for alot less
>money. I love my boat!

But since you own one Warren that makes you a biased critique of them :)
Personally I would love to have a Stratos or a Ranger or Champion, or Skeeter,
etc.
When you own a 34 mph Bass Tracker, they all look good :)

[SDK8505]

thanks for the info. Which model and year do you have? How much HP?
I am looking at a 99 Stratos 273 with a 115 Johnson.

Thanks, Steve

[SDK8505]

What size engine do you have on it and how fast is it? I am looking at the 273
with a 115 Johnson and was wondering if it was a good match.

[Airbrush4u]

>Check out www.wmi.com if you want some hard core opinions. Beware though,
>that some of those guys get real sensitive about their boats!

Is this the correct site? All I see is electronics there.

[Bob Redding]

Is there supposed to be some advantage to composite over wood? Marine plywood,
of which my old ProCraft platform is made of, would seem to be more durable than
composite.

"Mark D. Hall" wrote:

> Mike, according to Ranger, their fiberglass boats do have wood in some areas
> and aren't totally 100% composite, though the stringers, flooring & transom
> are all fiberglass. Some boats like the Stratos are 100% wood free, with no
> wood anywhere.
>

--

[Bob Redding]

Sounds like a bayliner fellow that posted here a couple of weeks ago!

Lee Greer wrote:

> some of those guys get real sensitive about their boats!

--

[Bob Redding]

Don't know, but the only one I saw was red!

"Mark D. Hall" wrote:

> I liked the Gamblers too, but all the pictures I've seen of them are red.

> Do they make any other color? :)
> --
> Mark

[Bob Redding]

Took a look. The one I saw appears to have been a INTIMIDATOR 1950.

> Here's their site Mark. I think there are some other colors shown there :)
> http://www.gamblerboats.com/
>

--

[Sweepers]

>Some boats like the Stratos are 100% wood free, with no
>wood anywhere.

Unless Stratos starting using no wood in 1999, then they have wood in their
boats.

[Warren's All Stars]

I've got the 295 with a 200 Evinrude. It rocks my world. After putting
my 17' Skeeter down as a downpayment, I make monthly pmts of around
$250, very reasonable in my opinion...

Warren :-)

[Warren's All Stars]

You got that right Mark, GIVE ME FREE STUFF & I'll be your buddy...

Warren ;-)

[Warren's All Stars]

No kidding? The only Champions I see look like they're many years
old...

Warren :-)

Airbrush4u wrote:
>
> >It's a known fact that
> >Rangers are overpriced. They make you pay for the name. And they're
> >falling from grace too. Most of the new boats I see are Stratos,
> >Tritons & Gamblers, at least for the past three years or so...
>
> Not so here Warren. Ranger is still #1 with Champion #2
>

> Mike
> G. Loomis and Shimano for me :)

> Remove the "NoSpam" to reply in e-mail

[Warren's All Stars]

Yea Mike, but you gotta remember one thing; Once you get that little
tap-tap on the end of your line, and set the metal, you're right on
plane with anyone in a $40k bass boat! Getting back to the subject
though, I looked at several makes of bass boat when I was shopping to
replace my 17' Skeeter last winter, including Pro Craft (don't even
think about it), Gambler (nice & expensive, not for someone that likes
to bounce off stumps like I do), Ranger (just too expensive for what you
get) & Stratos. The decision was easy for me, and I've had NO regrets
going with the Stratos.

Regards,
Warren

Airbrush4u wrote:
>
> >Take it from a Stratos owner; Stratos is alot more boat for alot less
> >money. I love my boat!
>
> But since you own one Warren that makes you a biased critique of them :)
> Personally I would love to have a Stratos or a Ranger or Champion, or Skeeter,
> etc.
> When you own a 34 mph Bass Tracker, they all look good :)
>

[Warren's All Stars]

Absolutely not. My '98 is 100% wood-free. It was one of the major
factors I considered in making the selection...

Warren :-)

[Sweepers]

>Absolutely not. My '98 is 100% wood-free. It was one of the major
>factors I considered in making the selection...
>

My 1998 is not wood free. Only select models of 1998's must have been wood
free, but they all were not. I have a 1998 268 and it has wood in it....I
know..I mounted a lot of stuff in it.

[Lee Greer]

Whoops! Thanks Greg. I dummied out on the URL.

Greg wrote in message <36DB5776.8FD63B2B@.ameritech.net>...
>The Bass Fishing Home Page message boards can be located at
>wmi.org/bassfish/bassboard.
>
>There are a number of topic boards, including a boat board.
>
>Greg
>

[Bob Redding]

But would you give a dealer money just because he was giving you 'free stuff'?
Don't know many dealers who do that without putting a fat pay check in their
bank!

Warren's All Stars wrote:

> You got that right Mark, GIVE ME FREE STUFF & I'll be your buddy...
>

--

[Mark D. Hall]

>Unless Stratos starting using no wood in 1999, then they have wood in their
>boats.

They must have in 1999 because I was just at a fishing show last weekend,
and 2 models had a little "100% composite construction" decal on the side
and the dealer said no wood anywhere in the boats. I'm not sure if that was
for all models or just the couple I looked at.

--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address

CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

Sweepers wrote in message <19990302130604...@ng-fq1.aol.com>...

[Mike]

Another consideration is what standard equipment are you getting on the
boat. I know on larger Ranger's there are many items that are extra on
other boats. If you take into account the total cost of ownership you will
find that most brand name bassboats are pretty much in the same area with
pricing. Many brands also have "leader" models that they sell for less but
have less equipment on them. And I'll stick with a Ranger too!

>>The 17' Ranger(R71) is about $1000 more than the Stratos 273.
>
>I'll take the R71.
>Sorry Warren :)

[Mark D. Hall]

Bob Redding wrote in message <36DBAC12...@sprintmail.com>...

>Is there supposed to be some advantage to composite over wood? Marine
plywood,
>of which my old ProCraft platform is made of, would seem to be more durable
than
>composite.

Bob, my guess on composites is that people like them because they don't rot
like wood can...but if marine plywood is covered in fiberglass, how is that
going to rot? I don't know if it's any better than wood, but I wonder how
well they will hold up in the future, I mean for things like screws holding
& that type of wear & tear. I don't really know what "composite" is, so I
have nothing to compare it to...

[Mark D. Hall]

>Unless Stratos starting using no wood in 1999, then they have wood in their
>boats.

I don't know about earlier years, but I was just at a fishing show last

weekend,
and 2 models had a little "100% composite construction" decal on the side
and the dealer said no wood anywhere in the boats. I'm not sure if that was
for all models or just the couple I looked at.

--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address

CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

Sweepers wrote in message <19990302130604...@ng-fq1.aol.com>...

[Mark D. Hall]

Warren's All Stars wrote in message <36DC4D...@erols.com>...

>You got that right Mark, GIVE ME FREE STUFF & I'll be your buddy...

Free stuff is nice, but I wouldn't base a big purchase like a boat on free
gifts. In my case of not knowing, it was a nice extra.

[Bob Redding]

Yeah, I don't either. It can't be particle board, could it? One little bubble,
and that stuff swells like most guests at Thanksgiving!

"Mark D. Hall" wrote:

> Bob, my guess on composites is that people like them because they don't rot
> like wood can...but if marine plywood is covered in fiberglass, how is that
> going to rot? I don't know if it's any better than wood, but I wonder how
> well they will hold up in the future, I mean for things like screws holding
> & that type of wear & tear. I don't really know what "composite" is, so I
> have nothing to compare it to...

> --
> Mark
>
> To reply to me directly, remove the
> NOSPAM from my e-mail address
>
> CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

--

[Airbrush4u]

>No kidding? The only Champions I see look like they're many years
>old...
>
>Warren :-)

Hey Warren.
I just bought that Bassmaster buyer's guide magazine at Wal-Mart the other day,
and in the section on bass boats it states that Champion has a 94% customer
loyalty rating!
Not a bad rating I would say.

[Airbrush4u]

>I've got the 295 with a 200 Evinrude. It rocks my world. After putting
>my 17' Skeeter down as a downpayment, I make monthly pmts of around
>$250, very reasonable in my opinion...

$250 a month for how long? Some people finance a boat for 15-20 years. Yikes!!

[Airbrush4u]

>Gambler (nice & expensive, not for someone that likes
>to bounce off stumps like I do), Ranger (just too expensive for what you
>get) & Stratos. The decision was easy for me, and I've had NO regrets
>going with the Stratos.

What do you mean by Ranger is too expensive for what you get ?
From what I have seen the Stratos isn't very much cheaper.

[Airbrush4u]

>Unless Stratos starting using no wood in 1999, then they have wood in their
>boats.

They have wood in the transom according to the new buyers guide I just bought.

[Doug]

On 3 Mar 1999 01:16:03 GMT, airbr...@aol.comNoSpam (Airbrush4u)
wrote:

>>I've got the 295 with a 200 Evinrude. It rocks my world. After putting
>>my 17' Skeeter down as a downpayment, I make monthly pmts of around
>>$250, very reasonable in my opinion...
>
>$250 a month for how long? Some people finance a boat for 15-20 years. Yikes!!
>
>

>Mike
>G. Loomis and Shimano for me :)
>Remove the "NoSpam" to reply in e-mail

There's nothing wrong with financing for that long. Your boat would
just cost about 50- 60% more. I financed for 12 years, but will be
paid for in 3.5 to 4 years.

[SDK8505]

The free stuff is from Stratos, not the dealer. It's a special promotion good
til the end of the month.

[SDK8505]

[SDK8505]

Not true. Several of their boats in 1998 are 100% composite.

[Airbrush4u]

>There's nothing wrong with financing for that long. Your boat would
>just cost about 50- 60% more. I financed for 12 years, but will be
>paid for in 3.5 to 4 years.

Nothing wrong with financing that long?
Are you a finance person? After 20 years, your Stratos would cost a total of
about $50,000 after all the interest over 20 years. And the value after 20
years would be next to nothing.
If people go into debt for a bass boat for that long then they are just plain
foolish IMHO.

[Airbrush4u]

>The 17' Ranger(R71) is about $1000 more than the Stratos 273.

I'll take the R71.
Sorry Warren :)

Mike

[Bob Redding]

Hmm. Let me think about this: A reasonable and sound person who understands
economics would spend (multiple choice) money on a boat, towing vehicle, tackle
(and grief because they don't have time for honey do's) and question how long
they will have to finance their fantasy?

Launch your boat. Lesser things diminish in importance when you are out there!

Airbrush4u wrote:

> If people go into debt for a bass boat for that long then they are just plain
> foolish IMHO.
>
> Mike

--

[Warren's All Stars]

Just 10 years on my financing brush...

Warren

Airbrush4u wrote:
>
> >I've got the 295 with a 200 Evinrude. It rocks my world. After putting
> >my 17' Skeeter down as a downpayment, I make monthly pmts of around
> >$250, very reasonable in my opinion...
>
> $250 a month for how long? Some people finance a boat for 15-20 years. Yikes!!
>

[Warren's All Stars]

Exactly Bob! 50k doesn't sound too bad to me for 20 years of bass
fishing adventures. Sounds like a deal to me...

Warren :-)

[Warren's All Stars]

To each his own guys, I'm not putting Ranger down, I'm sure it's a fine
vessel. But I wouldn't trade my Stratos for one. If any of y'all are
ever in the SE PA area, drop me an email & I'll be glad to get you out
on the rig.

Warren :-)

Mike wrote:
>
> Another consideration is what standard equipment are you getting on the
> boat. I know on larger Ranger's there are many items that are extra on
> other boats. If you take into account the total cost of ownership you will
> find that most brand name bassboats are pretty much in the same area with
> pricing. Many brands also have "leader" models that they sell for less but
> have less equipment on them. And I'll stick with a Ranger too!
>

> >>The 17' Ranger(R71) is about $1000 more than the Stratos 273.
> >
> >I'll take the R71.
> >Sorry Warren :)
> >

[Warren's All Stars]

Hmmm...didn't know that. What parts are made out of wood? The decks?
Transom?

Warren

[Warren's All Stars]

Not bad at all Mike. I just don't see any new ones in my area.

Warren

Airbrush4u wrote:
>
> >No kidding? The only Champions I see look like they're many years
> >old...
> >
> >Warren :-)
>
> Hey Warren.
> I just bought that Bassmaster buyer's guide magazine at Wal-Mart the other day,
> and in the section on bass boats it states that Champion has a 94% customer
> loyalty rating!
> Not a bad rating I would say.
>

[Sweepers]

>Hmmm...didn't know that. What parts are made out of wood? The decks?
>Transom?

Let's see, there's fiberglass coated plywood in all the front deck supports and
there fiberglass coated wood in the supports under the floor of the battery/gas
tank/oil tank compartments in the rear.

Regardless of what anyone thinks, I know my boat has some wood in it.
Fiberglass doesn't create wood duct and shavings when you drill holes in it.

[Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.)]

Let's see...my first, a Ouachita, cost: $1500 including 65hp and trailer,
cash (second hand but like brand new); second, $4500 for a Cheetah, used
same engine then 'upgraded' to a 75hp Evinrude. That was 12 years worth of
bassfishing adventures all over the place. Humdinghy II: $300 (cost to
build in 1986--first in 1974 cost nil), some USMC camo cloth (complimentary
gift <G>) $150 for a little Sears trailer, $20 for a tongue extension,
taillight extension. That little boat travelled just as far but not as
fast...and lasted another 12 years of great bassfishing adventures. I might
get ONE more season out of her before she goes to her final resting place.

My final 20 years of happiness will be more bassfishing adventures in a
newer design I'm going to build within a year. However, I certainly would
LIKE to have a Ranger, or a Stratos, or a Skeeter, or a Champion, or a
.....<G>

Jim Pankey
USN (Ret.)
"Barbless Bassin'"
wild...@pe.net

Warren's All Stars <don...@erols.com> wrote in message
news:36DD5C...@erols.com...

[Brutus11]

Sweepers wrote:
Absolutely not. My '98 is 100% wood-free. It was one of the major
factors I considered in making the selection...
My 1998 is not wood free. Only select models of 1998's must have been
wood free, but they all were not. I have a 1998 268 and it has wood in
it....I know..I mounted a lot of stuff in it.

I own a 1998 stratos 273....and the only wood in the boat,would be some
of my lures....Great boat..

Ž

[Mark D. Hall]

Oh that stuff is terrible. It's just sawdust glued together I think. It
has no purpose near water.

--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address

CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

Bob Redding wrote in message <36DCC10B...@sprintmail.com>...

[Mark D. Hall]

You're right...they're all very similar in price when you compare them
feature for feature...
--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address
CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

Airbrush4u wrote in message
<19990302201859...@ng-ft1.aol.com>...

[Lee Greer]

William Anderson wrote in message <7bkvmr$9...@bgtnsc01.worldnet.att.net>...
>I, too, am considering a Tr-17 for many of the same reasons you did. I'm
>glad to hear you like it. My cousin just took delivery of a Tr-18 with a
>150 Vmax Yamaha and I can't wait to get in it. What kind of power do you
>have in your Tr-17 and what is the top speed?
>
>Bill

Bill, I've got an Evinrude 115 Intruder with a Raker (19 I think). It's
stock, and with just me, 1/2 tank gas, empty livewell, and normal fishing
weight, I can get 50 mph on GPS. Not for the speed hungry, but it does
everything I need it to do, is very stable for a small boat, and has been
very reliable and durable so far.

[Airbrush4u]

>To each his own guys, I'm not putting Ranger down, I'm sure it's a fine
>vessel. But I wouldn't trade my Stratos for one. If any of y'all are
>ever in the SE PA area, drop me an email & I'll be glad to get you out
>on the rig.

If the Stratos makes you happy, then that is all that's important Warren. I
would be happy too if I had one, and if I am ever up your way I'll be happy to
take you up on that offer.

[jeffandshari]

I own a Stratos 285, a Procraft PRO 170 and a Ranger 361 v....In my opinion
the Stratos handles rough water far better than the others and is more
stable at top end....65+ mph. The Procraft is more fishable and more agile
through the turns. Rangers are nice boats and Mr. Wood should be
complimented,but mine is for sale. For any one interested Earl Bentz,who is
currently building Triton was the originator of Stratos. I had the chance to
ride in the Triton TR-21 with a buddy.....WOW WHAT A RIDE...very
fast,smooth,dry ride.As far as Gambler is concerned I believe they are a
subsidiary of the makers of Bullet,and Blazer,...though that is rumor. I
believe that the decision to purchase a boat should be dependent on your
needs, flexibility in spending and what YOU like.....not what the local pro
is fishing in.

Jeff

[Airbrush4u]

>I own a Stratos 285, a Procraft PRO 170 and a Ranger 361 v....

Wow! 3 boats? Are you wealthy? <g>

>he Stratos handles rough water far better than the others and is more
>stable at top end....65+ mph

That's an older Ranger designed hull. How do the newer 519, 518, and 487's
compare?

[William Anderson]

Mike wrote in message <7bf06g$mmj$1...@nusku.cts.com>...
>> Not all Ranger boats are composite. some still use wood.
>
>Which models do you think use wood?? Maybe some of the aluminum models use
>wood as a backing for the lids on lockers, but none of the fiberglass
>Rangers have wood in them.
>
Not true. The Feb issue of Bassin' discusses the new all composite boats
and has quotes from manufacturers who still use wood, Ranger included.
Ranger president Randy Hopper says, "Ranger continues to use high grade
marine plywood in select areas on some bass boat models". He goes on to say
that fiberglass encapsulated wood is used for stiffness and where screw
retention is essential. Skeeter uses wood as well in some of their
fiberglass bass boats.

Bill

[William Anderson]

Lee Greer wrote in message ...
>I've had a small 17' Triton for over a year now and I love it. I wanted to
>stay
>with a smaller boat for budget/towing/storage reasons, and among the many
>brands I looked at this was by far the best buy. It was a toss up between
>the Ranger R70 and the Triton TR17 as far as quality, but the Triton was
much
>cheaper and had more storage (more than any other I looked at in this
>class). I've been extremely happy with my boat, and looks great. Note that
I'm not a
>speed demon, and both Tritons and Rangers are not necessarily the
speediest
>hull designs for folks who want speed as much as a fishing platform..
>
>Check out www.wmi.com if you want some hard core opinions. Beware though,
>that some of those guys get real sensitive about their boats!

[William Anderson]

Starting in 99 all are wood free. Prior to that the 273 and some of the
higher end models were wood free. (At least in 98).

Bill

Sweepers wrote in message <19990302130604...@ng-fq1.aol.com>...
>>Some boats like the Stratos are 100% wood free, with no
>>wood anywhere.

[William Anderson]

According to the literature and Bassin' magazine there is no wood at all in
all 99 Stratos bass boats.

Bill

Airbrush4u wrote in message
<19990302202309...@ng-ft1.aol.com>...

>>Unless Stratos starting using no wood in 1999, then they have wood in
their
>>boats.
>

>They have wood in the transom according to the new buyers guide I just
bought.
>
>

[Airbrush4u]

>According to the literature and Bassin' magazine there is no wood at all in
>all 99 Stratos bass boats.
>
>Bill
>
>Airbrush4u wrote in message
><19990302202309...@ng-ft1.aol.com>...
>>>Unless Stratos starting using no wood in 1999, then they have wood in
>their
>>>boats.
>>
>>They have wood in the transom according to the new buyers guide I just
>bought.

Oops! My mistake. I was thinking of the new BassCat bass boats and not the
Stratos.
Sorry for the mis-information.

BTW, is anyone familiar with BassCat boats?
Are they any good?

[Airbrush4u]

>My cousin just took delivery of a Tr-18 with a
>150 Vmax Yamaha and I can't wait to get in it.

An excellent choice. I would take Yamaha over all the others.

[Mark D. Hall]

Hey! That's the same quote I used. :)

--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address

CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

[Mark D. Hall]

The Yamaha's look really "mean" hanging off the back of a bass boat zipping
across the water, but they're traditional injection, right? Here in CT, the
DEP is planning to restrict boat access to certain lakes unless they meet
the 2006 emissions standards, which is why I went with one of the newer
designs. I'd like to see what Yamaha could do if they came out with a
direct injection motor.
--
Mark

To reply to me directly, remove the
NOSPAM from my e-mail address

CT Bass fishing -->http://skippermark.com/

Airbrush4u wrote in message <19990303225247...@ng36.aol.com>...

[Bassman]

A few years back I fished a circuit as a no-boater, because all I owned was
a 17' Lowe, console steering, and a 48 Horse Evinrude. In the classic, I
had to take my boat. I won the grand prize, a Ranger 354V.

I have driven many different types of boats since, but have stuck with my
Ranger.

Triton boats are fast... damn fast, and Tritons are expensive. Stratos,
which as Jeff said are designed by the same man that now designs for Triton,
are cheaper. I have found that the shorter Stratos boats are hard to handle
in rough water, but the longer models handle rough water as good as the next
boat.

So, to get to a point, unless you are lucky enough, like me, to win a free
boat, ask a few anglers to let you test drive or take a ride in their boats.
Then, after you have the feel of the different boats, ask you wife if you
can have the one you like. It will help if it has a double console. ;-)

jeffandshari wrote in message ...

[Bassman]

We don't see many champions either. But there are lots of Rangers, Tritons
and Statos.

Airbrush4u wrote in message
<19990301204236...@ng-ca1.aol.com>...
>>It's a known fact that
>>Rangers are overpriced. They make you pay for the name. And they're
>>falling from grace too. Most of the new boats I see are Stratos,
>>Tritons & Gamblers, at least for the past three years or so...
>
>Not so here Warren. Ranger is still #1 with Champion #2

[Bassman]

I have been to Flippin and seen Rangers assembled. Ranger does have some
wood, but it is completely sealed from the air by fiberglass. The new
composites are supposed to take stress better, but I don't think they work
as well when it comes to putting screws in it.

Mark D. Hall wrote in message <7bfb4q$g6j$2...@usenet49.supernews.com>...

[Bassman]

I gave you credit for it Mark! :)

Mark D. Hall wrote in message <7bnhkc$pfv$3...@usenet45.supernews.com>...

[Bassman]

Bob I think you hit the nail on the head that time!

My wife's philosophy :

Give a man a fish and he has food for a day; teach him how to fish and you
can get rid of him for the entire weekend.

Bob Redding wrote in message <36DCC55F...@sprintmail.com>...

[Jim Pankey, USN (Ret.)]

Which just goes to show ya that it ain't what ya got, it's how ya use it.
<G>

Jim Pankey
USN (Ret.)
"Barbless Bassin'"
wild...@pe.net

Airbrush4u <airbr...@aol.comNoSpam> wrote in message
news:19990305004210...@ng-fu1.aol.com...

> >A few years back I fished a circuit as a no-boater, because all I owned
was
> >a 17' Lowe, console steering, and a 48 Horse Evinrude. In the classic, I
> >had to take my boat. I won the grand prize, a Ranger 354V.
>

> Which circuit was it? Just curious.

[Airbrush4u]

>A few years back I fished a circuit as a no-boater, because all I owned was
>a 17' Lowe, console steering, and a 48 Horse Evinrude. In the classic, I
>had to take my boat. I won the grand prize, a Ranger 354V.

Awesome! That must have felt great :)

[Airbrush4u]

>A few years back I fished a circuit as a no-boater, because all I owned was
>a 17' Lowe, console steering, and a 48 Horse Evinrude. In the classic, I
>had to take my boat. I won the grand prize, a Ranger 354V.

Which circuit was it? Just curious.

[Bassman]

The circuit was Mr. Bass of Arkansas. Larry Nixon, Ron Shuffield, Scott
Rook, Mark Davis, Doug Garrett and several other Arkansas pros got started
in MBOA. The year I won the boat, Garrett was fourth... then later that
year he won the Mega Bucks... so it looks like my only claim to fame is that
I once beat Doug Garrett in a Classic. =)

[MTbasser]

Maybe we need a new group...

rec.outdoors.fishing.bass.boats

In article <19990302130604...@ng-fq1.aol.com>, swee...@aol.com
(Sweepers) wrote:

> >Some boats like the Stratos are 100% wood free, with no
> >wood anywhere.
>

[Warren's All Stars]

I don't know, looks like Brutus 11 disagrees with you too. I know
there's no wood in my 295...

Warren

Sweepers wrote:
>
> >Hmmm...didn't know that. What parts are made out of wood? The decks?
> >Transom?
>
> Let's see, there's fiberglass coated plywood in all the front deck supports and
> there fiberglass coated wood in the supports under the floor of the battery/gas
> tank/oil tank compartments in the rear.
>
> Regardless of what anyone thinks, I know my boat has some wood in it.
> Fiberglass doesn't create wood duct and shavings when you drill holes in it.

[Sweepers]

>I don't know, looks like Brutus 11 disagrees with you too. I know
>there's no wood in my 295...

I'm not saying anything about your boat or anyone elses....they may have no
wood.

Mine does and that is a clear fact...period. If it's not true, then come to MY
house and show me on MY boat where there is no wood. Sorry, you'll find wood.

End of discussion for me.

[Bass Rogue]

Kyle,

>rec.outdoors.fishing.bass.boats

You just might have something there. Bass boats and equiment probably accounts
for almost half the posts in here.

Richard

Remove the nospam to send e-mail.

[Warren's All Stars]

I'm definately not arguing with you, I never argue with another
fisherman! He's got a 268 which I thought was one of the smaller
models. I just can't understand why some would have wood & others
not....

Warren :-)

[Warren's All Stars]

Ranger STILL uses wood?

WW

[Warren's All Stars]

That would be great Mike. I hope it happens some day!

WW:-)

Airbrush4u wrote:
>
> >To each his own guys, I'm not putting Ranger down, I'm sure it's a fine
> >vessel. But I wouldn't trade my Stratos for one. If any of y'all are
> >ever in the SE PA area, drop me an email & I'll be glad to get you out
> >on the rig.
>
> If the Stratos makes you happy, then that is all that's important Warren. I
> would be happy too if I had one, and if I am ever up your way I'll be happy to
> take you up on that offer.

[Warren's All Stars]

Geeze, I wish MY wife had that philosophy. She could get rid of me for
a month!

WW:-)