Anyone Running a Ranger 618T?

[LMITOUT]

Looking for some feedback from owners or anyone with experience with this boat.

Thanks.

[walleye3k]

I got one last year with a yamaha 90 i love it.

[LMITOUT]

Ahh, there is someone out there. I'm leaning towards Yamaha as well. What kind of speed do you get? Prop? Anything that you'd like to change as far as layout/design? Do you have the new Yamaha tiller handle that allows you to control the idle speed? How fast/slow can you troll?

Enough questions? I may have more.

BTW, welcome to FishingMN!

[Ray Esboldt]

LMITOUT,

Are you set on a glass boat over aluminum? I have an 1850 Crestliner Fish Hawk Tiller with a 90 hp Optimax. It's an awful nice boat to fish out of and a bit easier on the pocket book than the Ranger. Just a thought.

[Chris Haley]

For about the same money as that Ranger, you could get the new Lund 2010 Guide Series with a merc 175.

[Ray Esboldt]

That same money being right around 30k.

[LMITOUT]

No thanks. I'm going glass and don't need a 20 footer either with a gas guzzling big block.

With the price of aluminum, fiberglass isn't that far out of range anymore and believe it'll handle better while not getting blown off of a spot as easy as a tall-sided and relatively keel-less aluminum boat. Been down that road already.

[walleye_dog]

I almost bought one last Sep. Looked them over pretty hard, and I liked the overall fit and finish of the Rangers. The only issues I would have had were that I did'nt like the way the seats mounted into the floor, and the way the transom is molded. Keep in mind you cannot just mount a kicker or trolling motor onto the transom without some sort of static bracket.

I believe with a 90 on the back your top speed will be 32-34 mph. With that being said, I ended up buying a used 06 Warrior with 20 hours on the motor-a 115 Yammy tiller. This setup will run 43-45 mph, plus the pro-tiller power steering is awsome. I really liked the layout of this boat so thats the route I went. I also payed a little less cash, which made the wife happy. I will also add that I really liked the Ranger trailors with the Road Armor coating on them, great idea imo. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Mille Lacs Guy]

The 618T is nice. I have ridden a one and it was nice. The backtrolling was not as smooth as it would be in a Warrior or Yar Craft because the transom slants downward and even with splash guards you can get some splash. I would suggest adding the Mertens Power tiller system to the rig. The Yamaha 4 stroke is a heavy motor and a 90 will torque your arm quite a bit. I would also consider a Suzuki 90 which is a stronger motor than the Yamaha in my opinion. The Suzuki has a larger displacement than the Yamaha and is considered a strong motor for a 90. They use the same block for the Suzuki 115. The Suzuki also has a torque dampener that works well to reduce arm torque while steering and would minimize the need for the Mertens Sytem which would save you a couple grand.

I would also consider the Warrior. They make a very nice boat as well as the Skeeter tiller which is very nice.

[fisherdog19]

I just recently bought a Triton 189 tiller and love it. It's got a 115 Yammi, and I would definately recomment the Mertens system. I will most likely put one in next spring. I am still nursing tendonitis in my shoulder from steering that heavy thing, and I'm not a small guy. The glass boats tend to hold their place while backtrolling sooooo much better than the aluminums, especially in some wind. This is my first glass boat, and I will never go back to aluminum. Enjoy whatever it is you purchase.

[widetrack]

I run a 2005 618t. It's an awesome boat. It handles big water very well (I fish lake of the woods exclusively). I have a 90yamaha variable speed. I can troll forward anywhere from 1.5 to about 3 with the switch. The variable speed is awesome for trolling cranks. Backtrolling into any wind at all goes as slow as you want, basically just hovering over a spot. I have wave wackers on there, and I've back trolled into monster waves with it with no problem. I have a minkota vantage on back, but rarely use it...(not much need really) I have the maxxum 80 up front with the built in transducer, and a vexilar mounted up there. Perfect. I use a x102c, and a 3500c side by side right in front of me in the drivers seat... again perfect I think. Not sure what prop I'm running but it's a black stainless yamaha. I know its more a power prop then a speed prop. I get good hole shot, and top speed is around 37 or so. I usually run 28-30 range depending on conditions. It's really the perfect fishing boat. There isn't anything really that I'd change. Maybe one live well instead of two, with another storage compartment. I don't think anyone would be disappointed with this boat. Good gas mileage to boot.

[delmuts]

widetrack. is the live wells together or seperate? if sep. , and designed like what i have on my 680C, you can plug the over flow, and the inlet ,and use that for storage. i did!

[widetrack]

They are seperate. I wish the one up front was a little bigger, (more then a baitwell), and the one in the back was storage. This is the only change I would make. The up front one is a little small to use for a livewell, and not real usefull for storage either.

[delmuts]

to bad. the ones on my 680 are across from each other.( one on each side) the bait well one is plenty big for me.( room enough for a 6# bass to swim in! ) the main one is huge! think i could put a 40 in + fish in it. makes good storage!

[LMITOUT]

widetrack - Thanks for the information! I'll be looking them over pretty hard in the upcoming weeks and months.

[Sportland_Bait]

Hi Dan, If you aren't set on a Ranger I would highly suggest taking a look at the Warrior 1890. The 618T is a nice set up but I think you would be impressed by the 1890 from Warrior. My uncle just purchased an 1890 last season and absolutely loved it. They come standard with the Pro Tiller hydraulic steering for zero added cost. Plus it can handle up to a 140 hp outboard. It is a dandy package for an 18 foot tiller boat.

Jason Erlandson

[widetrack]

Just a side note. I picked an 18' version tiller only because I wanted the 90Yamaha with variable speed. Personally I didn't want a bigger motor. I wanted the control the 90 offers. Too bad the 150yamaha doesn't have the idle down feature or I would have went with the 20' Ranger. (I had that motor on a previous Ranger, and it's a great motor, just won't troll down were I wanted it)

[walleye_dog]

The new 115 Yammy tiller does have the new handle, which makes it a pretty nice setup in a 1890 Warrior.

[widetrack]

If you go to their HSOforum, you will see that the variable speed option is still only available in 50-90hp range.

The new tiller handle is available in the 115, but not the variable speed.

[walleye_dog]

It must be a special order option, because I saw one on the back of a new new Triton recently at a dealer. I was interested because I woud'nt mind upgrading mine if possible.

[LMITOUT]

widetrack - May I ask where you purchased that 618T?