BRUTALLY HONEST 1 Year Review of My ALUMINUM BASS Boat (Ranger RT188) || Is It JUNK??
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
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On todays video I give my 1 year review of my 2020 Ranger RT188. I have fished this boat extremely hard in a variety of conditions and feel like I can give an honest review of the boat. Is it worth the money or should you look at other brands? Be sure to check out the video and leave a comment!! #rangerboats #outdoors #bassfishing
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This guy deserves way more followers
Thanks man
I agree!
Actually
Absolutely love watching you while I eat breakfast dude. The cabinet handles for culling clips is genius!! Good stuff. I twitch when I see other anglers boats and they take 5 minutes to get one clip out of a disorganized box. Time is money
Excellent video. I ordered the lifts for my front compartments today. The Ultrex is the finest accessory I've purchased in 45 years of boat ownership. If you get one, you'll ditch the pole. I got the middle console from Bass Cat, but the BassPro console is intriguing. I still have my 20" Laser, but the 19" Spitfire X7 brings the handling to another level. I fish some tight places with tight turns and the X7 only requires a trim bump and throttle. I get 45.7 light and 44.5 loaded and mine is a twin console.
I have an RT178 it was a June Delivery . Way up north our boats need to be winterized, so this weekend we took the long trek to the lake for the last time this year.... I ordered a MinKota 70#, Active target and two 9 inch élite FS 9's.. all networked and working great...... Lover your videos..... and our boats are twins in the paint scheme....
I own a 2017 RT188 purchased brand new. Yamaha 4 Stroke Vmax SHO 115. I could care less about the paint because I expect scratching etc for anyone who uses their boat as much as I do. You are spot on about the trailer! Mine has rusted extensively along the rear lights so bad I had to have extensive welding done. The trailer is not heavy duty.
Check out a ram ball mount for that bow Garmin. I just put the 1” ram ball mount on my 2 Humminbird units on my Nitro and they are rock solid. Plus they are easy to take off if you ever have to park your boat in some sketchy hotel parking lots over night for out of town trips.
Very well done 👏 . Sweet video man that' was cool thanks again for sharing that with us . Can't wait for the next one. Peace out.
I recently purchased a 2019 Triton 18Tx (basically same boat). I was impressed with how well it takes big water. I took it to guntersville and there was a storm rolling in with high winds and 3-4 foot rollers. It’s just skipped right across it. Plus here in East TN and on game days on Ft Loudoun we have big boats called the “vol navy” that put off big waves. It’s handles them pretty decent as well! I’ve not ran more than 17 miles in it though. I don’t think I wanna try them long runs you do lol.
Gunnfishing TV. In 2007 I purchased Triton 197 mag it was 100% Aliunim boat it was 125 percent gauge Aliunim. It was 92" wide, it was rated for 200 hp outboard, I had 150 Optimac merc. It did just over 60 mph, hole shot were instantly on plane, handle rough water fantastic, rod locker were 2 , extra large, I could put 8 foot p,us roads. Storage was unbelievable also, it hug 40 gallon fuel tank. On board charger system.
I agree 100% with the trolling motor power. Will be putting a larger trolling motor with spot lock on my boat first of next year. The Roanoke whooped me the other day when they opened the damn.
Love the comments! Ram ball mounts and cal coast cull clips. Thanks!
Nice video. I ordered mine in 2015. Love the boat. A few small issues, but so goes with owning any boat. My windshields however, are bigger than yours. Not sure why they reduced the size of them. I have a dual console. Handles well in rough water.
I have had the Rt178 2015 and love it for what it is here in New England we have alot of smaller size lakes and ponds.
Check out the Lowrance Ghost trolling motor 24 volt is like 100 pounds of thrust and do not have to add another battery , I put one on my tracker 175 the best upgrade I have done
Great review. I guess I’m gonna knock on wood, cause I have the 2014 ranger 188 boat and trailer and never, to this date had a single issue. The only reason I’m contemplating getting rid of it is to upgrade to the 198P.
Dude, great job showing us/me your boat in such detail. Very well spoken, thanks for sharing! I'll be looking forward to the next tournament video 😊 🐠🐟🐠🐟 Tight lines !
Great review and breakdown of your boat!
A couple things I thought of while watching.
1. If you ever plan on upgrading to an Ultrex, you'll need to do something about your battery situation. You only have room for 3, so that would dictate switching to smaller lithium batteries, or adding a fourth battery somewhere besides your bilge area, since that area can't accommodate 4 standard deep cycle batteries.
2. Regarding your waypoints on your old Lowrance, you should be able to export those onto an SD card and then import them to your Garmin units. Very easy to do on most brands.
3. Lastly, with regard to running wires through your boat, I've also done that on mine on a few different occasions. I found that a $15 electricians fish tape worked wonders for me.
Hope these suggestions help!
Why would he need to change his batteries if he gets an Ultrex? A 24v 80lb thrust Ultrex would be a direct swap with the 24v Fortrex.
@@Lray4x4 I was inferring that if he moves to a 36 volt TM, he'll need to make some changes to his battery situation. 24 volt would obviously not require any changes.
Wish I could afford one. Nice boat my friend. It reminds me of a 17ft Po Craft that I had. It had a 125hp Mercury on the back. The only thing was it was a fiberglass/gelcote boat.
great job i been thinking about buying that model in a newer year
When I heard 80-90 mile runs I spit my coffee out… ha gotta love VA
Yea gotta run some miles sometimes. Ran 96 miles earlier this year in a tournament. Had 2 gallons left and alot of it wasn't at full throttle or I woulda never made it
I always thought that white thing sticking up on the stern was your cell phone booster antenna😂😂😂
What speeds are you seeing? Thank you for not sugar coating this like all the other guys. I like an honest opinion with in depth detail. Thanks Kevin
I am seeing between 46 and 48
Great review....little bit long, dissappointed Ranger didnt put in lid lifts, really liked the binder clips and cull/door handles.
Store lifejackets towards the front and heavier stuff towards the back. Those tools under your drivers seat could be moved to passenger side.
Great video!!!! Sorry to hear about your trailer. Seems like all the big manufacturers skimp on their aluminum line of boats. I bet one notch up on the metal used in the trailer would have prevented the trailer sagging.
Oh yea, this is the boat for me. Love it. Thanks
Can't go wrong with aluminum boat i love my 1994 xpress i totaly redid it looks like a new one if i was going get new one be one like yours but for now i got mine in top shape built deck extension all aluminum built new carpet realy does good
I have a 1990 bumble bee V160 which was factory rated for 135hp. The boat is based off their 18’ hull they just shortened the length. So it’s the same width and other dimensions however shorter. Anyways I put a 2021 mercury 115 pro xs and I’m getting 55 mph with a cheap aluminum prop. Just goes to show these aluminum rigs are actually pretty heavy! Still cool though good review
Man I was hooked when I saw Lee in the first video I watched.
Great stuff!!
@19:16 “I used to be 6’1”….”
Me too, until I turned about 40-45. If I am stretching tall maybe 6’3/4” now, LOL that’s what rough riding in bass boats does to you. Seriously, lower back pain is no joke!
Just to give you some possible performance ideas. I have a 2020 ranger rt188p with mercury pro XS command thrust motor. I run a six inch jack plate and a 4 blade mercury s/s prop 23 pitch. The four bladed prop seem to give me better control in corners and rough water. With just me in the boat with tackle and full tank my boat will hit 50mph on calm water at 6200 rpm.
7:21 My first boat was brand new 1990 16ft Bass Cat , it came with a 88hp Johnson back then but I traded the motor at dealer for a used 1984 115 , I bought a new stainless Raker prop and had some custom work to it, boat ran 61mph, that boat weighed 700 #s I was 19 at the time, I knew the 88hp was gonna be slow that’s why I asked if I could trade the new motor for the bigger 115 , that 115 Evinrude was so reliable , it sounded meaner than my Mercury 225 I have now! To me it’s weird you can’t even get 50 outta that boat! I remember my little boat would out run bigger Rangers with 150s and it would hang with some 200s on those big heavy bass boats!
Yea I know this boat is fairly heavy for an aluminum boat but hardly anyone hits 50 in them. My 300lbs of soft plastics in it doesn't help either 🤣
15:30 LOL!!! I never said nothin' -but I cant say I didn't think it!
🤣🤣🤣
Good review… I use to be 6’1” lmao 😂😂😂 awesome review.. 👊. New subscriber 🤘
Love your channel
Great boat overview and review. I love mine!
Dude. Gotta upgrade to a Tandem. Best decision I ever made
That is one nice boat!
Can you please share a link to the hydraulic struts for your compartments? Thank You
Did you look at the Bass Tracker Pro 195 when you was looking at boats. I have a pro 175 right now and top speed is a blistering 39 mph. But i know i will get to where i want to go. Always enjoy fishing with ya buddy
Yea I looked at them before I bought this....I had a 175 for 15 years before I bought this boat
Good video, I am on the fence about getting a spot lock trolling motor as well having the ability to hold you boat in one position, control it with a remote or have it follow a line on a graph is nice when it works. However I have seen quite a few people have electrical issues with the stuff and parts to fix them aren't cheap and are often out of stock these days. I would sure hate to have a day of fishing or a whole trip ruined by a simple chip in the trolling motor going bad. For ultimate durability and reliability it is hard to beat a Minnkota Maxxum or Fortrex, the older Motorguide tour motors with the metal shafts were great as well.
Yep they definitely have issues with them. My old Tour on my Tracker was beast mode for sure
The Fortrex is a beast of a trolling motor! I was also apprehensive about the Ultrex but I eventually got one. I will say it is absolutely amazing! I used to hate going out on windy days fighting to position the boat with a standard trolling motor. Now, no worries at all!
If you do decide to get one, I would like to suggest getting the separate GPS (I think it's called a Point One) puck. Without it, you lose some of the fubctionality of the trolling motor such as the jog feature which is fantastic!
Tight lines everyone!
Great information I also have a rt188 and want to install some hydraulic arms on storage compartments, at what dimensions did you mount your brackets?thanks
Always 2 not 1 shallow water anchors. Subscribed !🙂
Thanks man!! Yea Ranger only warranties this boat with one anchor on it. It's pretty dumb but that's their policy. I'm most likely going to put on 2 at some point
Good job well done
What’s up bro I was behind you at the arena at this years bassmaster classic on the last day. Didn’t know you had a RUclips channel
Man the Classic this year was awesome
I know this video is older but man, that's a nice boat!
Thank you!
Have you done any maintenance on your boat yet? Is there anything you do at end of season? Do you respool your fishing lines?
I change my lower unit oil 2 times a year and clean my livewell with soap and water. My motor is a 2 stroke so it doesn't require oil changes. Other than that I just keep it clean and fish
nice! i just bought a 93 procraft 18' with a 94 150 mercury xri got her to 50 on gps would be scary as hell hitting a log at that speed
Yea I hit that one that I dented my boat with at about 45mph. Its really loud lol. Luckily it was a floater
I'd go livescope before spot lock
I think it's the 2019 and older that have the hulls splitting
That was a really good video! Do you put dampers in your boxes to keep the condensation down or is fine without them?
I dont put anything in them. With the lids being insulated I dont have any issues. My Trackers compartments condensate bad but these do not
Thanks for the info. Just bought me a 2016 rt178 with cami paint and rawhide flooring. Did notice that it doesn’t have pump out on live well. Do you know if that can be added?
Like he said, your back will hurt and it will beat the hell out of you in rough stuff. That's just what happens in aluminum boats. Make sure that's what you want. The flip side, lower price than glass..
Look at Ram Swing mount.
Did you consider the BassTracker 195 when getting your new boat? Seams like a hood boat with some speed. Just curious if you weighed the pros and cons of a Tracker 195 before choosing the Ranger?
I did consider them and had looked hard at them. What turned me off was they were having tons of quality control issues at the time and the front deck is no where near as large as on my Ranger. The overall fit and finish of the Ranger is better as well. Plus I got a really great deal on my boat which really helped too
Get a custom built trailer from Ameritrail , aluminum , torsion axles, welded bunks , aluminum wheels and LED lights ,top of the line
I ended up getting an Aluminum I-beam EZ Loader a few months after this video. The trailer frame ended up completely failing at the rear
What kid of cull tags do you use and do they work well?
They are some ones I ordered off of ebay....they are ok I would suggest the Cal Coast ones honestly. The way they clip on the lip is more secure
First time watching this video , I have a 2018 rt188 with dual power pole blades and 115 pro xs four stroke .my trailer has been flawless and the boat itself has been awesome .I did spin the prop hub this year but have replaced that ,run a 21 tempest plus which needs replaced due to a couple few many log and stumps strikes .my motor sits on a stationary 4 inch bracket .I got it up to 51 mph when it was new and now average 48-49 .we do have one special thing in common .I too hit a floating log and put a good dent in the front of the hull on the passenger side but it's water tight and hasn't affected the performance .I fish the Ohio River a lot and I also have an 80 lb fortrex that does good . Love your content and have watched a few other videos you have posted .tight lines and stay safe
I appreciate it Glenn!!! Yea I really like the boat overall. I am on my third hull weld but it helps when your buddy is a professional aluminum welder so its no big deal luckily
I had a issue with tracker getting my trailer replaced. Tracker would not make me a new trailstar trailer in 2010. I ended up using a outside trailer maker custom make me a trailer. My case I had a tube trailer rust from the inside that caused the tube to buckle. Best of luck if Tracker fixing the Ranger trailer of your boat. I went back with Channel iron trailer. Best decision I made. Won't purchase a boat in the future not made out of Channel.
This trailer is channel.....they weren't switched to tube until recently
Is that center console made to be stepped on a bunch??
Yes it is a legitimate step that can handle over 250lbs
Looks like you have your boat loaded just the way you want .
balls out mount for the fishfinders!
Do the storage compartments stay dry?
Mine do but I have heard people say theirs leak some. I have foam under my lids so they seal well
Talk to Kent Saxon at Gator Trax and design the boat of your dreams
Yea they are awesome boats. I will have to save some more penny's haha
Getting ready to order a 1970 gt with 200hp rigged up with nite fishing , shrimping , gigging lites , gonna try to keep it in the mid 60's
Like the smaller boat/trailer, Easy to tow, easy to get it into places.
Who is "actually"? I think he's in love.
I'm confused lol
If you really want the full experience and performance of a jack plate like you said you need a hydraulic plate.
Everything about the boat is great, EXCEPT....... with a little chop you will also be able to take a bath with all the water coming into the boat. Don't buy unless you don't mind getting wet.
What's that goofy looking white thing on the back of the boat
Its a Talon shallow water anchor. I talk about it in the video
I know, it was a joke. Kinda like those dumb ass power poles
@@drmrjon if you ever used them you probably would never be without them again. I used to say I never wanted them or needed them but I would never want a boat without them now honestly. Especially fishing shallow rivers
@@GunnFishTV The problem is, that you THINK you have to have them because everyone else does. I have bass fished for over 50 years and when I got my Z Nitro, I DIDN'T want them put on. They are waist of money, in the way, and I can do with my trolling motor what all the rest of you THINK you can do with them.
@@drmrjon i could care less what anyone else has. That's not how I operate. Fishing in rivers with heavy current they work very well. You catch a fish and need to cull etc. By the time you do that you are 100 yards down river or in the woods. Thats where I'm saying they are useful. I fished over 30 years without one as well
Carry it to a welding shop and have some braces welded in the rear and save yourself 1800 for a new trailer.
I think that is definitely going to be the best option
30 min of video u could of given me my answer in 2 min
You seriously went and bought metal clothes hanger wire instead of an electricians fish tape??
Come on now - that’s losing the man card territory bro.
I had it in my work cabinet from a previous home project lol. I also have a fish tape. I used both and the clothes wire actually pulled easier 🤷♂️
@@GunnFishTV - I have a 2018 178 and have pulled numerous heavy gauge wires and a couple transducers with a fish tape. Both for the transom and the bow. Got fairly tight on the later ones but was an easy 5 minute job.
Hardest part was feeling around through the drivers cup holder and fuse panel for the tape.
I’d think the 188 would be as much if not more roomy than mine. I wonder if Ranger downsized the tubing used for the wiring?
What they should be doing is running the appropriate wire gauge at the factory. They have to know guys will be running at least one big graph on the console and bow.
The piddly little 18 or so gauge they use causes huge voltage drops. Should be 10 gauge minimum. We sure as heck pay enough for their boats.
@@Cerus98 mime was tight as hell and I don't think it's even possible for me to get another from the back up front. My tube is packed with wires
@@GunnFishTV - Standard rigging shouldn’t be much different between yours and mine. That’s nuts they seem to have made it worse.
Console to bow was maybe a little tighter than console to stern but I still got a thick Ethernet cable and several 12 or 10 gauge duplex wires through for my bow units.
It definitely got tight and I can maybe get one more pair through but that would be it. I know guys with three big graphs up front plus livescope and two units at the console. What would it have cost Ranger to upsize the rigging tubes an inch or two?
Ranger junk with production crap welding by whom ever they can hire .
Unfortunately its not just Ranger. Tons of boat manufacturers are having issues across the board right now, both hull and electrical, glass and aluminum