Have been looking for a larger center console that I can take my kid out fishing regularly. Currently have an 18' center console, which has been a great boat for me - but it's less than ideal to take an ADHD hyper kid out fishing.

Anyways, found a 23' Ranger center console that looks like it would fit the bill for taking the family out for sandies/striped fish, catfish, and sometimes down to the coast for inshore fishing. I've seen lots of Ranger bass boats on the water, but never really taken an interest in them before now. It helps that I used to work with the seller at a former job and am confident that they've maintained the boat very well.

So, I'm asking for general opinions on the quality of Ranger fiberglass boats - "run away, run away", or "yes, great boat maker"?

Built as good if not better than their bass boat lineup

Great boats. I have a 20 year old Comanche 520. Runs like a top. Personal opinion, I would power it with a Yamaha, but that might just be me. Rangers are nicknamed "lead sleds" due to their weight. Not sure they are any heavier than any other boat made, but its a fun nickname regardless. Ranger, Skeeter, Bass Cat...all really nice boats. I only have experience with the Ranger. Customer service and access to parts IMO is just as important as initial quality. In my experience with Ranger boats, I have been able to order replacement/upgraded parts that fit perfectly and match the color scheme on a 20 year old boat. Pretty cool that Ranger continues to provide parts for 20 year old boats.

Highly recommend Ranger boats. Keep in mind that Bass Pro Shops owns Ranger Boats. Let's hope that Bass Pro keeps Ranger as a premium brand.

I second what Aggie Dave stated. I ordered a Ranger Comanche from the factory in 1985 and sold it in 2019. I fish primarily open water and wanted a Bay Boat/CC. I looked at a Ranger before buying the Champion. If the Champion had not become available I would have bought the Ranger. I have owned several boats and the Champion is by far my favorite. It will fish shallow water and deep. Not sure what year the Ranger is but just make sure it is all composite and no wood.

there is a 22' champion bay boat in the classifieds, you can't do any better.

2009 Champion 220 Bay with 2009 200hp 4-stroke Yamaha (569 hours) 101 minn Kota TM . 3 bank charger.. I beam aluminum trailer . Hydrowave.. 2 Cannon down riggers ….. Canton Tx … Greg 469-236-7439….. electronic will be in pic………..29,500.

https://texasfishingforum.com/forum...570/gonew/1/2009-champion-220-bay#UNREAD

zeek, since bass pro took the brand over I would run, run and then run some more.

think overpriced nitro.

jmo

The ranger bay boats are the old champ molds they grabbed when champ imploded with Genmar.

i was just at the factory in Flippin in April, getting my brand new 2021 bass boat repaired ( and then I traded it !!! ), I was able to be a part of my repair and watched and spoke to the young lady ( Chrissy ) who did the gelcoat repair and spoke to the others who did other repairs to issues the boat came with, total mess... note I've been running Rangers for 3 decades getting a new one aprox every 5 years, and I have got to watch the steady decline of the brand... talking with the warranty department people they are only going to carry parts going back 10 years ! just like the other BPS brands... there has already been a lot of changes at Ranger for the worst with more to come... the problem is the same management that gave Nitro their bad name is now making decisions for a brand that all other brands were compared to because they were the best - that is now gone ! - don't kid yourself, if you have a good old Ranger keep it going because the new ones are heart breakers... they are Ranger in name only now... one of the worst decisions the morons at White River Marine did was fired the trailer department and farmed out the trailers to EZ Loader, they ARE NOT the same quality as when they were made in house, be prepared for them to fall apart just like the Nitro ones have been known to do early... believe I'm sad to say my last Ranger is my last Ranger, I had it for 5 months took a big loss financially trading it so quick, but once it was repaired at the factory I had a clean conscious getting rid of it, as I never had that new boat happy feeling - the fools at White River Marine stole that from me... I would find another non-white river marine brand and go with it...

Look at the flip side. Had WRM not purchased Ranger boats a few years ago they might not have existed today. Cracks me up when people say they haven't been the same since Forrest Woods owned it. News flash, he sold the company over 35 years ago. Was kept on as a marketing tool.

that one always cracks me up too !... corners were being cut all along the way...all my Rangers had a few issues that should have never left the factory - thats prior to BPS getting them... I've always had something to fix with every new boat, its a part of making the boat trustworthy... it's man made, it's not going to be perfect... it's just the last one had way too many from the start, especially with what they are charging for them now !!! fit and finish issues should not be a standard... just saying.

Well, for what it's worth, this is an older model (1998 I believe, will confirm when I inspect it tomorrow). No wood in the construction.

The irony is that I've been shopping ads for newer boats, or even a new boat. But I'm having a really hard time justifying the idea of taking on what amounts to a 20 year mortgage payment for a fishing boat. The appeal of this particular boat is that I'm well acquainted with the maintenance habits of the sellers, so I'm not concerned about the condition of the motors, wiring, and such, but was wondering about the hull quality for Ranger boats, which has been answered above - newer, no, older, yes (I think that's my takeaway).

Hop, that Champion boat looks very nice, but no t-top and it's missing the second engine. No, seriously, it's a sweet boat, but just not what I need.

I have a 1979 Ranger 168V................built like a tank.It's powered by a 1980 Johnson 150 V-6,a match made in heaven.That being said I hate bass boats but I just can't part with her.

I've had more than one person, dealers included, tell me to hold on to that old 2001 Ranger. I did add some lights to it though. I may have inherited it from my dad, but I have to make it mine!

The quality is better than ever- it is with all brands. I don’t know if one bass boat that you compare side by side with a 20 year old version of the same brand that you wouldn’t say the new one is 10x better.

Have you been in a new Nitro? Like all brands they have low end and high end models.