Boats

Riggen&Jiggen

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So I am thinking of upgrading boats next spring. I want 19 1/2 to 20 1/2 ft. walk thru windshield fiberglass walleye boat. I kind of narrowed it down to nitro, triton and ranger but open to other possibilities. I am going to look at both new and used boats. I have been in rangers but not in nitros or tritons. Anyone have experience with these? Other than Minot and Bismarck who are some other good dealerships to work with? I have heard a guy can find some good deals in SD. Any suggestions of websites other than Walleyecentral? Basically where have you guys found good deals in the past?
 


KDM

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Don't rule out Yar-Craft. Damn nice boats to fish out of. I'm an aluminum kind of guy, so that's about as much advice as I can give. Sorry!!!
 

johnr

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Buddy just bought a skeeter, nice boat too. Check out all of them. Doesn't have to say ranger, lund, or yarcraft on it to be nice, and top quality
 

DirtyMike

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Agree with KDM and JuanR. Ride is one thing, storage is another. Look for accessibility of batteries, fuse box, etc. Open up all the compartments and visualize what you'd be able to fit that you NEED on the water. Once you've narrowed the inside options that you like down to a few choices, run em on rough water and pick your winner.
 

KDM

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Something I forgot is that there is a FLEET of saltwater boats that would work FAMOUSLY on our waters as well. You may have to take a trip to the coast (Darn the luck) but you you can find some really nice boats there.
 


sweeney

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My buddy bought a zv18 that thing is a tank the boat is so wide i think my 1880 would fit inside it, he has the padded carpet which is great to walk around on. These boats have a lot of great options and really handle waves well for a wide boat, but since you are looking for a 20ft nitro doesn't make one. But the 18 and 21 seem to be getting some decent reviews I enjoy the time fishing in the nitro plenty of room in the boat for sure. They have a nice big livewell plenty of storage and with the jackplate and 18 to 19 pitch enertia fly out of the hole, the only thing it lacks is top speed (47-50) with a 200 opti. That and don't get black on black on black for colors or your sandals may melt to the padded carpet. Personally it comes down to how much you are willing to spend and if you want new used or honestly just the best deal. All these glass boats nowadays seem to have really come around, thus the reason the prices have gotten so crazy. 8 years ago you could buy an 18ft stratos or sylvan with a 200 for 27k put a 150 on it was 25 brand new a skeeter for 36k with a 200 and a kicker, a reatta for 38 with a 150 now just about everything has went up ten g's and the used market is really showing that too. Never thought i'd see 8 year old boats selling for 5 grand less than sold for new. I guess we can thank lund and ranger and extended financing for driving up the markets.
 

SDMF

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I was able to buy a Yar Craft off of WC Classifieds this spring for what I think was a pretty good buy compared to buying new.

If you're thinking of upgrading next spring, but can swing it this fall or over the winter you might save yourself significant $$ from a motivated seller or a dealership that doesn't want to carry those $$ in boat inventory over the winter.
 

Riggen&Jiggen

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I currently run a sylvan viper 18ft. I love the boat but it is time to get a little more room (growing kids) and it would be nice to get at least 50 mph (I mainly fish SaK). I was thinking of staying at that 200 HP range to keep the purchase price down and the fuel consumption. Several buddies have the 250 and 300 Verados and they guzzle the gas. Yar-Craft is a solid boat but I just don't like the layout inside the boat. I have a Suzuki on my current boat and I have not had to do anything to it in 11 years. So I would like to try and get Suzuki again. I see on Triton website they do offer Suzuki as a motor option. So my huckleberry right now would be to get a 206 fishhunter with a 200 suzuki and kicker. Unfortunately it will boil down to money in the end. That is why I wanted to find out now if there are a dealer or two in the region that seem to produce good deals.
 

Captain Ahab

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I was able to buy a Yar Craft off of WC Classifieds this spring for what I think was a pretty good buy compared to buying new.

If you're thinking of upgrading next spring, but can swing it this fall or over the winter you might save yourself significant $$ from a motivated seller or a dealership that doesn't want to carry those $$ in boat inventory over the winter.


Agreed. I had good luck buying my last 2 used boats around the beginning of September.
 

SDMF

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Don't let WOT fuel usage determine your choice, and certainly don't underpower that 206 by 50HP.

I went from an 1850 Crestliner FishHawk w/150HP Suzuki 4-stroke to my current Yar Craft 186 w/200HP Yamaha. Despite the Yar Craft being ~600# heavier than my Crestliner was, I can run ~7-8MPH faster in my Yar Craft for the same fuel mileage I used to get in the Crestliner. @ 30MPH I can get 4.8-5.3MPG depending on wind. To get that mileage in the C-liner I had to run just barely on plane, 22-23MPH. I can get 4MPG running 40MPH in the Yar Craft and to achieve 4MPG in the C-liner I could only run 32-33MPH. @ WOT both boats run ~2.8-3.0 MPG, the C-Liner @ 42-44MPH and the Yar Craft @ 50-52MPH. Both boats have fuel flow meters piggybacked into GPS units for real-time MPG calculations/manipulation.

I share your affinity towards Suzuki. In 8 seasons and ~350Hrs my Suzi needed nothing more than fresh oil/lower unit grease and a fuel filter annually. That said, as far as I'm concerned, as long as a 4-stroke has EFI, I don't think it makes a hill of beans worth of difference which one it is, they're all good.
 
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Sub_Elect

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I have a couple friends that work at Crystal Pierz marine in Fargo and I know for a fact you will get treated right. I don't like or trust any of the dealers in the Bismarck, Mandan or Minot areas. As for boats, I am on the cusp of a different boat. I have a 2009 Skeeter wx1880 and a 200 HPDI. I have narrowed the search down to a ZV21 or a Ranger 620. I REALLY don't want a 21 ft boat, but I REALLY don't want a Ranger. Its just that they have the options that I am looking for, so I know your dilema!
 

Newgard

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I have a Nitro ZV-21. This is a tremendous boat!!! It especially stands out in big water with numerous people. I fish Devils Lake almost exclusively and when it's time to run in big water or weather is on the horizon the boat runs by everyone else on the water on the way to the ramp!!! The Fargo Tracker Boating Center is great to work with. Their service manager is the best I've ever worked with!!
 

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