Should I trade my new aluminum for older fiberglass??

[bcj.jones]

I have a 2005 Fisher Pro Hawk 180. Its an 18'3 hull with a 88" beam and a 90 horse mercury on it. Its got new carpet/wood, water pump, tune up, rebuilt carbs, gear oil all done in the past 3 months. I have an opportunity to sell it for $5750 and buy a 1994 Ranger 392v with a 200 horse XRI for $4000. Super clean boat. Carpets decent. One owner boat, gel coat looks great. Very well kept boat by an older man who has had it since it was new and id walk away with $1750 cash out of the whole deal.

I understand the basic positive and negatives of both, so I'm purely asking for previous experience or an opinion on what y'all would do. Any opinions or input would be great!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

The Ranger is 21 years older than your boat. I know you are aware of that, your call. I wouldn't myself as that money you are going to put in your pocket will be gone soon to fuel for the Ranger.

 

[Sprig]

If all you are concerned with is the money then just sell the boat that you have and call it a day. That Ranger is 24 years old. If you buy it plan to put the money you saved into it. Don’t know what kind of fishing you do but the Ranger is a bass boat, not really suited to anything else other than bass fishing. If all you do is bass fish and you want to get to your next casting spot quickly and burn a lot of fuel then maybe the Ranger is for you.

 

[roffey]

I'm not really a fisherman and my boat reflex that, a fiberglass bow rider. I would think a tin boat would be preferable over fiberglass. Fiberglass gets beat up easily and tin can be easily fixed or patched.

 

[Scott Danforth]

[h=2]Should I trade my new aluminum for older fiberglass?? NO[/h]

 

[ahicks]

If that 'glass boat has been garage stored and maintained by the original owner to high standards by somebody that knows how to do that, I'd be tempted - if that boat were something I was getting ready to go to anyway. I would not make the move just because it might be a "good deal".

 

[briangcc]

I had to pull up both boats on Google to get a general idea of what you're comparing. From a styling perspective, make the switch. From a power perspective, make the switch. From the age perspective, I'd be tempted to hold onto what I have as I'd prefer not to go older than what I already have.


All that being said...if you're goal is to get to the nearest fishing hole faster, go for it. But be prepared the older boat may be hiding some secrets the seller isn't letting on about.


Disclaimer: All bets are off if the Admiral says no!

 

[Texasmark]

I had an '89 Ranger and by '94 things could only get better. Forrest took the wood out of his boats so rot is gone. As fine an engineered and built a boat as is obtainable. I never had that particular Merc but you could ask the present owner about the reliability of the XRI engine. You could ding Faztbullet and racerone, both on this forum for their experiences with that engine.

If the engine questions got the right answer(s) and I wanted to "go fast" again, I'd jump on it in a New York minute. I'd expect to redo the rubber in the fuel system from the tank through to the last piece of rubber in the fuel delivery system.

But that's me and I liked to run mine as fast as it would go every time I got the chance....still do but sold my last boat.

 

[garbageguy]

For what I would want out of a boat that you currently have, and where I would want to use it, I would not make the change. Just my .02, your situation may be completely different. We have both aluminum and other material based boats. Older glassers can hide expensive problems. And that is not considering the power plants and other systems on each boat.

 

[444]

So you have a good solid aluminum boat and want to trade it for a fiberglass boat that if is not rotten eventually will unless it's stored inside a garage all the time?

 

[southkogs]

So you have a good solid aluminum boat and want to trade it for a fiberglass boat that if is not rotten eventually will unless it's stored inside a garage all the time?

I'm not sure what the exact time frame for the hull to rot is, but it's got to be over at least 40 or 50 years. (My family has got three fiberglass boats that live most of their life outside in Michigan and the youngest one is from the 70s.) So, you've probably got some time before the fiberglass is a complete loss.

That said, I think the tin boat you have now is the better bet. If you like the glasser and it's in good shape, there's no reason it can't be kept running for a long time. But off the cuff ... I lean toward your tinny.

 

[fishrdan]

I googled both boats. If Ranger is in top condition and I didn't have to worry about big water (I do) I would be tempted to make the swap. I doubt there is going to be a $1700 savings, probably break even after all is said and done.

 

[Texasmark]

The 1990 Ranger Boat sales catalog front cover is a picture of one of Forrest's boats in "big water". I have been in pretty big water with mine, on a 50+ thousand acre lake, not lake Erie or the ocean. Driven correctly you can run it but not fish it. If big water is your fishing pastime, keep what you have....I would.