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  1. #1
    Kansas Bass Club Moderator
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
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    Topeka KS
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    15,554

    For those of you that have owned a ranger 681VS

    Picked up a 1999 681VS but haven’t had it out yet. Question on livewels.

    one up front and one in the back. Is the one behind the drivers seat a livewell or bait well? How does it fill and drain?

    port side has a long livewell. How does it fill and drain?

    in front of the throttle is two levers- one says front and one says rear livewell. Does the one that says rear fill both rear wells?

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Blaine, MN
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    1,344
    #2
    The spot right behind the seat is either a cooler or storage, there is no plumbing to pump water into it. The one up front when you flip the lever to Auto and turn on the pump, should fill up. The rear livewell switch controls the long livewell on the port side.

    One thing you will notice, if you come off plane too fast with the boat, the splashwell will fill up with water, there is a drain so no worries there, but because the boat is narrow it tends to lean starboard when you come off plane and if your rigging boot isn't sealed up tight, you will get water into that boot. That water will run up the side of the hull and dump out right by your feet at the driver's seat. I couldn't figure out where the hell water was coming from at my feet the first couple times out with the boat, but that is exactly where it comes from. You will see it, and then you will learn how to come off plane with the boat to try to prevent it as much as possible. I trim down as I drop off plane and just about the time the wash will come over the transom, I give it just a little throttle to keep in front of the wash until the back of the boat has time to float up a bit. You will see it and eventually know what it feels like. Also when you trim down to come off plane, the bow will catch and pull right just a touch, if you're not prepared it might surprise you a little, but its a split second and then you are good but you'll have some torque to the right and the boat will be leaning a bit to the right.

    I have a 98 681VS with an Ultrex and 115 ProXS. Awesome combination.




  3. T Dub
    Guest
    #3
    Man that boat is awesome TDobb! My dream boat - hope to find one in good condition a couple years from now

  4. Kansas Bass Club Moderator
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
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    Topeka KS
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    15,554
    #4
    Thanks for the info TDobb. Ive always owned bass boats so not sure how this will be.

    did you make the deck extension?

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Blaine, MN
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    1,344
    #5
    Yeah, I did a super quick deal with a piece of 3/4" OSB wrapped in carpet and then I used a 3/4" square aluminum tube as a stiffener along the back edge. I did it the night before a tournament. It has held up for a year and half of abuse. Not perfect but better than not having it. I want to recarpet the entire boat with some charcoal grey carpet as the original red carpet is pretty well flattened and stiff from 22 years of use.

  6. Kansas Bass Club Moderator
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    Jun 2004
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    Topeka KS
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    #6
    How is it held in place? I want to make one with storage.

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Blaine, MN
    Posts
    1,344
    #7
    Mine is honestly just friction fit in there and I shove stuff under it when I run around on the lake. I might redo it at some point to make it a little better but it works for me for now. The carpet is wrapped around the edges and stapled on the bottom inboard of where the fiberglass lip is around the cockpit. Drive down the highway at 80 and it stays put.

  8. Kansas Bass Club Moderator
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Topeka KS
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    15,554
    #8
    I’m for sure making one. Took it out and ran it for the first time yesterday. Crazy. A deep V boat that lifts and runs like a bass boat. This is the smoothest riding fishing boat I’ve ever been in. I thought my champions rode smooth. No comparison to this.

  9. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Kansas
    Posts
    286
    #9
    One of the guides we use to fish with in Wisconsin had this boat. My favorite Ranger of all time. Smooth running and very stable platform. My dream boat.