Ranger Aluminum Moving?

[TritonTRXV8]

Wouldn’t trade my tracker for any other brand, not a single problem what so ever since i bought it. Took it back to the private dealer that i bought it from for the first service and waited about an hour while i watched them service it and pulled it home. They even send me invites to customer cookouts. Lol

You must be very special didnt you know it is simply impossible to have a good experience with a Johnny Morris owned product. Just ask the experts on here.

[TritonTRXV8]

I feel the same way about them being outdated. Vexus, Avid, and the Polar Craft bass hulls are probably my favorite right now. I do want an unpainted hull next time. My Tracker looks like it's been rubbed with a big scotch bright pad underneath from me running it up on the bank launching and loading.

Is there even an option in the front runner brands to get a hull not painted or coated on the bottom anymore that isnt a smaller boat?

[TritonTRXV8]

I can't imagine if Ranger is moved to the Tracker Plant. You will continue to see the same Rangers as you do today. The RT boats are outdated hulls in the Tracker engineers minds.

Compared to the rest out there. Very outdated. It honestly was when it came out. Very jon boat shaped just larger. The P hulls look much better stepped transoms to eliminate all the porpoising issues more keel in the front for cutting through waves. But the world officially ended now that they moved them might as well close up shop doomed for sure now. Probly wont sell another. BUT one thing is for certain there is no boat out there better with the trolling motor down than a pre Johnny Morris Ranger that is a fact and owning one makes you an expert on everything too.

[Jeff Hahn]

I think the overall quality of Tin boats has dramatically improved in the past five years. I had a 2012 Lowe 18HP warranty replaced by a 2014, which had improved features. Brunswick has an impressive stable of tin manufacturers. We should remember that the Ranger folks DECIDED to SELL their company to BP. Personally, I'm more concerned about the dealer than the brand. My Ranger is in excellent condition. My Opti exits warranty in 2023, and my plan was a 115 HO Rude. So, it'll be an ugly Merc or an SHO.

The history is more complicated than that. Forrest sold the company in the late 1980's. The first buyer didn't do so well and, if memory serves, Forrest bought the company back and a short time later sold it to Irwin Jacobs. Jacobs did fine for a few years, but then managed to drive Ranger and his other stable of boat companies into Bankruptcy. Platinum Equity Holdings bought Ranger and other brands and held them for a few years until they were financially stable and profitable, then they sold to Johnny Morris. So, it wasn't the "Ranger folks" who sold to Bass Pro. The "Ranger folks" were just along for the ride, with the rest of us.

[TritonTRXV8]

Why was Ranger ever sold in the first place. If everything was so great then why didnt Forrest Wood keep the company I never understood how it changed hands so much.

[Fishtracks]

[QUOTE=TritonTRXV8;11176252]You must be very special didnt you know it is simply impossible to have a good experience with a Johnny Morris owned product. Just ask the experts on here.

Im seeing that! My dealer sold both boats and even told me then that the tracker was a better boat and to be honest i was shocked he said that since i was in the market and could have bought either one.The ranger was higher priced

[spinningreel]

Why was Ranger ever sold in the first place. If everything was so great then why didnt Forrest Wood keep the company I never understood how it changed hands so much.

Im not sure why Forrest Wood originally sold the company, I want to say it was in the 80's or early 90's.

I know they were owned by a Guy named Irwin Jacobs at some point who apparently was a shady businessman, whom I think went bankrupt, and it was then purchased by Platinum Equity Group who got them back on good financial ground and then sold it to Johnny Morris when the company's value was such that they could make a profit.

As Vexus, Camas, Phoenix, Falcon, and other brands emerge, I expect to see other older brands go away, who knows possibly even Ranger. Its just the way business goes, companies get bought and sold everyday.

JM has already shelved Champion, Stratos, Pro Craft, and Legend & those were some real nice upper end boat brands IMO. Anything can happen in business, but buyers will adapt and life goes on.

[Panama]

Mr. Wood originally sold it the first time to do what he loves to do which is raise prize bulls and fish. He has a huge cattle farm. He was also offered a price he and the family couldn't refuse. He is now VERY involved financially in Vexus.

I believe the next shoe to drop will be the Triton line. He already has a cheap glass line in Nitro. No sense having two cheap lines of glass boats. Eventually, I believe the only thing coming from Flippin plant will be the high end Ranger boats and then he will have the low end price Nitro line. It seems he is already heading that direction. It just makes sense considering what he has done so far. Consolidation is more profitable and that's what he is doing. With Vexus right down the street in Flippin, labor availability is also key.

[Jfish]

The history is more complicated than that. Forrest sold the company in the late 1980's. The first buyer didn't do so well and, if memory serves, Forrest bought the company back and a short time later sold it to Irwin Jacobs. Jacobs did fine for a few years, but then managed to drive Ranger and his other stable of boat companies into Bankruptcy. Platinum Equity Holdings bought Ranger and other brands and held them for a few years until they were financially stable and profitable, then they sold to Johnny Morris. So, it wasn't the "Ranger folks" who sold to Bass Pro. The "Ranger folks" were just along for the ride, with the rest of us.

Well said, I have had an 89 and 99 Ranger, I will be surprised if the new ownership has the same QA/QC standards as when Forrest owned it.

[Jfish]

Mr. Wood originally sold it the first time to do what he loves to do which is raise prize bulls and fish. He has a huge cattle farm. He was also offered a price he and the family couldn't refuse. He is now VERY involved financially in Vexus.

I believe the next shoe to drop will be the Triton line. He already has a cheap glass line in Nitro. No sense having two cheap lines of glass boats. Eventually, I believe the only thing coming from Flippin plant will be the high end Ranger boats and then he will have the low end price Nitro line. It seems he is already heading that direction. It just makes sense considering what he has done so far. Consolidation is more profitable and that's what he is doing. With Vexus right down the street in Flippin, labor availability is also key.

Just FYI, Forest passed back in January. I do agree with your statements about consolidating. I hate to see it but it is probably inevitable.

[spinningreel]

Yeah I agree, Triton is on borrowed time.

A big marine dealer couple hours South of me has been a long time Ranger/Triton Dealer, last year they picked up Phoenix, Vexus and Caymas. Apparently this didn't sit well with White River Marine Group, word is they pulled their dealership of Ranger/Triton out.

Im surprised at the volume of Caymas boats they've sold already, not to mention Vexus and Phoenix. Going back through their facebook page looking at all the High Dollar Caymas/Vexus they've already moved, Looks like they will be fine without White river marine, and guys spending top dollar are moving to these newer brands. With decreased marketshare, its inevitable that brand offerings will decrease at some point. Who and when is anybodys guess.

[Panama]

Just FYI, Forest passed back in January. I do agree with your statements about consolidating. I hate to see it but it is probably inevitable.

Yes, I know. It slipped my memory and I typed the wrong tense when posting the message. Old folks memory....Thanks.

[Chainslinger1959]

Why was Ranger ever sold in the first place. If everything was so great then why didnt Forrest Wood keep the company I never understood how it changed hands so much.

Maybe the guys in Flippin can answer that.
Sounds like they had issues long before J M or they wouldn’t have been sold .

[n2ratfishin]

My 80’s Ranger came with a cracked through hull fitting. I had to replace it myself or drive four hours where I bought it because the local dealer wouldn’t touch it. The 90’s model I had....ugggh even the dealer I bought it from got tired of seeing me. Ranger did pay for all repairs. I went to Champion then Cat after that one. Knock on wood my 2017 has been darn near perfect.

[Highcentered]

Is there even an option in the front runner brands to get a hull not painted or coated on the bottom anymore that isnt a smaller boat?

Ya know I don't think you can. That's OK, I have at least a decade of most likely trouble free years with my Tracker still and will cross that bridge when I come to it.

[Highcentered]

[QUOTE=Fishtracks;11176432]

You must be very special didnt you know it is simply impossible to have a good experience with a Johnny Morris owned product. Just ask the experts on here.

Im seeing that! My dealer sold both boats and even told me then that the tracker was a better boat and to be honest i was shocked he said that since i was in the market and could have bought either one.The ranger was higher priced

LOL funny how that works huh? Which boat is "better" all depends on what you're wanting out of the boat. For me the Tracker is the better boat because I was willing to sacrifice deck space for a softer riding boat. Also you can fish some pretty rough water and not take a wave over the bow in the Tracker Revolution hulls. Not sure how the Ranger tins are. If I would have wanted a more stable boat while fishing and more deck space the Ranger/Triton/Crestliner would have been the better boat. All that said, for as many Trackers that are sold I sure don't hear of very many of them having problems after the sale. The fit and finish is said to not be as good on the Tracker but structurally it seems to be a pretty good boat for people on a budget and the market is strong for them here in the south.

[Jfish]

[QUOTE=Highcentered;11178469]

LOL funny how that works huh? Which boat is "better" all depends on what you're wanting out of the boat. For me the Tracker is the better boat because I was willing to sacrifice deck space for a softer riding boat. Also you can fish some pretty rough water and not take a wave over the bow in the Tracker Revolution hulls. Not sure how the Ranger tins are. If I would have wanted a more stable boat while fishing and more deck space the Ranger/Triton/Crestliner would have been the better boat. All that said, for as many Trackers that are sold I sure don't hear of very many of them having problems after the sale. The fit and finish is said to not be as good on the Tracker but structurally it seems to be a pretty good boat for people on a budget and the market is strong for them here in the south.

I tend to agree, different manufacturers have differing philosophies on what customers want, as has been said many times, every boat is a compromise. I do think that companies like Ranger coming back into the tin market makes it better for us the consumer, they have always built great trailers and have a nice cockpit design. Speaking of Polarkraft, I like the looks and design, but their website is lacking and I have emailed them and their nearest dealers a few times in past months with some general questions, and they don't reply. So I am not sure if they don't need the business or if they just don't care about selling boats in the south, kind of hard to figure.

[Cajun Pop]

[QUOTE=Panama;11176792]Mr. Wood originally sold it the first time to do what he loves to do which is raise prize bulls and fish. He has a huge cattle farm. He was also offered a price he and the family couldn't refuse.

He was a man of tremendous character. If I remember correctly, and that happens less each year, he had an offer about $10 million more than the one he accepted. He turned down the higher offer because the company would not commit to keep production in Flippin and he said he wanted to protect the people who helped make him successful.

Men like that are scarce today.

Maybe if WRMG ditches more brands the empty space could be used to produce all the chinese made Bass Pro products in the USA again and provide a few jobs for some of the people who helped make the company the success it is.

[Jonesslk]

[QUOTE=Cajun Pop;11178738]

Mr. Wood originally sold it the first time to do what he loves to do which is raise prize bulls and fish. He has a huge cattle farm. He was also offered a price he and the family couldn't refuse.

He was a man of tremendous character. If I remember correctly, and that happens less each year, he had an offer about $10 million more than the one he accepted. He turned down the higher offer because the company would not commit to keep production in Flippin and he said he wanted to protect the people who helped make him successful.

Men like that are scarce today.

Maybe if WRMG ditches more brands the empty space could be used to produce all the chinese made Bass Pro products in the USA again and provide a few jobs for some of the people who helped make the company the success it is.

Forrest was an incredibly humble man. Genuine and truly cared about the owners being happy. I had the opportunity on several occasions to talk with Forrest and I see A LOT of the same in Keith and those behind Vexus. Tremendous Character is a great description of Forrest Wood and the same can be said for the Daffron's and existing Wood family currently involved in the Vexus brand. Forrest left a legacy and they are doing everything they can to model the man people grew to know and respect both as a boat builder but more importantly as a man of integrity.

[jeff_3272]

Is the actual production moving, or will it be a Tracker boat with a Ranger decal?