2019 Ranger RT198P Cracked Hull

[GeauxTide]

Would not have anything over a 115 on a .100 tin. Don't know why they don't follow Xpress.

[tcesni]

TCESNI
they cant repair that welds the bottom of the RT198P are foam filled
the boat will catch fire and will just go to s.....ts

Exactly, I have “experience” in this area with a prior boat.

[FloridaFlyer]

PolarKraft195...
What thickness of metal does your boat have?? What aluminum does PK use with those high horsepower motors???

[FloridaFlyer]

Would not have anything over a 115 on a .100 tin. Don't know why they don't follow Xpress.

There are a LOT OF OWNERS in Florida that would agree with you on that. Maybe it is because of our shallow waters with gravel and shell beds and logs and stumps. Or maybe the problem is caused by the secondary roads we have with washboard and potholes. Our primary roads are some of the best anywhere but our county roads that lead to ramps are sorta rough sometimes. The constant bouncing on the trailer and the big motor bouncing on the transom just have to be stressful.

[2dwoods]

Watch the you tube videos on building a gatortraxx he will tell you why they crack ,there cheap thin sorry supports in under all that foam and they use the foam for strength,but alot of glass boats are same thin and full of foam

[smallykiller]

Going on 3 years abuse in my alumacraft 205spt with 250sho, no leaks or loose rivets yet. I mainly use boat on lake michigan and northern door county. Most of use is in 2'-6' waves. My ranger 1880 had over 100 gel coat cracks after one trip in these conditions. Hopefully the deeper v or double plated .2" hull holds up. I trust riveted boats over welded unless welded hulls are .25" or greater

[King_Fish]

Good Luck OP, keep us posted.

[jeff_3272]

Because higher hp and higher speeds with .100” aluminum is not a good thing. Other factors can be how the pieces fit together when they assemble them. If panels are pressured into fitting and something is stressed it can cause welds to pop like that i never beat mine and it held up but every time you pound a big wave in rough conditions or a boat wake catches you by surprise it was always in the back of my mind. I like not worrying about that anymore. To the OP be a good time to check over every weld on that boat. Hope they get it fixed.

Word going around that Triton is close to going away like Stratos did.

[dkeppler1087]

Update : Dealer told me that Ranger has said that it is from impact damage(which is bullshit). Dealer told me to get my insurance company involved.

[texoma]

Send your insurance company to the location of the boat. Put the ball in their court to argue your point. It should get worked out.

[dkeppler1087]

Send your insurance company to the location of the boat. Put the ball in their court to argue your point. It should get worked out.

Yeah I’ve contacted my insurance company and they’re sending someone out to look at the boat.

[ddement]

That is stress cracking from the hull flexing due to poor bracing. Aluminum is not forgiving when it comes to flexing. I have welded up a lot of boats from many brands that failed just like that.

[dkeppler1087]

Still no answers. Marine surveyor contracted by insurance company has sided with me and agrees it isn’t from impact damage as ranger claimed it was. Found no dents to suggest that it was from impact. Now they have hired an expert to determine whether or not it is repairable or not. All boils down to me probably not having a boat to fish out or for the 2021 season. I would HIGHLY suggest that anyone considering buying a ranger aluminum boat to reconsider.

[1BADAIR]

[Big Al]

Why are so many brands having this issue? You would think a company would want a quality product to keep from tarnishing their good name.

Speaking with a boat dealer, he said the problem is the welding jobbers. They go from factory to factory regardless of manufacturer, and work when they get work and whoever pays the most. There's no loyalty and they don't care because they don't stay at one company. Not my words.

I will say though that the other day I was looking at a RT178 and a Txw175 and the welds on the Ranger were 100% better.

[RANGER487]

Hope things get worked out for ya. It's crazy some of the problems people are having for the money they want for these aluminum rigs.

[bshort]

I will say though that the other day I was looking at a RT178 and a Txw175 and the welds on the Ranger were 100% better.

Those 100% better welds sure do seem to crack a lot.

[bobothewizard]

Its a shame that you spend all that money and this happens and they give you the runaround but that bottom after only 1 year, mmm man.

[1BADAIR]

The problem is alum flexes. The weld is hard ,brittle and won’t flex

[dkeppler1087]

Its a shame that you spend all that money and this happens and they give you the runaround but that bottom after only 1 year, mmm man.

I hear you and I see it doesn’t look good, the only time that touches bottom is one of the lakes I fish often doesn’t have a dock so I by hand pull it up on the sand. Part of why it looks so bad is the paint on these boats is garbage, I have paint that has just chipped off around welds that have never touched anything.

I’m still in limbo waiting to hear from the insurance company who’s experts believe it’s from manufacture defect. My insurance company is in contact with White River.

Anyone one who is considering Ranger aluminum please think twice, unless you fish small bodies of water this might not be the right boat.