Where doesn't an RT188 leak when it rains?

[jamey1e]

Every compartment on my 178 would get wet. One of the reason's I got rid of it.

[bassfishinglawyer]

Kind of nice to know. I ended up going with a G3 19DLX because the 198s weren't out yet. I get a little angry every time it rains and my compartments get wet and I wonder if I should've gotten a Ranger. Just had a few people make me feel better (although I won't feel better next time I am drying them out again). :)

[missinfish]

I get a ton of water in my rod locker and both front compartments in heavy rain. Have had some stuff get damaged and blown off more then one auto life vest in storage. Quite annoying, almost to the point I’d consider selling it. I like to fish in the rain.

[mattfish11]

This thread makes me a little nervous. I upgraded from a Tracker to a Ranger 188 - my tracker stayed very dry, even in the rain. Not looking forward to the Ranger RT leaking in all the compartments... i fish in the rain as well.

I'll have to tighten the perko latches and take a look at the seals - but how else do you guys prevent the water intrusion?

[tharris811]

This thread makes me a little nervous. I upgraded from a Tracker to a Ranger 188 - my tracker stayed very dry, even in the rain. Not looking forward to the Ranger RT leaking in all the compartments... i fish in the rain as well.

I'll have to tighten the perko latches and take a look at the seals - but how else do you guys prevent the water intrusion?

I have a Rt188 it never leaked things were always dry. I would not worry.

[Panama]

Like I said earlier, mine needed a better bigger bulb gasket and it needed to be glued better. The first installation from the factory was not correctly done. I read on here about some other areas that owners found water coming in and fixed the problem.....drain tubes, cup holders, trolling motor tray - whatever. After the bigger bulb gasket was installed and installed with a lot of sealant, mine was fixed. These things can be fixed. I helped a buddy trace his to the latches. We tightened the latches and siliconed around them and tightened the bar that presses the gasket. It fixed his a d it is still fixed two years later and his boat sits outside part of the time.

I have never had a boat that I did not have to work on. Mine were always an ongoing project. These things are not that complicated. Its an aluminum box. Before I got rid of the boat, I would find the leak and fix it. I could not fix a problem with the motor computer, but I can find where water is coming in an aluminum box and fix it. I don't have to work on the RT nearly as much as I have had to work on other fiberglass boats I owned or RVs that I have owned.....but I do have to work on it. My next big project for it will be getting a detail sprayer and repainting some areas that have gotten scratched. I have had to add an automatic bilge pump, change wiring, touch up trailer coating, reglue some carpet, replace the trailer lights with LEDs and then rewire the trailer lights, work on both seat pedestals, etc. etc.

I would get some paper towels and a water hose and find the leaks and fix them..... If a lot of people have compartments that are dry, that tells me you have a hole in the aluminum box somewhere that needs to be fixed.

[bassnman81]

Curious, has anyone complained to Ranger and if so what is their explanation?

[BigJfrank]

Thanks guys. I’m gonna need to do some “fixin” on this rig.

[boatinpete]

This is a forum so we do ask questions but what I don't understand why hasn't anyone called the one who made the boat?

[missinfish]

Sorry I don’t get on here much. My boat is at the dealer, they said they would fix the issue. Blew out the drain lines and adjusted the latches. Said that Ranger does not claim these to be dry storage and will not warranty or pay the dealer to go any further. They didn’t even water test it because they wont get paid for warranty work. There’s no drains in any of the compartments so they are basically holding water once wet. Suggested I empty the boat and set up a fan to dry it out after the rain. The boat is always stored inside, when not being used. Imagine if I need to keep it outdoors? I haven’t been able to fish since August and there was still water in the compartments,actually ice three days ago. I spoke to two different people at Ranger, no help and promises of calls back that so far I didn’t get. I can and will fix the issue on my own if needed but there response is unacceptable to me, regardless if I have the ability to fix it myself. Handled very poorly, just to turn your back on a paying customer and say it’s simply not claimed to be dry and I should be ok with it? Well it surely isn’t explained as wet storage when you sign the papers. And I’m let down with their customer service, doubt I would buy it today knowing this would be brushed off. Just my experience and opinions.

[jjtriton]

Make sure you have the rubber gasket under all the lids. They have had very few leaking problems.

[WileyW]

Make sure you have the rubber gasket under all the lids. They have had very few leaking problems.

Judging by the responses on this thread and the many other threads on here, I don't know if I can agree with that statement. If you get a tin boat that doesn't leak from the factory you can consider yourself the lucky one, but definitely not the typical one.