30k for any tin

[GabeJ]

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of information I need. Do you know if there are years/generations that had a smaller deck, or does any model designated with RT188 have the same deck?

Thanks a ton, gentlemen.

[Bill Reynolds]

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of information I need. Do you know if there are years/generations that had a smaller deck, or does any model designated with RT188 have the same deck?

Thanks a ton, gentlemen.

I prefer the 2016 - 2019 year models. The first 2 years of production lacked some preferred options but by 2016 they were were more fully featured. Equally important is they redesigned and significantly strengthened the trailer in 2015.
When JM started producing the boats in MO, (about 2020) he redesigned the hull to match his production processes and eliminated the thick extruded aluminum center keel. I think this thick keel is important for pulling up on gravel banks or running in shallow rivers.
If It were me, I would look for a good low hour garage kept used RT188 in those model years with a 115 Yamaha or Mercury 4 stroke. Both are great engines. I would not consider an Optimax.

In my part of the world, I would expect a really good one to be $18,000 to $22,000 but don’t know if that applies in your vicinity.

Concerning the deck size: I drove BassCats prior to downsizing to Tin and this deck is 4 inches wider at the seat post than my Panterra.

[Crankinh20]

I prefer the 2016 - 2019 year models. The first 2 years of production lacked some preferred options but by 2016 they were were more fully featured. Equally important is they redesigned and significantly strengthened the trailer in 2015.
When JM started producing the boats in MO, (about 2020) he redesigned the hull to match his production processes and eliminated the thick extruded aluminum center keel. I think this thick keel is important for pulling up on gravel banks or running in shallow rivers.
If It were me, I would look for a good low hour garage kept used RT188 in those model years with a 115 Yamaha or Mercury 4 stroke. Both are great engines. I would not consider an Optimax.

In my part of the world, I would expect a really good one to be $18,000 to $22,000 but don’t know if that applies in your vicinity.

Concerning the deck size: I drove BassCats prior to downsizing to Tin and this deck is 4 inches wider at the seat post than my Panterra.

doubt your gonna find a super nice rt here in Texas for that.

[bassfisher444]

I prefer the 2016 - 2019 year models. The first 2 years of production lacked some preferred options but by 2016 they were were more fully featured. Equally important is they redesigned and significantly strengthened the trailer in 2015.
When JM started producing the boats in MO, (about 2020) he redesigned the hull to match his production processes and eliminated the thick extruded aluminum center keel. I think this thick keel is important for pulling up on gravel banks or running in shallow rivers.
If It were me, I would look for a good low hour garage kept used RT188 in those model years with a 115 Yamaha or Mercury 4 stroke. Both are great engines. I would not consider an Optimax.

In my part of the world, I would expect a really good one to be $18,000 to $22,000 but don’t know if that applies in your vicinity.

Concerning the deck size: I drove BassCats prior to downsizing to Tin and this deck is 4 inches wider at the seat post than my Panterra.

Why would you not consider an Optimax? The small 75-125hp models were very reliable, and don't have nearly the amount of problems the bigger and/or older models do. Mine is 13 years old and still runs flawlessly. All it has had done to it is routine maintainence and a couple ignition coils replaced, which are the same coils the 4 stroke uses. They are also stronger running motors than the 4 strokes.

[Highcentered]

Why would you not consider an Optimax? The small 75-125hp models were very reliable, and don't have nearly the amount of problems the bigger and/or older models do. Mine is 13 years old and still runs flawlessly. All it has had done to it is routine maintainence and a couple ignition coils replaced, which are the same coils the 4 stroke uses. They are also stronger running motors than the 4 strokes.

Have you ever run one of the new 4-strokes? What you're saying was 100% true 15-20 years ago but not anymore. One thing I will say about the newer 4-strokes is they can be a little more thirsty than their DFI 2-stroke counterparts. I'd still never consider a 2-stroke on a used boat for a multitude of reasons.

[bassfisher444]

Have you ever run one of the new 4-strokes? What you're saying was 100% true 15-20 years ago but not anymore. One thing I will say about the newer 4-strokes is they can be a little more thirsty than their DFI 2-stroke counterparts. I'd still never consider a 2-stroke on a used boat for a multitude of reasons.

What have I said that's not true anymore, and why would you not buy a boat with a 2 stroke? Yes you have to add oil to the tank every once and a while but it's not a big deal, I have to put oil in the tank about every 4 tanks of fuel that I go through, I buy 3 gallons of Pennzoil XLF in bulk and it lasts me all year, and it's less expensive than changing the oil in a 4 stroke, less work also. I don't know why people make such a big deal about poring oil into a tank. Power wise a 2 stroke turning at 5500 RPM is firing twice as many times as a 4 stroke so they hitting twice as hard as a 4 stroke which allows them to make more power with less displacement, and less RPM, they also have less moving parts since there is no cam, timing belt or valvetrain, all of that was true 15-20 years ago, 100 years ago and is still true now.

[tcesni]

What have I said that's not true anymore, and why would you not buy a boat with a 2 stroke? Yes you have to add oil to the tank every once and a while but it's not a big deal, I have to put oil in the tank about every 4 tanks of fuel that I go through, I buy 3 gallons of Pennzoil XLF in bulk and it lasts me all year, and it's less expensive than changing the oil in a 4 stroke, less work also. I don't know why people make such a big deal about poring oil into a tank. Power wise a 2 stroke turning at 5500 RPM is firing twice as many times as a 4 stroke so they hitting twice as hard as a 4 stroke which allows them to make more power with less displacement, and less RPM, they also have less moving parts since there is no cam, timing belt or valvetrain, all of that was true 15-20 years ago, 100 years ago and is still true now.

Using the Opti oil priced at $50/gallon adds $1/gallon to the price of the gasoline you are burning. I recently went from from a 90 hp Opti that gave me 19 years of dependable service to a new 4-stroke 115 Pro XS. Would I consider a used boat with a 99-115 hp Optimax? Absolutely, but I’d prefer the 4-stroke as I probably was going through 10 gallons of oil annually (maybe more).

[bassfisher444]

Using the Opti oil priced at $50/gallon adds $1/gallon to the price of the gasoline you are burning. I recently went from from a 90 hp Opti that gave me 19 years of dependable service to a new 4-stroke 115 Pro XS. Would I consider a used boat with a 99-115 hp Optimax? Absolutely, but I’d prefer the 4-stroke as I probably was going through 10 gallons of oil annually (maybe more).

Don't use Opti oil, problem solved. 13 years of using Pennzoil XLF that I can get for less than $20 a gallon and no issues yet, costs more to get an oil and filter for a new 4 stroke than what I spend on 2 stroke oil every year.

[PatriotAW4]

Why would you not consider an Optimax? The small 75-125hp models were very reliable, and don't have nearly the amount of problems the bigger and/or older models do. Mine is 13 years old and still runs flawlessly. All it has had done to it is routine maintainence and a couple ignition coils replaced, which are the same coils the 4 stroke uses. They are also stronger running motors than the 4 strokes.

Agree 100%, I am approaching 1600 hours on my 115 Optimax and it still starts right up and runs great. Powerhead has never been touched, original compressor, and injectors. Only real issues are the oil pump had a leak and all 3 ignition coils have been replaced at least once. I certainly wouldn't shy away from a boat that had an Optimax on it, I actually prefer them over a 4 stroke.

[tcesni]

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of information I need. Do you know if there are years/generations that had a smaller deck, or does any model designated with RT188 have the same deck?

Thanks a ton, gentlemen.

Hi Gabe:

I'm the guy who owns two RT188's after having one crushed by a tree, and yes I love the layout of the boat as it fits my needs very well. Why two boats? I live on a lake in VA and have a cabin in Ontario and wanted to have a boat in each location without having to tow a boat on the 1500 mile round trip. Basically the boat hull was unchanged from 2013 until either 2021 or 2022. The latter years are two inches more narrow up front so you'd want one that is prior to those years. It is easy to tell the new models because there is an extra strip of metal along the seam where the side meets the bottom from the very front of the boat back to about the console, so mid boat. So right now I own two 2018 models, both have 115 hp motors and had less than 40 hours on them when purchased. And I paid less than 30k for each. There is a Facebook page "Ranger Aluminum Boats for Sale" that I used to find both of them. Otherwise the differences are single console versus dual console, step box to the upper deck, coin box or third seat in the middle. I've driven the Columbia River basin many times and that is one imposing river so where exactly is the stretch you like to fish? A RT188 with a 115 is a 45 mph +or- boat.

[GabeJ]

Wow. This is incredibly informative. Thank you, tcesni.

I have found a 2019 in my neck of the woods. It's a 2019 with a Merc ProXs with 60 hours. He's asking $33,000. It does have a Lowrance Ghost TM and a 12 and 9 inch Lowrance Live graphs. But that $33,000 is a lot more than 18-22k that people in other parts of the country see. I think if he had it for $27,000 I might be driving to him this weekend. I will do some thinking.

I love the info on the trailer and the deck width. My current boat is a 1996 Skeeter ZX185c. It's beat up, and I bought it that way. I want something reliable and efficient. I feel confident that a Ranger would be about as reliable as I can get.