Calling Grandpa Joe

[681 ?s]

Joe- Hoping for your help: I noticed on this message board and on Walleye Central that you recently visited Ranger and know a bit about the new 681/618.

*Considering what you know, how does the console model compare (layout, hgt, wt, driver/wheel location) to the current 681?

*In your opinion as a musky/smb rig, what MAY be better about the new 618?

*Do you see the design change to be a 2fold effort to offer competitive selling tiller boat (makes sense to me)?

[Grampa_Joe]

I was looking at the top cap plug while they literally were working on it. On a Ranger this is the whole interior of the boat to the rubrails.
I called Paul Thorne as he was in on the design of this boat and asked what was what. The 681 was 17’8” with the VS extention, the 618 is 18’ with not VS giving you more usable interior room. The bow will flare out a little more to give a dryer ride as well as a wider front deck. The front deck looked a little longer to me, but I’m not certain of that. I imagine you would be able to get an extension anyway. The interior layout is very similar to the 681 with the front baitwell moving a little to the right with a drop-in bait bucket. The battery box is a little larger. He said he thought you could get (3) group 31 batteries in there now. The gas tank will probably be slightly larger. I guess the horsepower rating isn’t concrete yet.
The depth is the same as the 681. The overall look of the boat was modernized I thought. Rounder edges, more of a 619 look to it.
As far as being superior to the 681, one can only speculate at this point. The boat is very similar to the 681.
I found out the tiller thing wasn’t supposed to get out as it may not happen until next year, but I would agree that there is certainly a fit for this boat in the tiller market.

Hope that helps.

Joe Carlson

[George Liddle rnglfp@aol.com]

I agree with everything grandpa has to say. The only thing I can add is that the front deck is defintely longer and wider than the 681. and we should see these boats in the February shows.

[681 ?s]

Thanks for the responses. Your info is what I was hoping to learn and very much appreciated.
I did speak with Ranger in Arkansas. They were as helpful as they could be, provided description with dimensions, etc... but assured that the boat will not be built for sale until 2003.

[Grampa_joe]

Just so you know, 2003 is the end of June in the boat world.

Joe Carlson

[gramps]

saw yor article in essox on rigging and it was great,,on my old ranger the front pedastal wont bolt down anymore do you ever work on these I cant lean up against the pedastal and in heavy winds it gets old, Ive called crystal and frankies and other marine reair places and they act like its something they never heard of or want to mess with, Ill pay you if you do or maybe you know someone

[Dan Klis]

Gramps,

A simple solitution is to use heavy duty Molly wall anchors. It sounds funny but if you drill the hole and thread Molly Anchors they will cinch down tight. We used to use these at the resort I used to work for.

Dan

[happy hooker]

Thanks Dan I'll try that