08 619vs

[rmfboat]

wil my 08 619dvs do well in erie

[PKleppert]

Yep

[rmfboat]

i pick it up in a week.

[SLE]

Nope, not a chance! that boat was never meant for that kind of water. You really should have probably researched this a little more before making that desision. It's really to bad you've alread put the money down. I guess as a friend I could probably take it off you're hands and put it to good use out here in the dakotas where we don't have wind or rough water! Of course it'll be considered a used boat once you pick it up so all that it's probably worth is about about 1/2 of retail price, lol.

I think for the most part any of the well built 18ft and larger boats will work fine so long as the operater can watch the weather forcast a little bit and use some common sense appropriate for the conditions on a given day. Have fun with your new rig!

[DrData]

Absolutely, your ranger will handle Erie well. I downsized from a much bigger boat and thought I would be uncomfortable in rough water in the ranger.

Nothing could have been farther from the truth. I actually feel more comfortable in the ranger than the sea ray!

The only thing that I am changing right now is the addition of a windshield. In big water 3-5s+, at low speed, in a low profile boat, quartering into the waves and wind your going to get wet. However, I would trade it any day for the pitch and roll you get in a higher profile boat in the same length.

Go out and enjoy lake erie!

[rmfboat]

sle . it will do good in s.dakota in five years. when i retire up there.

[rmfboat]

dr data will it troll with a 225 yamma . or get a kicker. i should have got a full windsheild

[maxxum]

The big motor will be fine in the summer. If you like to troll early and late in the year you will need trolling bags to go slower. I prefer no windshield but most people have them in SD. Enjoy your new boat!!!

[DrData]

You can't always have it all at once ... trust me I get that... that said...

Fishing Erie is like fishing on an ocean not a puddle on a prairie ... it is deadly serious at times

You will want a kicker. I have an minn kota EM and a Powerdrive v2 on mine which works pretty well. If your are going to spend time on Erie the kicker is there for more than just trolling. It's a safety issue as well. Having that redundant power source is a great piece of mind. Also trolling into the waves takes a lot of energy which sucks the life out of my batteries.

If you must troll with the big motor be careful you are not voiding warranty by not breaking it in correctly. However, you could troll with bags out but then you interfere with the great tracking of a Ranger

Somewhere Kgone is sitting with a big smile saying I told ya to get one with a kicker and windshield...

[K Gonefishin]

Get the kicker and the windshield :D:phatyo:

[fish4trophy]

You'll regret not getting both kicker and windshield

[Ruddiger]

Howdy,

I have a 619 with a F225, 9.9 kicker, 101 Terrova and the standard short windows on the dual consoles. I live about five minutes from the launch on Erie. Having said that here are my observations:

The kicker is a must. Mostly for the safety issues. I am a tiller guy at heart and my last boat was a 620T. When I moved back to Cleveland, however, the thought of having my daughter with me on the lake without a backup power plant was totally out of the question. Also, the hours you will put on the kicker really need to stay on the kicker. Trolling with the F225, while possible, really is not the best use of the engine from a performance standard, a carbon standard, a mileage standard and a resale standard.

The 101 Terrova is fantastic. I actually use it more than the kicker. A lot more. The AP feature, and its ability to troll at precise speeds is fantastic. With a 36 volt system I have never ran out of juice. In fact, the only time I use the kicker over the Terrova is when the waves are so large the 60 inch shaft cant stay in the water.

Finally, the windshields. I am a Muskie gut at heart and fish walleye's when I cant go to Canada. I also like to bass fish and will only troll, for any species, when I have to (which is all the time on Erie). Having said that, I prefer the shorter windshields. Coming from a tiller background I am so used to open space that I find the smaller bubbles to be obtrusive. I cant imagine what I would think of the walkthrough design. Also, I think they are ugly on a Ranger (no offense intended of course). I am sure they would do a better job of keeping you dry, but they are just too much for me and my style of fishing.

The 619 is really a fine rig. I feel comfortable taking it anywhere and have NEVER felt unsafe in it on Erie, even in some really rough water. HOWEVER, do yourself a favor and get a 4 blade prop. The stock Yamaha 3 blade is a fine prop for inland waters but totally stinks on Erie. I am running a 18 pitch OFS4 that I have had Propman tweak and it is WAY better than the stock 3 blade. Give him a call, you won't regret it.

Take care,

Ruddiger

[rmfboat]

i will