convert me...

[JohnF]

Last week a fellow WCer asked folks that have converted from Lund to Ranger the pros and cons of their decision. This peaked my interest. I happended on a boat show at Cabela's and got my first real close look at the Rangers. I did fish the Western PWT last year but didn't get lucky enough to ride in one.

I am impressed. And, it turns out I sold my Lund to buy a bigger one. So now I'm a shopper.

<General lets not start a boat war disclaimer>

I'll keep my questions directed at the 620.

1. I like the use of space in front of the engine for the oil res. How hard is it to fill though? Should a person get remote fill?

2. I like the rails on the boats. I take it these are options? Can I get one across the back?

3. My opinion of the ideal kicker setup involves an autopilot for use in the forward direction and a tiller handle for backtrolling. Can you do this with this boat? Would you place the kicker on the starboard side then?

4. The brochure mentions only one bilge pump. Can I get another that is plumbed seperately?

5. I live in the midwest. We often deal with low water conditions. Tell me a little about the roller setup they put on the trailer. Is it worth it?

6. Where does the transducer go? (the transom seems foreign to me)

7. Does the cooler work? I know that seems like a weird question but the lid I saw on a (other brand of boat) cooler led me to believe that it couldn't really work on a 100 degree day.

8. If I buy another Lund it will definately have glyde ryde seats or the equivalence. Will I need these on a Ranger?

Thanks for the responses!!

John

[Heavy Duty]

John,

The oil fill is not that hard to fill simply lower the motor all the way down and turn to the side. I will have the remote fill on my next one.

You can have the kicker mounted on either side i have mine on the starboard side and i would recommend having a TR-1 auto pilot installed, the auto pilot will only work when turned on so you will be able to use steering arm but the TR-1 also works in reverse as well as forward.

I believe the factory will install another bilge pump but 2 are standard 1 auto and 1 manual.

The rails are available on the stern the sides and the bow area.

The cooler works nice fill with two bags of ice and you are good all day.

Considering the bodys of water i fish and the tournament trail i will not go a day without my Glyde Rydes. Give John Estes a call he will take care of you.

As far as the roller system on the trailer i have no clue not going to try to BS u on that one.

Hope this helps feel free tp email me.
Cabelas Ranger Pro Staff Member

[Nofish]

Howdy John.

I can tell you my experiences with owning a 620. If you'll allow me to share my opinions, based on your questions, this is a long post but please read on.

>1. I like the use of space in front of the engine for the
>oil res. How hard is it to fill though? Should a person
>get remote fill?

The location of the oil reservoir is a good one. You will find though, you will need a long funnel and the motor may need to be trimmed down. The lines on my Sea Star Steering blocked opening the hatch unless the motor was nearly all the way down.

That may just have been on my rig though.

I purchased a long plastic funnel from the local auto parts store and kept it in the hatch with the oil tank. I had an old, quart sized oil bottle in the hatch as a reciever for the funnel and kept some paper towel in a zip lock to wipe of excess oil from the funnel and remove any minor spills and dripping.

It worked fine and I liked the whole arrangement. However, if I can change anything on the next boat, I will have the remote fill. It is even more convienient.

>2. I like the rails on the boats. I take it these are
>options? Can I get one across the back?

Yes. I had the rails along the gunnels as well as a pair of them across the transom rail. The transom rails were one for each side of the boat with a slight gap between them. They mounted on the Fiberglass ridge between the carpet and the splashwell. I absolutely loved them. They are made specifically for the 620, and no other boat. My advice is to get them.

>3. My opinion of the ideal kicker setup involves an
>autopilot for use in the forward direction and a tiller
>handle for backtrolling. Can you do this with this boat?
>Would you place the kicker on the starboard side then?

If you can use an autopilot in this manner on any boat, you can do it on the 620. I did not have any auto pilot type deal on my kicker, but that was my preference. I like to steer my motor, myself. ld habits die hard. I may change that on the next boat.

My kicker was mounted on the starboard (drivers) side. I had the Ranger factory bracket installed and put the kicker on that. Your Ranger dealer will work with you on that.

I also recommend the boarding ladder for the opposite side of the transom. If you ever fall in in cold weather, you will really appreciate this feature. Trust me, I went in one warm November day. The water was 41 degrees and in the few minutes I was in the water, I was almost unable to pull myself up the kicker and motor to climb in. The boarding ladder would have helped.

>4. The brochure mentions only one bilge pump. Can I get
>another that is plumbed seperately?

Absolutely! I had two pumps, one was an automatic, with a float switch and the other was manual. Ranger has two pumps as standard issue in the 620. I would never own a boat without a second bilge pump in place. I also had backup pump set up, stored in a storage box somewhere.

>5. I live in the midwest. We often deal with low water
>conditions. Tell me a little about the roller setup they
>put on the trailer. Is it worth it?

It is worth every penny. I did not have one on either of my Rangers, and regretted it. I have fished with friends that have the shallow set up and loved it. One more thing I'd plan to change on the next boat.

>6. Where does the transducer go? (the transom seems foreign
>to me)

I had one mounted on a kick up bracket. The transducer was under the set back, off to one side. I had my sponsor dealer install that as I was unsure myself, and time was short. I also had a transducer mounted in the hull of my 692. I liked that much better and will do that on the next boat as well.

>7. Does the cooler work? I know that seems like a weird
>question but the lid I saw on a (other brand of boat) cooler
>led me to believe that it couldn't really work on a 100
>degree day.

Ya, but that was another brand of boat!! LOL! :P Seriously though, I have used the cooler as a cooler many, many times. It will hold ice all day, however no as well as a quality cooler from any store. But that is not really a problem to me either. It worked and worked for 9 to 10 hours in 80 degree sunny days. Just be sure not to over stock the cooler and use plenty of ice. It is a nice feature, and you'll like it.

>8. If I buy another Lund it will definately have glyde ryde
>seats or the equivalence. Will I need these on a Ranger?

Need them? No. That is, not unless you need some support for your back. I have back problems, but did not have Glyde Rydes in either Ranger. My thoughts there were I wanted to feel what the boat was doing. I was even slow to adopt, and reluctant to learn driving a boat with hydraulic steering.

Last fall I was in Bruce DeShano's Ranger on Green Bay. He has Glyde Rydes. I loved them. They made a great riding boat unbelievable!! I still am considering these for the new boat. They are great, and are a great product, but I am really set in my ways with being able to feel the boat through my feet, the steering wheel and the seat.

As you can see, any of my regrets were rigging issues based on what I did to set the boat up. Take your time in ordering, decide and plan out your options. And, if you are considering getting the extra options you desire, it is much easier to take care of the boat and trailer options right away, from the factory. You can do them later, but at a greater expense.

Have fun.............R