Questions For 2008 & Earlier 620T Owners?

[Ruddiger]

Howdy,

I have some questions for individuals who have owned a 2008 or earlier 620T regarding the ability of the boat to handle excess weight at the transom.

Since the batteries were all located in the rear on this boat prior to 2009, does anyone have any insight on how it balanced in the water with a kicker motor and an electric motor like a Vantage?

Was it a 115 horsepower motor or a 150?

If you had the choice, would you keep the batteries in the rear or move some of them to the bow?

Would that make it better or worse in your opinion?

Thanks in advance for your assistance. I am trying to place an order this month and am struggling with what to do with the batteries based upon some of the positive and negative comments I have read regarding the relocation of the batteries on 2009 and newer models.

Take care,

Ruddiger

[catfishkiller]

I ordered / recieved my 2011 620T this season. Accoding to my dealer, Ranger would only mount them in the bow as designed. As some others looking for every performance edge I moved them to the stern. With a 24V trolling system I had a 31 (starting) and 29 series batt in port stern storage and another 29 series and a 3 bank in the starboard stern storage area. I repositioned my power steering and oil res in the center. With only a 3 batt system and the charger in the stern, the bow got a little light such that at rest it lost some of the tiller traits we glass tiller guys like. With all the work moving batteries and a bit of fishability loss for only about a single mph gain i'd have to say Ranger's batt forward position isn't totally off - not worth messing with... I ended up reposioning the starboard 29 series back to the bow leaving 2 batts and a charger sternward. This improved my balance and yielded a slight perf gain.

My boat prior was a 2004 620T. Keep in mind the new design batt forward storage used to be a front livewell. A bonus to that design was that it could be filled for balast and re-drained for better forward performance. I'd rather Ranger'd kept the livewell up front with their new hull. My 04 had a 4 stroke 115hp, vantage, three 29 series batts and a minnkota 345 charger (40#) in the stern - no kicker. It sat very level in the water - maybe a 2-3" rise from the stern to bow.

catfish

[David Anderson]

I can't comment on a kicker however I have owned a 2001 with a 115 Suzy/vantage on back and today have a 2008 with same setup. I have always carried 3 series 31 AGM's in the back and are heavy. If I have a single concern it is backtrolling but I am not sure moving the batteries up front would make that much difference. As Catfish states, the front livewell full adds ballast but really the variables are too many to worry about 2 batteries. Do you have a half tank of full tank of gas, a trolling motor hanging on front, a third guy sitting where? Fully loaded with 2 guys I get about 37, add a third and its closer to 36. Myself and 1/2 tank of gas I am pushing 38 providing there's a little ripple. Glass smooth and I lose some top end.

I think what is more important on the 620T is to get to know your boat and how it handles. You will make those adjustments to deal with the weight distribution, how it performs out of the hole, up on plane, and in rough water. I compensate backtrolling by tilting the motor up to get a little extra lift. Between about 2004 and 2007 I was focused on the same boat but bigger horsepower. When I bought my 2008, I had come to realize that if it was about speed I was in the wrong boat. If it was about fishing, well I am on my second one.

Pete Harsh has Ranger install all the batteries in the rear of the boat. Pete said the boat handled better with the weight in the back. Pete said if I ordered a boat from Ranger to just tell them I wanted the Pete Harsh layout.

[crawler]

I own an 08 with 150 Yamaha and I swap out my Vantage for a T-8 when I troll. The boat handles fine, I don't see any differance. I think the boat is faster with it on. I never back trolled with it but for forward trolling I love it.