Best Riding 21ft Class Boat

[promopete]

Have you looked at the brand new Ranger 2080MS? They couldn't build enough of the 1880MS's last year, now along comes it's bigger brother. Looks fantastic.

[NDskeeter]

Originally Posted by SLE

If the big water ride isn't a substantially different between the rigs listed, and I'm completely truth full to myself looking at how I use a boat, the ones that I would probably give the highest consideration are the Nitro, Ranger, Lund, and a Yar-Craft. My past experience owning a WX series Skeeter didn't overly impress me, however I expect the new ones to be much improved. Still a bit of lingering hesitation I haven't quite gotten over it. Looking at the Tuffy, they just plainly aren't finished with the same detail as the others. I'm willing to spend the extra cash to get the finesse and detail. The triton and warrior are just kind of there for me, neither standing out above and beyond. Proportionately, they both seem a little off. With the warrior (V208 &V203), they have a ton of floor space at the cost of the front deck and are basically a foot to foot and a half shorter than the others on the list and that's a substantial difference. between the length and windshields being farther forward than the rest, this has to affect the ride? The warrior probably leaves the most question marks in my mind, should probably go for a ride and see for myself. On the Triton, I guess I really can't pinpoint what it is, technically the dimensions and specs are right in line, something just doesn't feel right but I can't put my finger on it. I actually probably favor the lund and the Yar-craft the most as I'm not a big fan of the horse shoe storage arrangement that is in ranger and nitro. The lund actually is probably the best of both having the removable storage. I of course love speed of the Yar-Craft, not sure I love the dash layout and not having a place to stretch out my legs below the dash which also goes against the warrior. Just some trade-off for each as they go through my mind...

Let me include more info as I own a newer Skeeter but having fished out of most of those boats (except the Lund) there isn't even a comparison in big water ride between the Warrior 208 and the other boats you listed. The warriors used to have a way forward console and I think some still do but I have fished out of 2 new Warrior 208s and if you only fish big rough water those other boats aren't even in the same ballpark. I spend a lot of time fishing out of a yarcraft (my fishing buddy runs a 209) and I used to think that about the console as well but you don't even notice it and the storage that's available under those is incredible. Bottom line is Warrior has the most storage of all those listed (can store a 14ft rod in the side) and the best rough water ride hands down but it's the slowest as well. 208 with a 300 Yamaha fully loaded will run at it's best 54mph on Sak.

[double o]

You won't beat the ride in a nitro ZV 21 and it will be a dry ride

[double o]

https://youtu.be/vuuBpSZw5Zs

[SLE]

Not knocking the ZV21, it handles the waves in the video great however that's not the waves I deal with. The water I'm running is lake sakakawea chop, the back breaking, rattle your teeth, loosen every screw in your boat 2-3 footers that if you hit wrong you'll wonder how the boat didn't crack in half. Big long wide rollers that you can drop in and out of aren't the issue. If we have 6 foot waves they're short duration and big breaking waves that will break over the side, rear, or front of your boat and dump a foot of water inside. Take a couple in a row and you'll be swamped quick. I don't know anybody that honestly fishes 5-6 footers on sakakawea. On my those days the ramp is a gohst town. The ones that do are mistaking 4 footers for 6s. That or I'm underestimating what I'm expecting out of a boat., lol.

[SLE]

Haven't looked at the 2080 real close. The interior is open which I like but my understanding is the hull doesn't handle rough water as well as the 6 series, basically a new version of the reata hull. If I'm wrong feel free to correct me.

[double o]

https://youtu.be/p5MCvAFEr_I

[CMesserschmidt]

The ZV21 is a battleship. We use my old mans for tournaments and I have seen it run everything from glass calm water to the nastiest crap that makes a guy wonder why he is even on the water. But for tournament day you have to fish in what you're dealt with for weather. When its 25-40 MPH winds and you cross lake of the woods flat calm water on superior you wouldn't be disappointing at all. The boat runs best in a 1 foot chop though wide open.

I can honestly say I have never been in a boat that handles monster waves and swells like that thing does. We have never had anything come loose accept the battery charger.

And to be honest we run that thing maybe a bit to hard some have said. But when money's on the line you just gotta send it!

[K Gonefishin]

Originally Posted by SLE

Haven't looked at the 2080 real close. The interior is open which I like but my understanding is the hull doesn't handle rough water as well as the 6 series, basically a new version of the reata hull. If I'm wrong feel free to correct me.

Its a new hull, they are brand new nobody has been in them yet except the test runs at the dealer conference, judging by the pics they took some of the keel of the 600 series, the hull is not low slung like the current 20 ft Reata.

[SLE]

Good know, thanks for the heads up.