Boating — December 2018

(Brent) #1

SEE THE
VIDEO


SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATIONnaut. stat. n. mi. s. mi. sound
rpm knots mph gph mpg mpg range range angle level
1000 3.6 4.1 0.6 5.9 6.8 133.6 153.8 0 61
1500 4.3 5.0 1.0 4.3 5.0 97.8 112.5 0 68
2000 5.5 6.3 1.4 3.9 4.5 88.0 101.3 2 72
2500 6.4 7.4 1.9 3.4 3.9 76.1 87.6 4 72
3000 8.9 10.2 2.7 3.3 3.8 73.9 85.0 5 79
3500 14.1 16.2 3.2 4.4 5.1 99.0 113.9 4 79
4000 17.2 19.8 3.8 4.5 5.2 101.9 117.2 2 84
4500 22.0 25.3 5.3 4.1 4.8 93.3 107.4 1 86
5000 26.2 30.2 6.1 4.3 5.0 96.8 111.4 1 85
5500 29.3 33.7 8.0 3.7 4.2 82.4 94.8 1 87
6000 32.7 37.6 8.8 3.7 4.3 83.5 96.1 1 91
6200 33.0 38.0 8.9 3.7 4.3 83.5 96.1 1 99
MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

High Points
XLightweight — this boat is easy to
tow and thrifty on fuel.
XWave-taming deep-V hull knifes
smoothly through chop.
XFull windshield protects from
chilly winds to extend the season.
XPair of livewells ensures plenty
of bait.

Specs
· LOA: 16'11" · BEAM: 7'5"
· DRY WEIGHT: 1,300 lb. · SEATING/
WEIGHT CAPACITY: 5/622 lb.
· FUEL CAPACITY: 25 gal.

How We Tested
ENGINE: Mercury 90 FourStroke
DRIVE/PROP: Outboard/Mercury
Vengeance 10.25" x 15" 3-blade
stainless steel
GEAR RATIO: 2.07:1
FUEL LOAD: 18 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 430 lb.
Price
$23,095 (as tested)

RANGER


VS1670WT


A Minn Kota 55 PowerDrive trolling
motor comes standard on the bow, and
special cargo netting along the forward
gunwales serves to secure loose items. A
pair of in-deck livewells — one in front
of the passenger console and another
just forward of the helm console — let
you carry plenty of live bait or keep your
catch alive.
Ranger Boats’ versatile Lock Track
accessory-mounting channel  on the gun-
wales lets you easily add and move rod
holders, downrigger mounts and other
items. Center locking rod stowage can
accommodate up to eight sticks.
If you’re in the market for an aluminum
multispecies, take a close look at Ranger’s
Deep V series including the VS1670WT.

Ranger Boats might be better known for
its legendary fi berglass bass boats, but
it also off ers aluminum boats, includ-
ing the VS1670WT that we tested. This is
the smallest model in the Ranger Deep V
aluminum series, yet it handled the chop
smoothly. The 7-foot-5-inch
beam combined with foam
fl otation in the hull voids cre-
ated excellent stability and
enhanced its solid feel.
At 16 feet 11 inches, this
boat is a cinch to tow and
thrifty on fuel. It’s perfect for
anglers who like to pursue a
variety of species. The pur-
chase price is also pretty easy
on the checking account.
The all-welded, wood-free
construction will endure for
many years. The VS1670WT
is big on comfort thanks to
three custom Ranger-built

pedestal seats that you can use in six bases
at strategic points around the deck.
In the WT models, a full windshield
protects you from chilly blasts and sting-
ing drizzle. A walk-through panel swings
open for easy access fore and aft. The helm
comes standard with a fl ush-mounted
Lowrance Hook 5 fi sh-fi nder/chart-plotter
combo unit. You also get a tach, speedo,
and fuel and trim gauges. SeaStar Solu-
tions’ No FeedBack cable steering is stan-
dard. Our boat was powered by a Mercury
90 FourStroke, which represents the max-
imum horsepower for this model. Our test
boat jumped on plane in 3.5 seconds and
reached 30 mph in 8 seconds. Top speed
was 38 mph.

PHOTOS: COURTESY RANGER BOATS

RANGER BOATS
Flippin, Arkansas; 870-453-2222; rangerboats.com

To watch our
video review of
the VS1670WT,
scan this tag
or visit
boatingmag
.com/bbg18/
rangervs1670.


C


FISHING


CERTIFIED
TEST
RESULTS

BOAT BUYERS GUIDE


BOAT BUYERS GUIDE 2018 | 156 | BOATINGMAG.COM
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