New Boat! Ranger VX1788 new owner's in-depth walkthrough

A little bit of something different here, but I hope you find it interesting. For any newcomers who found the video searching for the boat, welcome! Boat review starts at 2:19
Gas struts: amzn.to/3h59Gbv
Extra cleats: amzn.to/3A6MSPI
Boat decals: amzn.to/3x6Qobi

[@AlbertLogwood]

Nice bolt. Good information. I'm looking to buy a new boat between ranger and targa tracker.

[@fossilimprint2954]

You have a nice set of valuable knife reviews, thank you for keeping them available. Subscribed. And yes I would like to see more boat/fishing content.

[@The-Grow-Portal]

I am waiting for my vx1888wt to come in, its now a 2022 lol. I went from Jhon boat to buying the 1888 as well. So happy to see another vx series out there.

[@BobSmith-qo6iz]

Thanks I,m in the process of buying a vx1888wt ranger. you helped me alot Thank You

[@jprime84gaming89]

No prob! I have an appointment for a warranty claim in a couple weeks but its just one of the LED trailer light fixtures that took on water. Just bought my second cranking battery for it. Otherwise, no expenses.

[@dandesjardins-v7p]

Great vid! Like you, im looking at getting the Tracker Targa but dont know if i should spend the extra money and get the Ranger VX. Whats your opinion?

[@jayb7675]

Good review. I'm trying to figure out if this boat or a Lund Impact 1775XS is best. I like the fact on a Lund it has a sports top that connects to the windshield that you can store out of the way on the boat. On the Ranger I like the lifetime warranty on the welds. Lund only covers the double riveted seams for life, not the single.

[@bunkie1850]

Go with a Lund... I have a Ranger 1888. Nothing but problems since the day we purchased it. $60,000 wasted. Taking it back for repairs for the third time at the end of the month. It's spent about 7 to 8 months in the shop already.

[@seaseasee]

@@bunkie1850 thanks for sharing your experience

[@bunkie1850]

@@seaseasee no problem. If you have any questions or anything, I'm more than happy to answer if I'm able.

[@seaseasee]

@@bunkie1850 I was about to pull the trigger for a VX1788 WT due to the lifetime warranty on the 0.125 Hull and all-welded body. But I am wrong - heavy gauge and welding doesn’t deliver better , even short term result for a decent customer. It could just leak as worse as a dated riveted boat. I will listen to your advice and go with Lund.

[@bunkie1850]

@@seaseasee best decision you could make! Good luck on your purchase. Do yourself a favor, look everything over BEFORE purchasing, I mean everything. Screws, rivets, gaskets, pumps, hatches...ect... I know Lund is top of the line. My fiance and I have made several purchases that were "top of the line" and we've had issues with each. Just seems that consumers are the ones paying for the lack of workforce.

[@robcarey4189]

Check your transom...I know 2 that have had to go back after 1 year.

[@Terrifiedpvp]

You trying to sell any of your collection lol I been subscribed for a long time and I use your videos to look at the old patterns. I would love any of your 38 farmer jack or even that 76 ?

[@andyjurek8645]

Do you have any support in the back to help with the cover like your seat backs up or do you just leave them down

[@jprime84]

No supports back there. If you have the cover tight, especially the plastic clip strap to cinch around the back of the motor, the slope of the cover does not allow water to pool. However, I do have to detach my bimini top for that to work, otherwise the bimini messes with the slope and it wants to pool water in front of it.

[@christopherszkutnik5577]

Most important question. Would you buy this boat again given you’ve owned it for a year?

[@jprime84]

For hybrid needs of family/fishing - yes. Now I just have to figure out how to have more time available on the water.

[@bunkie1850]

Have you had any issues with your boat? Just wondering if we got a lemon. 36 issues and a lot of them are major. Our boat is very similar setup but it's the 1888 wt with E-tec motors.

[@jprime84]

Just some of the little quality control stuff like I pointed out. Otherwise it has done fine, but then again its my first boat so maybe I am missing something. I did get a call that there is a recall on how some of the recirc pumps are wired to the fuse block, but otherwise nothing major. What have you seen?

[@bunkie1850]

@@jprime84 what have I seen...🤣 let me tell you... my boat was brand new, ordered to spec. The trailer cover ripped on the trip home from the dealer, the road protection paint started chipping off, safety brake cable looked mangled from the factory. Steering linkage between the two motors was rubbing the 200 hp evinrude and the transom and the rod eventually broke, the transom saver cracked, screws fell out of the steering wheel as we were driving across the bay, screws fell out of the transom and various other areas, carpet pulling away from the sides and seat areas, seat staples fell out, dry storage bins held more water than they kept out, walk through windshield wouldn't close, bilge pump wouldn't work (later found shards of metal and screws in the bilge area, bilge was replaced and stopped working again), radio would only work through one speaker, the ports for plugging in devices were installed upside down as were the plug covers, gas gauge didn't work ( wasn't plugged in, repaired and doesn't work again), the livewell and baitwell wouldn't work (those cables were rusted within the two months I purchased it apparently, but they still don't function the way they're supposed to), the laminate floor is pulling up in areas, the boat doesn't push water down and out the way one should (it's a wet riding boat), paint is bubbling, motor auto trims down even when auto trim is off, brake lines broke the first trip out (had them repaired the day before leaving for Canada, they broke 3 more times on the 750 mile trip and I had to repair them on the side of the road), water won't drain from the battery compartment or the main deck of the boat, rubber pads and foam under the lids to compartments peeling off, oh and the best part... the boat leaks!, two hours on the water and the bilge never kicked on but we drained water for almost 20 min from the drain plug. Without going through and actually counting everything up, I think that's most of the issues, I'm sure I'm missing a few...There's also the annoyances, like you can't stow away the top, none of the compartments are dry, not even the glove box if you're in bad storms. I will say, I love the cooler in the floor! It worked great. I also love my evinrude e-tec g2's. They're awesome motors, it's a damn shame they stopped production. They did eat a lot of expensive oil though. Lol. My boat, with just me and gear will go 50mph, but it doesn't feel stable going that fast! Comfortably goes 40 - 45 max.

[@vhtrucking5990]

What cable to use to connect the trolling motor to the Garmin?

[@jprime84]

minn kota 1852074 and garmin ‎010-12122-10

[@vhtrucking5990]

@@jprime84 Are you able to use Side Vu and Clear Vu on it? Or just 2d Soner

[@jprime84]

once networked together, both units can show data from either transducer.

[@littlej3777]

You wanna drop a link or where you got that gas strut I have the same exact boat and want to put not just one, but some on other door?

[@littlej3777]

Is the length of the boat, motor and swing away tongue over 21ft with the motor all the way down?

[@jprime84]

tongue extended or folded?

[@littlej3777]

Nvm I bought one thank you for replying a lot of KZbinr don’t

[@Barronohbeefdipp]

Little late but you didnt have to drill the track. It uses T Bolts. Turn them parallel with the slot put them in then rotate them perpendicular. www.amazon.com/Brocraft-Universal-Track-Bracket-Sport/dp/B07DVRZKQQ?th=1

[@jprime84gaming89]

You know I actually tried some t-bolts thinking this. I couldnt get them to fit, but perhaps there is one on the market with a slightly narrower head. At any rate, current solution now works with both!.

[@Barronohbeefdipp]

@@jprime84gaming89 I don’t have one, I’m just looking at rangers right now at the dealer and saw it says the sport tracks fit it. But I don’t know for sure. All I know is id have a heart attack drilling a brand new boat that costs that much haha. But it does work haha

[@jprime84]

@@Barronohbeefdipp If I had not worked on my starter jon boat as much as I did I also would have been too worried about it. I wouldnt touch the hull on this boat, but once i determined that i wasnt drilling anywhere structural I decided not to worry about it.