Boats - Legend and Skeeter

[bobby b.]

12 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Skeeter went through a phase of using huge multi-function guages that are no longer being made.  I'm not sure what they expect you to do with that big hole in the helm console when a guage fails and needs to be replaced. Especially when there's no room for independent guages anywhere.   

I had a deck boat that had two large multi function gages.  The gas gauge went out in one of them and I could not find a replacement and like you said no other way to change the setup.  I found the gauges on ebay, only cost $79, installed it and all was well.  I got to thinking if that could happen again so I watched for them on ebay and eventually bought a couple more replacements.  Now I got the new Ranger and am selling these on ebay.  

I'm told that Ranger will always have replacement parts no matter how old a boat gets.  Do you think that is true? 

[Bill Babler]

15 hours ago, Targa98 said:

Hey Jerry, long time no see on here. I was just gonna chime in on the boat debate. 1st off i havent owned either but have fished and rode out of both. My tourn partner owned a 19ft skeeter and while the fishing aspect of it was great with the big front deck the ride was very rough compared to the 21 ft Legand he owns now. I wouldnt trade back for anything. That legend is 100 time smoother riding. Now, that said it also has the with the 19ft vs 21ft also. But I and Him absolutely love the Legend. Again, this is just from my experience. Hope you are doing well and can get back on the water soon.t

All 19' boats are very rough compared to a 21 footer, that is not apples to apples.  Skeeter has made a fantastic fishing platform for years.  They have had a couple of goof ups along the way but they are still in business, and I believe will be since they are owned by Yamaha as that is the number 1 outboard motor company in the world.  It allows Yamaha to put performance packages together to highlight their high end motors.

Legend was a fantastic boat, better performance by far than any Skeeter better ride, better ergonomics and fish-ability.  The reason they are no more is there was a bit of a strife in ownership as the partners split the sheets right before Johnny bought the line.  Johnny saw a window to eliminate a competitor that produced about 350 units a year and took it.

At that time with the purchase of Ranger, Triton and Stratos he now pretty much had a strong choke hold on high performance hulls.  All of these lines had some redundancy  and logistically were hard to manage, so some had to go, and that was Stratos and Legend.  Next to go will be Triton and they are on the chopping block right now.

Now that Earl Bentz is back in business with the Caymas, that is kind of a cross between a Triton and a Skeeter it is pretty much time for the end or Triton as the old line Bentz clients will want to try his new boat. I have known Earl since the early 90's and cannot believe he has put his name on that boat.  It is poorly fit and finished and a complete tub, I don't give it one chance in a July snow storm of staying alive unless it improves 100 percent.  But that being said,  Earl will for sure have a following that will take business away from Bass Pro Shops Triton Boat.

In your search if possible and the budget allows purchase a solid 20/21 ft. boat that is still being built and that can be repowered if need be at a later date.   That seems to be what all the engine companies are using for advertisement now is to repower your old boat and give it a face lift with a new engine.

Good Luck

[fishinwrench]

2 hours ago, bobby b. said:

 

I'm told that Ranger will always have replacement parts no matter how old a boat gets.  Do you think that is true? 

LOL Nope.   

Windshields NLA

Fuse panel, and fuse panel covers NLA

Seats NLA

Livewell drain valve control panels NLA

Flashers and temp guages, as well as their sensors and transducers are NLA 

The ends that secure the rub rails at the back are NLA

Storage lid latches and their goofy little handles are NLA

Pretty much everything else that is destined to fail or get broken can be retrofitted without too much hassle. 

[Bill Babler]

At the current rate their dash panels are going out you better hope they won't be available in one year let alone 5.  Mike carries a complete spare dash electronic system as do most of the Ranger Pro's as when they go out you are dead in the water.  

This has been an ongoing problem since BP bought the company  

[fishinwrench]

2 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

At the current rate their dash panels are going out you better hope they won't be available in one year let alone 5.  Mike carries a complete spare dash electronic system as do most of the Ranger Pro's as when they go out you are dead in the water.  

This has been an ongoing problem since BP bought the company  

I predicted that right here on OA about 2 years ago.  😊 

I was referring to Vexus at the time, I believe, but they are all the same pieces of crap.

[willyfish]

So in review, we are down to 5 if we throw in Bass Cat. Ranger and Nitro from Johnny, Phoenix and Skeeter are independents. Just looking on the Lund website I would be curious to know how their pro v bass series rated for  an aluminum boat. Personally I would be looking in the independent market.

[rps]

1 hour ago, willyfish said:

So in review, we are down to 5 if we throw in Bass Cat. Ranger and Nitro from Johnny, Phoenix and Skeeter are independents. Just looking on the Lund website I would be curious to know how their pro v bass series rated for  an aluminum boat. Personally I would be looking in the independent market.

Lund fit and finish is excellent. Their Pro V bass boat is on the same hull as their multi species Pro V, well tested by pros on rough water. I crawled all over one two or three years ago. It did not sound hollow or flimsy. It had a front deck you could dance on. I have never read a comparison of the ride to good fiberglass other than message boards, and those are always "what I bought is the best."

 

[Champ188]

8 hours ago, rps said:

Lund fit and finish is excellent. Their Pro V bass boat is on the same hull as their multi species Pro V, well tested by pros on rough water. I crawled all over one two or three years ago. It did not sound hollow or flimsy. It had a front deck you could dance on. I have never read a comparison of the ride to good fiberglass other than message boards, and those are always "what I bought is the best."

 

A reputation like Lund's isn't earned easily. I've never owned or even drove/ridden in one, but to be around as long as they have, they have to be darn good boats. 

[Ketchup]

On 8/8/2020 at 7:36 AM, Bill Babler said:

All 19' boats are very rough compared to a 21 footer, that is not apples to apples.  Skeeter has made a fantastic fishing platform for years.  They have had a couple of goof ups along the way but they are still in business, and I believe will be since they are owned by Yamaha as that is the number 1 outboard motor company in the world.  It allows Yamaha to put performance packages together to highlight their high end motors.

Legend was a fantastic boat, better performance by far than any Skeeter better ride, better ergonomics and fish-ability.  The reason they are no more is there was a bit of a strife in ownership as the partners split the sheets right before Johnny bought the line.  Johnny saw a window to eliminate a competitor that produced about 350 units a year and took it.

At that time with the purchase of Ranger, Triton and Stratos he now pretty much had a strong choke hold on high performance hulls.  All of these lines had some redundancy  and logistically were hard to manage, so some had to go, and that was Stratos and Legend.  Next to go will be Triton and they are on the chopping block right now.

Now that Earl Bentz is back in business with the Caymas, that is kind of a cross between a Triton and a Skeeter it is pretty much time for the end or Triton as the old line Bentz clients will want to try his new boat. I have known Earl since the early 90's and cannot believe he has put his name on that boat.  It is poorly fit and finished and a complete tub, I don't give it one chance in a July snow storm of staying alive unless it improves 100 percent.  But that being said,  Earl will for sure have a following that will take business away from Bass Pro Shops Triton Boat.

In your search if possible and the budget allows purchase a solid 20/21 ft. boat that is still being built and that can be repowered if need be at a later date.   That seems to be what all the engine companies are using for advertisement now is to repower your old boat and give it a face lift with a new engine.

Good Luck

Thanks for the info Bill. I was reading on a Facebook Legends Boat site, and there are 3 or 4 or those guys selling their Legends to buy a Cayma. Other guys were telling them they will be back in a Legend within a year. Everything i have read the past few weeks about the Legends, is that it’s a solid boat. Love the Yamahas, but hard if not impossible to find one on a Legend, that’s for sale.