Ranger Gel Coat

  • jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    January 24, 2014 at 9:28 am #1360569

    There was a comment in another post that stated:

    Quote:

    I am yet to run or see any glass boat that doesnt get any gel coat cracking. Just part of owning a glass boat. They are always going to flex some its just a matter of where and when.

    Now, I have had a couple glass boats in the past that got gel coat stress cracks pretty much right out of the box. Until I owned a Ranger I would probably have agreed with the comment. But I have a 10 year old Ranger 618 that I run hard. Fish Mille Lacs from opener to ice up and get caught out in some rough stuff often. So far, no gel coat cracks. Not a one. Sure, I have some dock rash and a couple rock/ice chips. But gel coat stress cracks? Not a one. Got me thinking, how is YOUR Ranger Gel Coat holding up?

    -J.

    Brian Hoffies
    Land of 10,000 taxes, potholes & the politically correct.
    Posts: 6843
    January 24, 2014 at 9:31 am #1382579

    My 1998 681vs was crack free when I sold it after 10 years.

    692fisherman
    champlin mn
    Posts: 370
    January 24, 2014 at 9:44 am #1382586

    my 98 692 is stress crack free! (with 80% of its life on leech and mille lacs)…… now, i know of 619’s with stress cracks, and alot of them on three different boats. guess they dont make them like they use to!

    castle-rock-clown
    Posts: 2596
    January 24, 2014 at 9:51 am #1382592

    Not a Ranger, but my Tuffy is 11 years old and is crack free.

    bigcrappie
    Blaine
    Posts: 4330
    January 24, 2014 at 9:55 am #1382596

    My 5 year old Alumacraft Trophy has no cracks

    Red ranger
    New Richmond, WI
    Posts: 27
    January 24, 2014 at 10:18 am #1382618

    My 2008 621 is also crack free.

    kroger3
    blaine mn
    Posts: 1116
    January 24, 2014 at 10:56 am #1382637

    You guys must be the lucky ones with the rangers so far so keep doing what your doing! The ones I have been in have had it as well as the Ranger I owned did. There is also a huge difference in a gel coat crack and a stress crack.

    wallster
    Austin, MN
    Posts: 806
    January 24, 2014 at 11:09 am #1382644

    My 05 620 is crack free. Lots of days pounding big waves on mille lacs.
    Wallster ><((((>

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    January 24, 2014 at 11:39 am #1382663

    Quote:

    There is also a huge difference in a gel coat crack and a stress crack.

    True. But a crack is a crack and you know one when you see it! And there aint no “Buffin’ it out”

    -J.

    sauger
    Hastings ,MN
    Posts: 2442
    January 24, 2014 at 12:23 pm #1382687

    Quote:

    My 05 620 is crack free. Lots of days pounding big waves on mille lacs.
    Wallster ><((((>

    Crack free? What are all those glass pipes in your glove box for then????

    john23
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 2578
    January 24, 2014 at 1:22 pm #1382706

    I have a ’98 681vs and there isn’t a crack on it.

    john23
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 2578
    January 24, 2014 at 1:28 pm #1382712

    I’ll add that I had a ’99 Tuffy that I sold last year when I got the 681. There wasn’t a crack in the gel on that boat either after an awful lot of hours on all kinds of water.

    On my Ranger I tore through the keel guard a couple months ago breaking ice, then got ice between the hull and the trailer bunks at the end of the day and had to tow it home that way (only 20 minutes or so). Not my finest hour. I wouldn’t recommend putting your boat through a day like that but I can say that the gel is still in perfect shape.

    eyetime
    Northeast Iowa
    Posts: 10
    January 24, 2014 at 2:55 pm #1382759

    No cracks on my 620T.

    Pete Bauer
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 2599
    January 24, 2014 at 3:15 pm #1382768

    I had a few on the bow and 2 going side to side on the top cap near the windscreens of my 620.

    Bought the boat with em’ and they never got any worse in the 3 years I ran the boat.

    Pete

    p4walleye
    Rochester, MN
    Posts: 733
    January 24, 2014 at 4:07 pm #1382783

    I have a 94 690 with 1 or 2 couple inch gel coat cracks. It is seriousely built like a tank. 20 years old and sparkles that could blind the iPad generation coming up.

    Mike Klein
    Hastings, MN
    Posts: 1026
    January 24, 2014 at 4:21 pm #1382786

    I have no cracks in the new boat 14 model beat the hell out of her on LOW. can’t say the same for the Skeeter guys I know. I hear lots of issues on skeeters and I know I am Swearing on this site to say that. Nothing against them but i has been an issue.

    bclii
    MN/AZ
    Posts: 478
    January 24, 2014 at 5:18 pm #1382807

    Nothing on my Grady White!

    396ranger
    Cottage Grove MN
    Posts: 283
    January 24, 2014 at 8:06 pm #1382840

    Got cracks on my 1989 396 ranger sorry to burst the bubble. I do drive it like I stole it.

    redrnger
    Posts: 216
    January 25, 2014 at 12:08 am #1382863

    Had gel coat crack on my 2000 619 on the rear right corner and had it redone in the first 2 years of owning it.12 more years and none since and I fish a lot all over.

    sauger
    Hastings ,MN
    Posts: 2442
    January 25, 2014 at 12:19 am #1382864

    Quote:

    I have no cracks in the new boat 14 model beat the hell out of her on LOW. can’t say the same for the Skeeter guys I know. I hear lots of issues on skeeters and I know I am Swearing on this site to say that. Nothing against them but i has been an issue.

    It is an issue,Ranger has it figured out. I have a skeeter and seem to notice a different crack every time I return from a trip Prob go a different route on my next ride.History seems to be repeating itself……..

    fishspike
    Posts: 202
    January 27, 2014 at 8:41 am #1383476

    I have a 2006 619 and have some. When you guys say cracks can you feel them with your finger nail? I can’t get to my boat till spring. If some one would take a picture that would be cool.

    Thanks

    Dean Marshall
    Chippewa Falls WI /Ramsey MN
    Posts: 5854
    February 2, 2014 at 12:27 pm #1385227

    Quote:

    Quote:

    I have no cracks in the new boat 14 model beat the hell out of her on LOW. can’t say the same for the Skeeter guys I know. I hear lots of issues on skeeters and I know I am Swearing on this site to say that. Nothing against them but i has been an issue.

    It is an issue,Ranger has it figured out. I have a skeeter and seem to notice a different crack every time I return from a trip Prob go a different route on my next ride.History seems to be repeating itself……..

    Sauger, this is the first I have heard of your concerns, I dont know if you bought the boat new or used and or the age of the boat, but happy to see if we can be of any assistance to ya. You have my # !

    KidWalleye
    Member
    NULL
    Posts: 2
    May 27, 2014 at 4:03 am #1412343

    ive had a couple on my 13 620 ranger. first ones were on the rear corners where the fiberglass runs behind the live wells. both sides cracked. Gel coat cracks. fixed under warranty. and now on the passenger side coming out from under the windshield running straight down the sides of the boat i have 2 more that have just formed.

    i have yet to even have the boat in anything really rough. motor has 98 hours on it as of now.

    Gary

    TNewman
    Posts: 32
    March 29, 2015 at 8:04 pm #1528657

    88 Ranger 680t no stress cracks and there wasn’t a hole drilled in her until I put on the trolling motor and some grab rails. Hurt to do it but needed to be done. Nothing harder than drilling into a boat! I even found this sticker for the date it was built. Kind of a neat thing to find.

    Attachments:

    1. rangerlabel1.jpg

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