SKeeter WX 1910 vs Ranger 619FS

Looking to downsize into one of these two models. Wanted to see if anyone has experienced ridding in both models to compare. I know there is quite a price difference between the two and hose power. I have owned 3 Rangers and can not say enough good things about them. The only knock is the hefty price tag. I have never been in a skeeter (on the water) so I cannot speak from experience. But i have to say I’m a litte intrigued by the WX 1910 just because of the price and my overall love for Yamaha motors. I recently moved into an area where fishing smaller bodies of water will be the norm with occasional trips to mile lacs and LOTW. I made a quick stop at the SBC about a month ago and stood up in the 1910 and the first thing i noticed was how narrow it was compared to my current 620. Will it be tough for me to make the transition from a 620 to a WX1910?

Interesting. I owned a 2005 1900 Pro-V for about six years. Last year, I bought a WX1910 from SBC. The ride was very good and overall, I liked the layout, jump seats, storage, fishability and the ski pole. Over time, I thought the boat was getting a little tight to fish out of and always thought the bow was a little too elevated/high off the water.

This spring, I sold the WX-1910 to get into a used Ranger 620 and eventually purchased an ’09 620. The WX1910 is a great boat, but I really love the 620’s ride, storage, beefiness and fishability, plus the bow seems twice as big to fish out of.

I kicked some tires on a couple 09/10 619’s, but size-wise was a little too close to the 1910, but I still gave the nod to the 619 vs the 1910 for our needs. The newer 619’s may have more room with the narrower storage compartments.

I would definitely have a tandem trailer on the 1910, so I don’t know how much you’re going to “gain” by downsizing. I would definitely fish and ride out of someone’s 1910 before pulling the trigger. Again, the 1910’s and SBC are great, but there’s quite a difference between the ride and size of a 620 vs the 1910.

Let me know of any questions.

Area in the cockpit is not much difference with Ranger having the side bump outs. I have fished a lot in my buddies 1910 and I really like it(I own a 2190) As far as rough water goes I think the 1910 will give the 620 a run for its money. The narrower beam on the 1910 really helps in rough water. Its 4.5″ less then the 619/620.

How does the narrower beam help it in rough water. Everything I’ve ever heard from dealers is the wider and longer the boat, the smoother the ride. Isnt that why people get bigger boats to fish rougher water.

skeeter20 wrote:

Area in the cockpit is not much difference with Ranger having the side bump outs. I have fished a lot in my buddies 1910 and I really like it(I own a 2190) As far as rough water goes I think the 1910 will give the 620 a run for its money. The narrower beam on the 1910 really helps in rough water. Its 4.5″ less then the 619/620.

I’m going to be upgrading boats next year. I am also interested in comparing these two. Thanks for the input guys!

i own a WX1910 and one of my closest friends owns a 619FS. he’s my fishing partner for week-long trips to Canada, etc.

the Ranger 619FS is actually quite a bit larger: 19’8″ x 100″ compared to the Skeeter WX1910: 19’1″ x 95.5″. this allows it to run slightly more horsepower as well, 225 vs 200. the narrower beam of the Skeeter does make for an amazingly smooth ride when it’s rough (less hull to hit the waves), though the Ranger’s length is a small bonus for bridging wave troughs.

the interior in the cockpit feels about the same to me after the pros/cons of the differing designs are considered: the Ranger is wider but the Skeeter is open all the way to the gunnels. the Ranger has more storage in the cockpit due to the side tanks, the Skeeter has easier access to rod holders and the water boatside plus has the extra-long lockable rod holster vs the Ranger’s longer rod storage slots being non-secure/out in the open.

the front deck feels larger on the Ranger, probably due to the extra length. at the same time, the Skeeter’s front deck is plenty big for two people. i also don’t feel like it’s higher off the water than other rigs – it looks like it on the trailer due to the extended React keel, but it’s flat at rest in the water. oh, and that React keel works just as good as advertised: perpendicular drifts in current or the wind.

it’s a win-win choice. have fun shopping!

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It’s all in proportion…Wider you cover more water causing more bounce and more impact. If you had a 100″ beam on a 17′ it would beat the heck out of you. Length is king for rough water allowing you to stay on top. Look how well 20′ tiller boats keep up in rough water, its because they are narrow.

bradl110 wrote:

How does the narrower beam help it in rough water. Everything I’ve ever heard from dealers is the wider and longer the boat, the smoother the ride. Isnt that why people get bigger boats to fish rougher water.

Width gives a more stable platform to fish out of imo. There’s a teetering with narrow boats I personally don’t care for. Yeah narrow boats cut waves a bit better but I wouldn’t trade that for a bit more stable platform when the big motors off. Just personal preference. If I was making long runs on big, rough water everyday it’d become a significant factor. But it still wouldn’t be a huge game changer unless the ride was brutally awful.

The Skeeter 20′ tiller is 99″ wide….

What time of year is the best time to buy?

it’s true that width equals stability at rest. my current boat is a heckuva lot less tippy than the canoe i used to stand up in when i was a kid…

imho, stability is not a point of comparison for these two boats because they’re both great. even when casting 3 guys on the same side of the boat, i’ve only ever noticed much lean in boats of ~85″ beam.

Michael C. Winther wrote:

it’s true that width equals stability at rest. my current boat is a heckuva lot less tippy than the canoe i used to stand up in when i was a kid…

imho, stability is not a point of comparison for these two boats because they’re both great. even when casting 3 guys on the same side of the boat, i’ve only ever noticed much lean in boats of ~85″ beam.

I have balance and vertigo issues brought on by multiple concussions, an unidentifiable bacterial infection with high fevers that basically cooked my neuro pathways between my eyes and ears that help with balance and numerous bad bouts with strep throat and major scar tissue from them even after being removed. So certain rigs, glass tillers and narrower glass boats especially, have a noticeable side to side wiggle I don’t care for. Best rigs I have found that don’t have this are the bigger boats with wide transoms. Currently own a 2025 prov and it has minimum side to side wiggle. I also fish with older people who appreciate the lack of side to side motion some boats are prone to. Just something to consider if you fish with older people or people who have other issues. Plus the issues with having a 4″ narrower profile helping cut the waves is not a deal breaker from my perspective. When it’s rough, it’s rough and granted some boats ride and cut waves better, but it’s still rough. Most tourney guys use big, wide boats and there’s multiple reasons for them to utilize them. Never heard any of them complain about their boat being to wide and rides rougher because of that wider footprint.

basseyes wrote:

When it’s rough, it’s rough and granted some boats ride and cut waves better, but it’s still rough. Most tourney guys use big, wide boats and there’s multiple reasons for them to utilize them. Never heard any of them complain about their boat being to wide and rides rougher because of that wider footprint.

I’m sorry for your balance issues and the heightened sensitivity that comes with them. I imagine that would make being on the water at all difficult, so I’m glad you found a rig that works right for you. I’ll qualify my earlier statements by saying that I haven’t found “lean” in a boat to be noticeable by anyone with standard balance until you get narrower than about 85″ across…and I routinely have 600+lbs of fisherman all casting for muskies from the same side of the boat.

The issue of ride in big boats is pretty subjective, and we can probably split hairs endlessly about it. We’re all prone to confirmation bias. Big boats, especially those in the 20-foot-plus class, ride so good because they are bridging the waves. This smooths out the ride at speed by staying “on top” rather than going up and down the peaks/troughs or busting through them like shorter boats have to do. When comparing apples-to-apples in boats of similar length and engine size, the boat with the narrower beam is often going to be faster and smoother…at the cost of interior room, drift characteristics, or whatnot. For example, the Tuffy 2060 is relatively narrow at 20’6″ long and 90″ beam. It’s universally viewed in serious walleye circles as one of the faster and better riding boats when the waves are big.

bradl110 wrote:

Looking to downsize into one of these two models. Wanted to see if anyone has experienced ridding in both models to compare. I know there is quite a price difference between the two and hose power. I have owned 3 Rangers and can not say enough good things about them. The only knock is the hefty price tag. I have never been in a skeeter (on the water) so I cannot speak from experience. But i have to say I’m a litte intrigued by the WX 1910 just because of the price and my overall love for Yamaha motors. I recently moved into an area where fishing smaller bodies of water will be the norm with occasional trips to mile lacs and LOTW. I made a quick stop at the SBC about a month ago and stood up in the 1910 and the first thing i noticed was how narrow it was compared to my current 620. Will it be tough for me to make the transition from a 620 to a WX1910?

I currently own a ’16 619FS and prior to this boat owned a Skeeter WX1880. I think it would be tough to make the transition from a Ranger 620 to a Skeeter WX1910. You’ll miss the bow width around the front pedestal, the bow depth and the rear tackle storage. You’ll also miss the stability the extra beam width provides in the wind. I’m not about to bash the Skeeter because I really enjoyed my 1880 but the 619FS is in a different class. Yes, the Ranger also comes with a different class of price tag!! If you need the jump seats in the stern area then Skeeter 1910/2060/2190 might be your choice. I didn’t need them and became tired of rubbing cheeks and tripping over tackle bags. I like my Yamaha’s as well and was able to arrange through my dealer a F225 4.2L Offshore as the main power source along with a T9.9 kicker. If you’re mostly fishing smaller bodies of water or on a really tight budget then it could be a tough decision.

I have a buddy with a 619FS and its a nice boat. Skeetsnd the 1880 vs 619 is not even a fair comparison lol nor is the 1880 to the 1910.

Glad to hear to hung some Yamahas on the back How fast is the 619 with 225 Offshore?

skeeter20 wrote:

I have a buddy with a 619FS and its a nice boat. Skeetsnd the 1880 vs 619 is not even a fair comparison lol nor is the 1880 to the 1910.

Glad to hear to hung some Yamahas on the back How fast is the 619 with 225 Offshore?

skeeter20, In your opinion, is there a boat in the Skeeter lineup that the 619FS fairly compares to?

I’ll have to get back to you with speed numbers once a new prop arrives, but mid 50’s top end loaded with fuel, gear and 2 passengers is achievable. The Mercury’s and Evinrudes are faster but I bleed Yamaha like you bleed Skeeter!

Ranger 619 FS
* 19′ 8″
* 100″ beam
* Inside depth 25″
* Max HP 225
* 51 gallon fuel
* 28 gallon livewell
* 1825 lb max load (7 people ?)
* Weight (single console)2050

Skeeter WX1910
* 19′ 1″
* 95.5″ beam
* Max HP 200
* Inside depth 24″
* Max load 737 lb/5 people (not sure if same comparision as 619)
* 34 gallon fuel
* Boat weight 2175

fisherman-j wrote:

Ranger 619 FS
* 19′ 8″
* 100″ beam
* Inside depth 25″
* Max HP 225
* 51 gallon fuel
* 28 gallon livewell
* 1825 lb max load (7 people ?)
* Weight (single console)2050

Skeeter WX1910
* 19′ 1″
* 95.5″ beam
* Max HP 200
* Inside depth 24″
* Max load 737 lb/5 people (not sure if same comparision as 619)
* 34 gallon fuel
* Boat weight 2175

Just out of curiosity why can the 619 sustain more horsepower (225) then the 1910wx (200)which weighs more……. Anyone have a answer?

HP ratings are determined by the Coast Guard formula. HP rating = (2xLxW)-90

I would almost venture to say the MX 2040 is closer to the 619 than the 1910. I would put the 1910 in the class with the 1880.

hunterjoe wrote:

I would almost venture to say the MX 2040 is closer to the 619 than the 1910. I would put the 1910 in the class with the 1880.

This^^^^^

If you’re mostly fishing smaller bodies of water or on a really tight budget then it could be a tough decision.

this makes me giggle. not sure that you meant it that way, but your suggestion that someone choosing a WX1910 over a 619FS must be on a “really tight budget” comes across as condescending. the Ranger costs more, and the Skeeter costs a whole lot too – north of $50k rigged. as it happens, my budget could handle any boat of any brand i wanted, and i don’t have a boat payment. i chose the WX1910 because i liked it better and i felt it offered more value for my fishing and family boating needs.

the urge to have boats from different brands be directly comparable on a point-by-point basis is understandable, but ultimately impossible – and wouldn’t give us the benefit of real choices. get in them off and on the water. then buy the one that suits you.

here’s a pragmatic difference: the Rangers come with rails and the gunnel cap below them is completely filled with foam. this means that if you want to convert to tracks later, they will either have to mount on the rails or be screw-mounted (cannot bolt-through with a backing plate), and the screws aren’t recommended for holding up to downriggers. so if you want tracks and plan to put downriggers on them, you’d best know ahead of time and custom order it that way from the factory. the Skeeter design includes open access to the bottom inside of the gunnel cap, so i was able to swap my rails out for through-bolted TraxTech tracks after running the boat awhile.

Truly not a black & white answer here. While opinions are subjective to how you use your boat, not how someone else uses their boat.

I believe actually fishing out of both models will shorten your shopping process. IMO, the WX1910 is ideally a 2 person, occasional 3 person boat. If fishing heavy, the WX2060 may be the model of choice.

The 619/ 620 models are great boats, but I have perceived that they are relatively close in price and most folks opt to go the 620 route when evaluating the two.

Great to have choices and we would be happy to give you water time in both our 1910, 2060 and even a a used 620 which we often have as trade ins. I am certain your Ranger dealer of choice would be happy to do the same with their 619/ 620 models.

Enjoy & have fun!

Michael – It looks like I could have worded things much differently at the time in my response to the OP. The OP mentioned that he owned 3 Rangers previously and was intrigued by the price savings of the 1910 and discouraged by the hefty Ranger prices, thus the budget comment. I was trying to communicate the smaller bodies of water and price differences into one sentence and it certainly didn’t come out right!

Regardless of the boat of choice, today’s fully equipped walleye rigs are exceeding $50K-$60K-$70K-$80K-$90K. There isn’t much value in any of the boats at those prices other than the time spent and memories gained on the water, therefore, shop wisely for the boat that best fits your wants, needs and finances.

The 619FS, WX1910 and a tiller made my final list when choosing a new boat, and each one had a sizable price difference. After owning a WX1880 for 6 years I didn’t feel the improvements made on the WX1910 would yield a different enough boating experience for the next 6+ years, and I was trying to keep the boat length under 20 feet for storage purposes, therefore, at a larger purchase price, the 619FS made the cut. My fishing styles and boat wants changed over the years, and I wanted to get back into a slightly longer boat, a wider boat for better stability (while fishing from the bow and the stern) and a better storage system for tackle and gear, at the expense of the jump seats.

If I was the OP and happy with the current 620, then I would keep it.