# Ranger Ghost 169 questions



## hcft (Dec 10, 2015)

i had a 173 with a 90 etec, yes it porpoised without a decent amount of tabs. Not to mention it is the wettest boat ever made, I cannot really comment on the 169 though.


----------



## HPXFLY (Aug 27, 2015)

not sure about porpoised with that motor combo, I will echo the wettest boat ever made comment. Ranger should give each person who purchases a full set of fowl weather gear


----------



## Mustang (Oct 15, 2015)

I fish on one quite a bit (friends boat). Porpoising isn't a problem with a 90. If you are crossing a significant amount of chop you will get wet, but I find most boats of that size have the same problem.


----------



## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

hcft said:


> i had a 173 with a 90 etec, yes it porpoised without a decent amount of tabs. *Not to mention it is the wettest boat ever made*


*

Sounds like a contest between it and my old action craft
*


----------



## Redbelly (Jan 23, 2016)

Haha so we hear what's the wettest, what's the driest?


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I paid a bit of attention to the original Ghost (back when they were being made by BC..). That hull was a lovely lightweight poling skiff originally but when they went out of business and were bought up by Ranger... things changed. I never heard the exact weight difference but every one of that line was noticeably heavier as Ranger built them... 

As I get older one of the few benefits is being able to remember the different changes made to a given design as it passed through other hands... When Bass Pro started building SeaCraft hulls for instance - things changed (and not for the better...). And so it goes....


----------



## Redbelly (Jan 23, 2016)

The videos I see of them running they seem to tend to porpoise. Are they significantly wetter than other flats boats of the same size?
I am currently shopping, and want to keep the size to a 16-17' flats boat.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

hcft said:


> i had a 173 with a 90 etec, yes it porpoised without a decent amount of tabs. Not to mention it is the wettest boat ever made, I cannot really comment on the 169 though.


Not trying to stir up an old thread, but was doing some research on the 169 Ghost and I can tell you the 173 was a completely different hull than the 169 Ghost. I had a very close friend that had the 171 BC which was the same exact predecessor hull to the Ranger 173 Ghost. I probably fished out of that hull at least 50-60 times. It wasn't the driest, but a lot drier that an Action Craft. However, when Wylie from Back Country designed the 169 Ghost His design was a smaller hull footprint on the waterline, with a chine system that reduced hull slap, but keeping the real estate space the same, if not bigger than the 173. To do that, they studied the Carolina style bow flare and incorporated it into the design of the bow of the boat, resulting in water being rolled over, out an away for the boats path, almost with the feel that the water was being parted out from under the bow. That also helps to push the boat up when you thing the bow is about to stuff into a wave. The results is an extremely dry ride, without all the spray rails you see in today's high end TPS hulls, and, without going to a true Flats Boat like an Egret, A Hewes Redfisher, Mav MA, which are a heavier boat and not so fun to pole. It was actually a brilliant design and so the 169 Ghost were known for a dry ride in a rough bay chop, yet keeping the ability to pole somewhat decently, with more storage than most 18ft true "flats boats." The way I describe them is they are a hybrid between a true flats boat and a true technical poling skiff, which that is where I find myself these days.










To be honest, like with any skiff, there is drawl backs. One is, those it can easily handle a 115hp OB, because of the weight of a 90-115hp 4 stroke OB, it tends to squat at rest, especially if the fuel tank is completely full. It does have a 30 Gal tank, which is rediculas for a skiff like that. So run it half full. The other thing is it's true balance is half tank of fuel with a 60-70hp OB. Then she sits pretty level and still pushes 32-36mph WOT.


----------



## tailchaser16 (Sep 23, 2008)

169 Ghost rides very well, not a wet boat at all. It porpoises when trimmed high, but, a tap on the tabs corrects that. Seen one with a 90 four stroke and it does squat a bit. One of the best riding, do it all boats (with a 90 2 stroke) in my opinion!


----------



## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Backwater said:


> Not trying to stir up an old thread, but was doing some research on the 169 Ghost and I can tell you the 173 was a completely different hull than the 169 Ghost. I had a very close friend that had the 171 BC which was the same exact predecessor hull to the Ranger 173 Ghost. I probably fished out of that hull at least 50-60 times. *It wasn't the driest, but a lot drier that an Action Craft.* However, when Wylie from Back Country designed the 169 Ghost His design was a smaller hull footprint on the waterline, with a chine system that reduced hull slap, but keeping the real estate space the same, if not bigger than the 173. To do that, they studied the Carolina style bow flare and incorporated it into the design of the bow of the boat, resulting in water being rolled over, out an away for the boats path, almost with the feel that the water was being parted out from under the bow. That also helps to push the boat up when you thing the bow is about to stuff into a wave. The results is an extremely dry ride, without all the spray rails you see in today's high end TPS hulls, and, without going to a true Flats Boat like an Egret, A Hewes Redfisher, Mav MA, which are a heavier boat and not so fun to pole. It was actually a brilliant design and so the 169 Ghost were known for a dry ride in a rough bay chop, yet keeping the ability to pole somewhat decently, with more storage than most 18ft true "flats boats." The way I describe them is they are a hybrid between a true flats boat and a true technical poling skiff, which that is where I find myself these days.
> 
> View attachment 105698
> 
> ...


My action craft should have come with a mask and rain suit.


----------



## TidalFly (Sep 1, 2015)

Had a Ghost 169 with 90hp Yamaha two stroke (best motor ever made)...didn’t porpoise at all but that was a 261 pound motor so take that for what it’s worth. It’s was a really great all around skiff...fished the grass in SC and fished tarpon in the Everglades every year I owned it. Sold it because I stopped guiding and I do 99% of my fishing via pushpole in very shallow water here in SC. Wanted to get something more bare bones and lighter on the pole. Some days wish I hadn’t sold the ghost, it could do just about everything asked of it.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

TidalFly said:


> Had a Ghost 169 with 90hp Yamaha two stroke (best motor ever made)...didn’t porpoise at all but that was a 261 pound motor so take that for what it’s worth. It’s was a really great all around skiff...fished the grass in SC and fished tarpon in the Everglades every year I owned it. Sold it because I stopped guiding and I do 99% of my fishing via pushpole in very shallow water here in SC. Wanted to get something more bare bones and lighter on the pole. Some days wish I hadn’t sold the ghost, it could do just about everything asked of it.


Did the 90 2 stroke cause it to squat?


----------



## TidalFly (Sep 1, 2015)

No sir, it would’ve taken some effort to ever dip a rear corner on that boat...that said, Ranger LOADED those things with flotation, every empty space that wasn’t a hatch was pumped full of foam.


----------

