Ranger has earned a solid reputation as one of the top manufacturers of production flats skiffs and bay boats. Their latest entry in that field — the Banshee Extreme — is sure to bolster that reputation.
Built on the same bare-bones hull as the original Banshee, the Extreme lives up to its name. It is built for extreme shallow-water fishing like that along Florida's Mosquito Lagoon, Snake Bight in Everglades National Park or the skinny water along Texas' Laguna Madre — all places where you don't want to get stuck when the water leaves.
Running and Fishing
The skiff is 16 feet 8 inches in length with an 81 1/2-inch beam, providing a stable fishing platform for such a light boat. Weighing in at 540 lbs., the Extreme is light and responsive on the pole and features an advertised poling draft on the skiff of 5 1/2" of water.
Power is provided by several manufacturers, including Evinrude. With an E-Tec 50, the Banshee Extreme tops out at 31 mph at 5,500 rpm, burning a little over 5 gph. Throttling back to 4,500 rpm, the skiff cruises at 27.8 mph, sipping a miserly 3.8 gph.
The Extreme differs from the standard tiller-driven Banshee in that it features an elevated console and seat, putting you above the gunwales so you can see exactly how shallow you are going — a design borrowed from the Texas potato chip boats. It also features a hydraulic jack plate, allowing anglers to get into and — more importantly — out of extremely skinny water.
Design and Construction
The Banshee is a fiberglass skiff with rolled gunwales. It has along-the-gunwale rod storage capable of accommodating rods to 14 feet in length, so it's more than
|
Specifications |
| LOA: |
16ft. 8in. |
| BEAM: |
6ft 8in. |
| DRAFT: |
5 1/2 in. |
| WEIGHT: |
540 lb. w/o power |
| FUEL: |
see dealer for options |
| MAX HP: |
50-hp OB |
| MSRP: |
$21,395 w/50 hp |
| www.rangerboats.com |
fly-rod friendly. A word of caution, though: The rolled-gunwale design doesn't offer any shelter for the rods from clumsy, clod-footed anglers.
This boat is designed for fly-fishermen with a fairly snag-free existence on the bow. An optional trolling motor can make things a little tricky, but what you give up in castability you make up in maneuverability. On the subject of trolling motors, each Banshee features a reinforced surface specifically for mounting bow units.
The hull design features rounded chines and upright, level foam flotation, which gives the Banshee a stealth-like approach to most shallow-water species.
All casting surfaces and deck areas are covered with non-skid, and the four locking storage hatches (two forward and two aft) are Gel Coated for easy maintenance and cleaning. As mentioned, the Extreme includes a hydraulic jack plate. It also comes standard with hydraulic steering.
As with the other skiffs in its line, Ranger offers a number of custom options. The best way to take advantage of their expertise is through the Ranger Precision- Matched Performance System, which allows you to have your options — from color to power to custom tower options — factory installed.
If you're looking for a hard-core shallow-water skiff, the Ranger Banshee Extreme is one that you'll want to take a look at, especially if you want to get where others can't.
— Capt. Ted Lund
