Info? - Crestliner 1850 Raptor - NF

[hutch4113]

Hi Everyone,

I might be looking at a new (to me) boat.  Have a Crestliner 1850 Raptor that I am keeping an eye on - 200 HP Optimax.  Anyone been in one of these?  Looking for feedback on how it handles in rough water, thoughts on the build quality, etc.

Anyone have a 200HP Opti?  (I am running a 115 Opti - been a great motor).  I can troll with my 115, so wondering if I can do the same with the 200HP (no kicker on the boat).

Thanks in advance for the Feedback.

[craigdritchie]

Crestliner Raptor is a high-end aluminum boat, on the same rough level as a Lund Pro-V or a Starcraft Titan. They're very nicely equipped, fit and finish is quite good. Overall build quality is pretty typical Crestliner, so you shouldn't have any problems. Of course that's assuming the boat is in good shape to begin with, and has been properly cared for by its original owner.

I've driven the 21-foot Raptor (I wrote a boat test on it for Boatguide magazine a couple of years ago when it first came out) and it had no problems at all in rough water. The hull is a moderately deep V ... deadrise is around 17 or 18 degrees if I remember correctly, and with a reverse chine so it will handle more  of a chop than most people are comfortable with. I have not driven the 18 foot Raptor but I don't imagine it would be substantially different from the 21, length aside. Like a Pro-V or Titan, the Raptor is a comparatively heavy boat, so it doesn't slosh around in waves or get blown around too much in a wind, in spite of having decent freeboard. The trade-off is that you'll eat a bit more fuel pushing that extra weight.

The 200 Opti is a good engine, though IMHO  it's beginning to show its age compared to more recent designs. What kind of trolling speed you wind up with depends to some degree on how it's propped. On a boat like the Raptor I would think you should be able to get it down to a little under 2 mph ... maybe 1.5 mph, again depending how its propped.

 

Edited July 5, 2018 by craigdritchie

[hutch4113]

You are correct on deadrise - it is 17.  It looks like a pretty solid boat - I think better built than my current boat (Smoker Craft Pro Mag 182).  

If I decide to go forward, will take it out for a test drive 1st.

Thanks for the feedback.  Will see if I can find that review as well.

[jjcanoe]

There is a Crestliner Owners group on Face book. It's a very helpful community, (no Bull on there at all) ask just about anything and you will get good solid and honest answers. It's one of the few facebook groups I look forward to seeing posts from. Theres probably Lund, Starcraft, Ranger etc groups as well but I can only speak for the  Crestliner group