Ranger Reata 1850 Fish-N-Play

By Capt. Bob Smith

Test Captain

The Reata 1850 is a great combination fish and ski boat. She is rigged mostly for fishing up front, but you can add some cushions for comfortable riding when needed. The boat has a port locker for storage and can handle up to 7-foot-long rods. A center floor locker also can handle 7-foot-long rods, as well as skis and the ski tow post. The starboard locker in the bow is insulated and will likely be used for the cooler, saving you from hauling a carry-on aboard. Just aft and in front of the helm, is a baitwell with removable bait bucket. All the lockers are gasketed to keep the water where it should be. A Minn Kota trolling motor can be mounted on the port side of the bow and a panel up here has three switches for controlling the lights, trim, and accessories.

The windshield has strong supports and is tall enough to deflect away chilly air, but I feel Ranger needs to add some kind of snap-in enclosure at the bottom, to keep it from whipping under the windshield and chilling everyone in the cockpit.

Helm Features

The seats in the cockpit can be repositioned in multiple locations on the boat for different fishing configurations. The glove box on the companion side is padded and deep enough to keep all your important items dry. A Clarion AM/FM CD stereo comes standard for your enjoyment, and is also Sirius Satellite reception-ready. A side tip out can handle two Plano boxes full of tackle, and there are two cup holders just below for you and the rider behind.

Our test boat was equipped with Sea Star Hydraulic steering, which is standard on all models rigged with over 135-horsepower. A standard Garmin 240 depthfinder is mounted in a panel to the right of the engine. On the wall next to the helm is a 12-volt socket for portable gear, and the fuse box is just below it. Further aft are the controls for the livewells.

Seating Area or Casting Deck

In the aft section of the cockpit on the port side, is a side pocket with lockable storage for a couple more rods. The boat has flip-up style jump seats which make them easy to covert into a raised casting deck. Located on the port stern corner are two grab handles and a covered three-step telescoping boarding ladder. You can move one of the chairs in the cockpit up to the casting deck, or insert a tow post for skiing in the rear deck.

A nice feature Ranger designed into the bimini system is storage ability. When you are ready to tow the boat, you can quickly disconnect it from the fittings and lay it in the floor of the cockpit. The floor has toe kick space, which the bimini fits into nicely without intruding on the cockpit.

Specs

The Reata 1850 measures 18’5” length overall on an extra wide 8’2’’beam. This gives the boat extra stability when using her as a fish boat. The 1850 is rated for outboards in the 115 to 175-horsepower range, and can be rigged for just about any manufacturer you choose. Transom height is 26 inches and she has a safe interior depth of 24.5 inches. Her fiberglass hull weighs in at 1,780 lbs. and can carry up to 1,700 lbs. of total weight.

Performance and Ride

We tested the all-new Reata 1850 on an inland lake in the Ozarks. With calm waters and two people on board we had her on plane in just 2.9 seconds and up to thirty mph in only 7 seconds. We found her cruise speed to be about 22 mph at 3000 rpm, with a range of 172 miles. At top end, we were traveling 50 mph with a range of 117 miles. Our test boat was powered with a single Yamaha F150 outboard with a 21 Pro stainless steel prop.

If you’re a family that enjoys fishing as much as you do skiing and playing water sports, the Reata brings you the best of both worlds in a durable and good looking hull. Ranger is going after the aluminum cross-over boat business and they are hitting the ball out of the park with this new introduction.

Speeds measured with Stalker ProSports radar gun. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) measured with Floscan digital fuel-flow meter on gas inboards, sterndrives, and outboards, TechMate electronic scan tool on gas EFI inboards, Caterpillar digital fuel-flow meter on diesel engines, or permanently installed fuel-monitoring equipment. Range is based on 90% of published fuel capacity. Sound levels determined using Radio Shack digital decibel meter on A scale. 68 dBA is the level of normal conversation.

Performance Chart

Test Conditions