Choose Your Adventure with Vectra's 192 Fish and Ski
By Capt. Rob Smith
The is a cross-over design with the big trolling motor and fish finder on the bow, but she still had the lines of a typical ski boat. With just a few simple changes you can leave the fishing gear behind for a great day of cruising and fishing, or load it on, pick up the bait and catch dinner.
At the Bow
Up on the foredeck, the 192 has a Lowrance X-50 D6 so you can keep up with the bottom and find the stealthy fish. Next to that is a Minn Kota PD55 trolling motor with tethered foot control. Converting the bow, you can add a casting chair pedestal and bring one of the aft jump seats up to be a casting chair. The cup holders in front of the windshield are within reach to keep your coffee or cold beverage ready. A few changes and you have room for two to relax. A locker in the bin under the bow cushion fit an anchor and rode. The trolling motor batteries are tucked into the side lounger benches up front. The full-framed wrap-around windshield protects you well from spray and chilly breezes and has a wide walk-through to get back to the cockpit.
Cross-Over Features
In the cockpit, there is a large sole locker to store all your skis and extra gear. The locker is painted inside and has a sturdy lid. The edges seemed a little sharp to me, so I would round them off to protect little fingers that may try to open it. Both the helm and companion seats are comfortable and feature slide and swivel adjustments. There is plenty of space to keep your favorite lotions and sunglasses handy in the side pockets and the safety grab bars give the timid something to hang on to when it’s rough. For those who like to be their own DJ, a MP3 jack is in the side panel to hook up your iPod or MP3 player through the stereo. The stereo is mounted in the upper glove box and the lower glove box is large enough to store wallets and other important items. Flipping the lid down you find it two cup indents to hold your drinks at anchor. Although the speakers are mounted in the foot wells, the sound still seems to be ok. Over at the helm, you have a typical ski boat set up with padded three-spoke sport wheel with rack-and-pinion steering. Analog gauges are supplemented by a digital depth gauge and lighted rocker switches.
Seating & Storage
The cockpit has room across the back with two fold-down seats that can be lifted out and put on casting pedestals in the front or back. A bench seat in the center adds more storage space for tackle and lines. Cargo net storage pockets at the back are handy for ski gloves and/or fishing tools. Drink holders are on either side for the jump seat riders. On the port side of the aft deck is a livewell right next to the casting seat location so it is easily reached while fishing. Underneath the deck was a 4.3L MerCruiser on our test model. Taking advantage of the engine heat is a bin on the starboard side where you can keep the wet lines and life jackets. On the stern is a LED light to light up the swim platform, concealed three-step swim ladder and a JBL stereo remote to control the tunes from the water on our test ride.
Specifications
The 192 Fish and Ski measures 19’2” length overall and has a wide, stable beam width of 98”. She weighs in at about 1700lbs without the engine and carries 37 gallons of fuel to keep you running all day long.
Performance
I tested her in some pretty stiff winds and finally found a cove with some protection. She handled quite smoothly with good turning radius and no cavitation. Around the docks she worked just as well. I found her top speed to be about 44.8 mph at 4800rpm with a cruise speed of 37.8rpm at 4000rpm. At cruise, she should deliver 134 miles on a full tank. She is on plane in 4 seconds and up to 30 mph in 7.8 seconds. Obviously, with a top revolution rate of only 4800rpm, some adjustments in propeller may be necessary, but I was very impressed with her zip and pep.
Whether you like to wet the hook or hook a wake, you are going to have a ton of fun with the Vectra 192 Fish and Ski!
