Raider 18

Lads, Looking for a bit of advice.

Looking at a Raider 18, wi Mecury 135 optimax engine and extras.

She's 2002.

Basically just wondering if anybody here has any experience of one of these and if so how they found them? Good points and bad points. Is there anything I should be looking out for?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

the dirty fecker has one do a search for his report on it think its on raider uk site. he gives it a great report he pushes his with an 80 hp.
135 will be a serious engine on the back of one your probably looking at 50mph

i think stan has one aswell he got it this year as far as i know.
all the best with your decision.

sounds like a nice set up.

Howya Seanie,

You'll get some reviews here: http://www.fishing-boats.info/

Some say that the UK built boats are better than the Polish built ones, I would guess that 2002 would be UK built. Plenty space. Great freeboard. 135hp: should be like a missile! The Optimax will like juice Not a Warrior, but hey you can't have everything If the money is right...

I had a Raider 16 Fisherman for 3 years with a 90 HP Mariner on it. It was a great boat and I got up to 32 knots on it in very calm conditions. The boat was made in 2002. Last year I moved up to a Raider 18 fisherman with an 80 HP Mercury. The boat obviously has more deckspace and the fit out is far superior to earlier boats. I have had her up to 24 knots.

On the plus side these boats are fast, very stable and dry. They will handle very difficult seas. They are a dream to fish from. The only disadvantage is that they drift a little bit fast in a strong wind...... no boat is perfect.

As regards engine size it is really a matter of taste. I am happy to travel between 15-20 knots. Unless you have totally calm conditions travelling any faster in any boat can be uncomfortable. The larger engines can be a bit thirsty. However, 4 stroke engines are generally more full efficient than the 2 stroke.

I will be putting her back in the water ( Ferrypoint) in May and hopefully will have a better summer than last year.

If you have any questions feel free to send me a Pm or ring me.

Thanks very much for the replies lads.

good luck with her sean if ya get her and look forward to a few trips with you in the summer

i don't know much about this but 135 horsepower sounds too powerful for a trailerable
boat. most of the time the sea is lumpy due to the weather and you have to
watch out for pot buoys, net markers, other boats etc, so you only want to
be doing 15 or 20 knots, so why would you want the extra weight and expense of
an engine that powerful?

hi i have a raider 16 cuddy with a 60 hp mariner loads of power problem is most of the time sea is to lumpy so a 18 with 135 would go like stink in a flatish sea might like petrol but you will have fun in it best of luck

i don't know much about this but 135 horsepower sounds too powerful for a trailerable
boat. most of the time the sea is lumpy due to the weather and you have to
watch out for pot buoys, net markers, other boats etc, so you only want to
be doing 15 or 20 knots, so why would you want the extra weight and expense of
an engine that powerful?

you would only be doing that speed anyway inshore.
with a 135hp you would be out to far wrecks and other hot spots so to speak in no time it would be worth the extra expense and weight IMO.

Thanks again for all the replies lads. Should have made it more clear in my first post, am looking at this boat for a mate. It'll be next year before I can venture into the market myself. All the advice much appreciated.

my neighbour has a 18 fisherman she is a nice boat but does catch the wind alot ,this can make putting her back on the trailer on a windy day fun to say the least he has 100 horses and it goes like a rocket great fun on a flat sea if you have plenty of juice