The saying goes, “It isn't the size of the dog in the fight,
but rather the size of the fight in the dog.” With the 180F Center Console,
Angler shows that this adage can be used to describe boats. The 180F is an
18-foot center console that doesn't mind mixing it up with the big boys. On a
blustery
Miami day when most small boats stay in protected bays, the Angler
180F is heading out of Government Cut, Miami’s most active shipping channel.
The weekend boat-show traffic creates a nightmare of confused wakes from all
size crafts ranging from cruise ships and million-dollar yachts to 18-foot
center consoles.
Particularly bad is the exit from the no-wake zone, where the skippers of all
these vessels throttle up and plow enormous furrows of water when lumbering up
on plane. When these wakes rebound off the seawall and clash with other waves,
it creates a condition called a “confused sea.” Driving an unfamiliar boat, the
pilot begins at a cautious, on-plane cruising speed, which the 180F tolerates
pretty well, only banging when crossing a surfable wave. The driver has the
trim up a little to keep the bow high enough to prevent dipping up a couple of
hundred gallons of green water into the cockpit when cresting a monster wave.
But after a few belly flops, it becomes apparent that there’s more than enough
freeboard because of the 180F’s raised bow, so the driver tucks in the trim,
resulting in a transformation.
With the bow down, the knife-edged entry cleaves through the slop rather than
exposing its flatter underbelly. The final metamorphosis occurs when the
throttle on the Yamaha F115 engine is advanced and the Angler aggressively
slashes along the surface of the water. Bow steering isn’t a problem while
making a series of hard controlled turns, and best of all, the ride is soft,
despite hellish conditions. Occasionally the Angler plows up an enormous wall
of water after catching air, but it is directed outward, keeping the crew dry.
After reaching the inlet, it’s actually disappointing to discover that the seas
offshore are calmer than the shipping channel, so upon executing a crisp
180-degree turn, it’s back to the churned channel for more fun.
The deadrise at the stern of the Angler 180F measures 19 degrees, which makes
it a moderately deep-V hull and seems to be the perfect compromise between
possessing good rough-water ability, and not being too prone to tipping when at
rest.
To check its backcountry performance, a quiet bay replaces
the busy shipping lane, and eschewing the marked channel finds the Angler
skimming along in about two feet of water without disturbing the sea bottom.
Turning up the wick on the Yamaha F115 to full throttle nets a top speed of
just more than 42 mph and a reading of only 89 decibels, due to the
quiet-running Yamaha 4-stroke. The hole shot is a little deliberate — reaching
30 mph in just a little more than nine seconds — but then again there are two
large crewmembers aboard and a fuel tank topped off with 40 gallons of gas.
Later, another hidden factor is discovered: The battleship gray test boat is
destined to become part of the Florida Marine Patrol fleet and has been
slightly beefed up to meet its demanding, military-like specs, adding a couple
of hundred pounds to the overall hull weight of 1,600 pounds. No wonder this
boat is commanding such respect — everyone who spots the telltale charcoal
color immediately drops off plane and gives it a wide berth. Now if only
fishermen could order the “interdiction package,” which includes a bow-mounted
50-caliber machine gun, they would never come home without fish.
This next-to-smallest model in Angler’s fleet has plenty of fishing room with a
7-foot-8-inch beam and a wide-open cockpit. The console is perfectly sized to
provide plenty of dry storage without taking up a lot of deck space. The test
boat is equipped with an optional leaning post, which is the preferred setup to
yield maximum space and to provide rough-water comfort, but a higher grab rail
behind would offer better ergonomics for those riding shotgun. The in-dash
glovebox is something not usually seen on smaller boats. There is room for
several medium-sized electronics displays behind the destroyer-type steering
wheel, which controls the Teleflex no-feedback system. The steering wheel is
nicely placed, although the throttle seems a bit too far forward. A tall,
tinted windshield keeps seated drivers well protected and is framed by a sturdy
aluminum rail that has a grab rail incorporated into its design to give the
copilot a firm handhold. In front of the center console is a padded seat that
lifts up to reveal a built-in cooler that features a lift-out insert for
convenience.
The Angler 180F not only rides big, but also has a host of fishing features
usually found on bigger boats, such as twin fishboxes with overboard drains,
and a pair of transom livewells. There are two standard in-gunwale rod holders
and the option for two more, as well as port and starboard under-gunwale rod
racks to provide additional storage. Seating availability is often a problem on
smaller center consoles, but the 180F has a pair of stern seats with available
cushions for comfort. For rough-water safety, the cockpit is deep enough to
help prevent anglers from performing a “full-body chumming” maneuver.
The raised front casting platform makes a good working surface to fish or throw
a cast net from, and the ultra-high bowrail is a great safety feature. There’s
also an anchor locker and more dry storage underneath the deck.
The Angler Boat Corp. has been building fishing boats in Miami since 1973 and
has developed a loyal following. Angler will rig its boats with what-ever
engine the customer wants or will even sell it without a motor. Angler’s goal
is to provide a ruggedly built boat at a reasonable price, and with a suggested
manufacturer’s retail price of $20,560 when rigged with Yamaha’s 115-hp fuel
miser F115, the 180F proves that point. The usual industry hull warranty covers
a boat for five years, but Angler is confident enough in its product to warrant
its boats with limited lifetime coverage. The boats are built with no wood for
long life and feature quality components such as chrome over bronze
through-hull fittings instead of plastic. Building about 1,100 boats a year,
Angler is a medium-sized company on the way up. With a fleet of 15 models, a
new factory and a 70-dealer network, it’s a company that is poised to grow
larger. It shouldn't be a problem though. After all, it’s already proved it can
hang with the big dogs.
