Photo courtesy of Starcraft
January 24, 2018
By Game & Fish Staff
Photo courtesy of Starcraft
Game & Fish takes a closer look at the Starcraft Titan 186 DC as part of our series of 2018 fishing boat reviews.
By Craig Ritchie
If you enjoy fishing for a variety of species that live in vastly different habitats, then you already know the challenge of finding a capable boat — one that can glide silently through weedy shallows yet with the ability to troll deep, open waters and absorb a good walleye chop.
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You want the protection of high freeboard and a full windshield to keep the spray out on windy days, yet you also need an open layout that won't interfere with casting.
The boat should carry plenty of guests and the whole package has to be compact enough that you can tow it with something less than a semi and launch it from rough, unmaintained ramps.
Built to fish hard, the Titan is constructed from hefty .125-inch aluminum plates on the bottom and solid .80-inch plates on the sides, double-riveted along the chine and transom seams.
"Titan" is an apt name for this rig, with its battleship-like build. That's further augmented by its internal torsion beam construction, which gives the Titan a stiff, solid frame that won't flex or twist when running in chop with heavy loads.
The result of this over-engineering is a tremendously smooth ride, crisp handling and the ability to gobble up chop.
The Titan's raised front deck, big walk-through windshield and an open main cockpit with raised stern deck give this boat maximum versatility.
G&F Fishing Boat Reviews
Other reviews in this series:
Fishability The raised front deck is huge — high enough for enhanced visibility when casting shallows, yet low enough that you don't have to stretch when leaning over to lip a bass. Aft gunnels are reinforced for downriggers, and there's a ton of space on the transom for a kicker.
Handling Although rated for outboards of up to 175 horsepower, time-to-plane with a 150 is pretty much instantaneous, and it doesn't take long for the boat to reach a top speed of nearly 50 mph. Hydraulic steering and the beefy Torcello steering wheel provide excellent feel, while handling course corrections nicely.
What We Liked The large walk-through windshield provides excellent protection from the breeze when running from spot to spot. This allows anglers to fish in much greater comfort early and late in the season.
What We'd Change I would like to see the cleats replaced with pull-up versions, at least at the front. The existing cleats can catch on rods that are temporarily stowed against the gunnels with the tips pointing aft leading to breakage.
Specifications
Length 18 feet, 6 inches
Beam 99 inches
Dry Weight 1,450 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 27 gallons
Max Power 175 hp
MSRP $23,572
