Wellcraft Sportsman 180 Review and Specs [Video]
Manufactured from 2000 through 2017 with a two-year hiatus, the Wellcraft Sportsman 180 was an 18-foot dual console dayboat with 115 and 150hp outboard engine packages. Thanks to her spacious cockpit and wide range of features she could be used for various purposes like fishing, diving, cruising, and even watersports.
In this post, we’ll review this practical 18-foot family runabout and her factory specifications.
Wellcraft Sportsman 180 Review
Hull and Top Deck
Wellcraft marketed the Sportsman 180 during the 2000-2004 and 2007-2017 model years as a beginner dual console runabout.
As the name suggests, this lively vessel was much sportier than its larger center console and walkaround siblings.
She was built on a moderate deep-V hull featuring a 20-degree transom deadrise and a high freeboard.
Designed without any wood elements, this shell was made of hand-laid fiberglass and utilized a full-height composite transom with a foam-filled fiberglass stringer system.
Regarding dimensions, the boat had an overall length of 18 feet, a beam of 8 feet, and a maximum draft of 32 inches.
Despite the small dimensions, the Sportsman 180 was fairly heavy; with a claimed dry weight was 2,085 pounds without the engine.
Figuring the weight of a 115-150hp outboard motor (400-600 lbs.), a full tank of gas (300 lbs.), a battery, and some gear, the curb weight averaged between 3,000 and 3,500 pounds.
Loaded on a single-axle trailer, the trailering weight of the complete rig was in the ballpark of 3,700-4,300 pounds.
Unlike traditional bowriders, the Sportsman 180 came with a dual console top deck floorplan with a “dash forward” layout for maximum cockpit space.
It provided less comfort and fewer convenience features and lacked a plushy aft bench seat as well.
In return, she had a practical fishable interior with an abundance of free deck space, a drain system, and a lot of fishing features.
Protected by an integrated windshield with tinted and tempered glass, the fully moulded cockpit was designed with two aft jump seats in the stern corners.
The captain and companion seats were built on fiberglass boxes, protruding towards the aft.
These boxes not only doubled as bench seats for passengers but also housed an insulated ice chest and insulated baitwell.
Other standard features included mooring cleats, navigation, and courtesy lights, eyelets, beverage holders, stainless-steel grab rails, padded gunwales, an anchor locker, and an integrated swim platform with a retractable ladder.
The bow peak had a location for a trolling motor, while the forward lounge had a small casting platform with storage underneath.
Other storage units included two sizeable console storage lockers, in-floor ski and kneeboard storage, and optional gunwale rod holders.
Besides this practical built-in rod storage, a Sunbrella bimini top, side and aft curtains, canvas packages, a snap-in carpet, stainless-stell rub rail inserts, dual batteries, and a matching cradle were all available as options.
What’s more, the Sportsman 180 could be fitted with custom Fish and Ski packages.
The latter added a bow cushion with a backrest, a port lounge seat, a ski pylon, and an aft filler seat with cushions.
Fishermans appreciated the features of the fish packages, which had a port side pedestal seat with fish box, rod boxes, rod holders, a bow casting seat, and a raw water washdown.
Engines and Performance
Dual console runabouts are fitted with outboard engines, and the Sportsman 180 was no exception.
Available power options included 2-stroke and 4-stroke 115 and 150hp engine packages manufactured by Evinrude, Yamaha, or Mercury.
According to the operator’s manual, the top speed with a Yamaha F-115 LA was 40.5 mph at 5900 RPM.
Best cruising came in at 4000 RPM and 24.2 mph, in which the fuel economy averaged around 4.6 mpg for a range of 225 miles.
You could expect almost the same fuel economy with a 4-stroke Suzuki 140hp outboard, which propelled the boat up to 42-43 mph and cruised at 25-26 mph.
In terms of acceleration, the boat could go from 0 to 30 mph in less than 8.5 seconds with a 140-150hp 4-stroke engine, or even faster with a 2-stroke variant.
The moderate deep-V hull design effectively balanced stability and comfort. It also offered great tracking and smooth turns at any speed.
Thanks to the high freeboard, full-height transom, and steep deadrise, the 180 could handle the chop way better than her bowrider-style competitors.
Specifications
The factory specifications of the Wellcraft Sportsman 180 were as follows (2017 model year):
Dimensions and Capacities (2017)
L.O.A. |
18’ 0” |
Bridge Clearance |
4’ 5” |
Bridge Clearance w/Bimini |
6’ 7” |
Beam |
8’ 0” |
Deadrise |
20° |
Draft Down |
32” |
Draft Up |
15” |
Dry Weight |
2085 lb. |
Maximum Capacity |
1350 lb. |
Persons Capacity |
6 |
Max HP |
150hp |
Fuel Capacity |
51 gal. |
Power Options (2017)
Manufacturer |
Type |
Evinrude |
115DPL |
Evinrude |
135 HO HLS |
Evinrude |
150DSL |
Mercury |
115ELPT 4S |
Mercury |
150L 4S |
Yamaha |
F115LB |
Yamaha |
F150LB |
Disclaimer: Specifications are provided for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.
Takeaways
Well-built, sturdy, and versatile, the Wellcraft Sportsman 180 was an entry-level dual console motorboat with a wood-free composite 18-foot body and 115 or 150hp single outboard engine packages.
Her top deck enjoyed a dash forward design with a tiny bow casting platform and plenty of seating in the cockpit.
Simple and practical, the seat bases doubled as storage compartments, a baitwell, and an insulated ice box with a drain.
Even though this 18-foot dual console was less comfortable than a bowrider, she offered plenty of space, a more durable interior, and a wide range of standard features.
Besides the abundance of “a La carte” optional features, the Ski and Fish packages were also popular since they added a lot of essential bells and whistles to the boat.
Performance wise, the Sportsman 180 with a 4-stroke outboard topped out in the low 40s and cruised in the mid-20s, getting roughly 4.5-5 mpg.
Thanks to her practical design and versatility, she became widely popular among buyers. To the greatest regret of many fans, Wellcraft discontinued the 180 after the 2017 season.
Despite the high sales figures this model is rarely available on the used market.
This is no surprise, because if by chance one is available, it usually sells quickly!
Her larger siblings, the Sportsman 210 and the more advanced Sportman 220 are also no less popular.