Warrior V208 Review

Story by Craig Ritchie Oct. 04, 2017

The ultimate tounament boat?

The Warrior V208 is a boat designed to appeal to freshwater anglers who like to chase a wide variety fish in an equally wide variety of conditions.

While it’s always fun to specialize, some of the most effective freshwater anglers in North America are those who fish for a wide variety of a species over the course of a season – and sometimes even over the course of a single day. The key to success when pursuing multiple types of fish is to be adaptable and versatile, and that places special demands on a boat.

After all, the characteristics that make a boat well suited to sneaking through the weedy shallows and casting to bass, pike and walleye are exactly opposite those which make a boat optimal for trolling in open, deep waters for lake trout and salmon. Attempts by boatbuilders to meet these divergent and conflicting demands are what gave rise to the so-called “multi-species” category of freshwater fishing boats. Today, these highly adaptable craft have evolved to a tremendous level of sophistication, as evidenced by the Warrior V208.

Stretching 20 feet, 4 inches in length and with a beefy 99-inch beam, the 2,436-pound Warrior V208 is a potent and capable example of the modern fiberglass multi-species fishing boat. The hefty weight is a direct result of its heavy-duty construction, being built from the keep up to take a pounding day after day, regardless of the weather. Warrior builds its boats for top-level tournament anglers and professional guides who are on the water every day of the week. This focus on simple utility and extreme durability is evident as you walk through the boat.

The raised front casting deck offers storage for bulky gear, plus a large cooler and a 16-gallon recirculating live well.

The raised front casting deck, for example, is not only large enough to accommodate a couple of anglers casting side-by-side, it’s obviously built for the long haul. The receiver base for the removable pedestal-mount seat isn’t an afterthought; it’s a solid chunk of solid aluminum, secured in place with six stainless steel screws. The elevated mounting pad for the bow-mount electric motor allows installation to either the right or left side, and the bow control panel includes not only the wiring receptacle for the motor, but a 12-volt accessory receptacle and a trim/tilt switch for the main outboard. The bow deck is strikingly neat and clean, providing numerous options for mounting aftermarket electronics.

Two of the boat’s four stereo speakers are located up front in the bow, along with in-deck storage for bulky gear and an aerated, lighted 16-gallon live well with a recirculating air system. You’ll also find a large central in-deck locking rod box, its lid supported by two heavy-duty gas rams that leave both hands free for stowing or retrieving rods. It’s only one of three rod storage lockers and two additional rod shelves on board, giving the Warrior V208 the capacity to store 28 rods in total. Even the rod shelf interiors are plushly carpeted to protect expensive gear. The in-deck locker handles rods to nine feet in length, while other storage positions will accept rods to a full 12 feet.

The in-deck rod storage locker handles one-piece rods to nine feet in length, while additional storage lockers accept 12-foot rods.

As you step down into the main cockpit it’s hard to not notice the tall, sturdy walk-through windshield that offers real protection from late season spray and winds. The passenger console sports a large locking glove box, with a stainless steel grab handle for extra security when running and a large open storage space in the console base.

The large passenger console and tall windshield provide excellent protection when running in inclement weather.

The low profile helm cosmetically matches the passenger console, housing a pair of multi-function digital gauges providing the speedometer, tach, fuel gauge and volt meter, the control head for the Jensen stereo with Bluetooth streaming capability, controls for the front and rear live wells and their timers, and a luxurious black on brushed chrome tilt steering wheel. There’s also a 12-volt accessory receptacle and a master power switch. This neat arrangement leaves the top of the dash flat and open, allowing the Warrior V208 to accommodate a wide range of aftermarket electronics.

A stylish helm console puts all the necessities within easy reach, while still allowing plenty of room to mount electronics.

So far so good – but it is the seating which really helps set the Warrior V208 apart. It comes with no less than four custom Warrior seats, with power bell and slide seating at the consoles and two AP Power Pedestals. That this boat is built to operate in rough water is obvious when you take a seat and enjoy its unequaled level of cushioning.

There’s more seating in the stern, where a pair of flip-up jump seats in the corners of the rear elevated casting platform surround a massive 37-gallon aerated live well – also lit, and fitted with a recirculation system. There’s four-tray tackle storage under each of the jump seats that accommodates a total of eight Plano 3700-style trays, and the wide gunnels are fully reinforced for mounting downriggers and other accessories.

The stern casting deck houses a huge 37-gallon aerated live well, with two jump seats in the corners. There’s space for four Plano 3700 boxes under each of the jump seats.

Befitting a top-end tournament boat, the Warrior V208 pretty much bristles with every possible amenity and convenience. An automatic bilge pump is a given, as is the 16-gallon built-in cooler and in-floor battery storage. Stainless steel courtesy lights throughout the cockpit are a welcome feature, as are the retractable stainless steel cleats that lay flush when not in use so they don’t snag fishing lines.

Built for big water, the V208 handles outboards to 350 horsepower. At maximum power, this is a legitimate 60 mph boat.

The transom on the Warrior V208 features an extra-wide splash well with plenty of space to mount a supplementary kicker outboard beside the main engine. Warrior works with Mercury, Evinrude, Yamaha and Suzuki, and can offer power matching with all. Note you’ll need an XXL shaft to work with the Warrior’s 30-inch transom height. This boat is a lot bigger than it looks on paper, with a generous inside depth of 25-1/2 inches. That’s more than some ocean-going center consoles offer. With maximum power, the craft delivers top speeds of over 60 mph at wide open throttle.

If you’re looking for a big, tough, durable boat that’s designed from the keel up to handle every type of freshwater fishing imaginable, the Warrior V208 may be just what you’re looking for. Serious anglers will find much to like here.