Ranger’s Z522 Comanche is one of the biggest bass boats around, but it still offers blood-boiling performance. When we threw down the hammer on our test boat — powered by a single 300 hp Mercury Verado Pro — we shot past 30 mph in 5.5 seconds and hit 71 mph at WOT.
Sure, that extra size might make the boat a bit more cumbersome when navigating tight coves, but it also makes it extremely comfortable when crossing big water. Boat traffic had the Lake of the Ozarks thoroughly riled up during our trial, but the Z522’s ride remained comfortable.
Size also matters when it comes to stowage, and this is another department in which the Z522 Comanche screams: “More! Bigger! Better!” Center and port foredeck rod boxes provide room for a dozen rigs, there’s an integrated tackle system, an onboard cooler and enough bulk stowage to hold all the gear you’ll need for a three-day tournament. Those compartment hatches, which raise on gas-assist struts, are all lockable. The raised forward casting deck, new for 2012, makes all this massive stowage possible.
If you’re a serious bass angler who likes things big — really big — but won’t sacrifice one iota of performance, check out Ranger’s Z522 Comanche.
Key Features
-Big-screen electronics easily install at the new-for-2012 helm console.
-SRS soft-ride-system seats have spring compression support to absorb the blows when you launch off wakes at high speed.
-Raised casting deck lets you make the best presentation of lures.
