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Dec 30th, 2023
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 Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: snickers]
#7912852
08/23/12 02:16 PM
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 14,088
Tiltman
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 14,088 |
So your Xpress 19 foot runs and rides better than a z 521 ? Due to having two teen agers in High School to make extra money I have increased the amount of rigging/repair I have done in my shop in my spare time. I have crawled every inch of these boats along with Skeeter. I have a lot of experience with Basscats both driving them and working on them. I will say that to work on one and to fish/run cables etc the fit,finish and structural layout of a Ranger is very impressive. Probably as good or better than the other two. The deck layout on the Z120 I just put a lot of time into was awesome well thought out and detailed very nice. Having said that, looking at the bottom side of the that boat my thoughts were ...."wow I dont think I would want to drive this in rough water" it is virtually a flat bottom from the end of the rod locker back. I also can say that coming south on Rayburn in a north wind with some pretty large waves I passed a Z521 in my Xpress 19 boat and the two guys in that boat looked miserable, and BTW it was rough enough that my front butt seat pedestal ripped out. I have been in equally rough water in a Puma, Cougar , and Jaguar and had no problem and darn sure and Xpress 19 foot boat wouldn't have kept up. I still think if I were to go back to glass I am going to choose a Basscat , strong value and great solid platform for the money. Those saying resale values are better on a Ranger need to quantify that I would like to see hard numbers. I know that I have never had a problem selling a Cat and know Kernan looks specifically for them because they sell fast. My two pennies. by the looks of those two guys its not any worse
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7912862
08/23/12 02:18 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 566
David Gillham
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 566 |
Go look at and take a ride in both. Can't see you making a bad decision with anyone of these. Brands get labeled as this/that while my experience is different. Just continue to research and go with your choice.
I've been fishing out of cat for 7+ years so i have more hands on knowledge with them. When asked what I like about them my first response is they ride well and fish good. I do know BassCat spends more man hours than the rest of the industry in the fiberglass process. I had a puma originally. I didnt use the net storage so i switched to a CougarFTD which is basically the same boat with just a few differences. They are fast and look good but that isn't what first comes to my mind. Storage, livewells, dry smooth ride, durability, and fish ability are what I've come to really appreciate. I know they want nickel and dime you if you ever have a issue. They have some really good dealers. Rockwall Marine is my local dealer and they are really good to work with.
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7912971
08/23/12 02:46 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853
Joefishin
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853 |
Like I said earlier I'm in a Cat now, but if the right deal came along down the road i wouldn't hesitate to go back to a Ranger. Both have been very impressive.
But, there does seem to be quite a bit of brand loyalty going on in here. Some of the stuff being claimed, I experienced the opposite first hand. Granted, some may be model specific. But I could not stand the livewell in my 02 520. It was way too shallow and I constantly had to watch my fish when it's warm out. Heck for that matter I've had trouble with fish in late summer/early fall in it. The aerators etc..worked great and I did like the fact that I could remove the divider for big fish. But it needed to be much, much deeper.
The same thing could be said for the cooler that I see people raving about. Yes it was insulated better than most, but same problem as the livewell. Too shallow, which means heat penetrates the deck over a larger circumference of the cooler. Depth would give it the ability to hold the cold better.
Neither would stop me from buying another, but just being honest on a real problem I had with that boat.
Over time I will find things I don't like about the Cat either, for starters I am having a hard time adjusting to the foot pedal on the TM. I have to use the buttseat for stability. I don't like that because I don't like to even have the seat in the boat.
Those are 'real' Cons on those two boats.
http://www.denalirods.com �Some men fish all their lives without knowing it is not really the fish they are after.� -Henry David Thoreau
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7913009
08/23/12 02:57 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 343
Ranger_Ag
Angler
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Angler
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 343 |
Maybe they changed something between in '02 and '09, but I haven't had a lick of trouble out my livewells. Add a little sure life, a little ice, and we're good to go. In three seasons fishing two seperate trails I have lost one fish and I would be hesitant to blame that one on the livewell.
You are right on the cooler and think they have addressed that issue as well. My cooler doesn't have a seal around the top, so the ice melts fast. But back in July, I threw a bag of ice in the rear compartment next to the livewell and it stayed good pretty much the whole day. I have been looking to upgrade and all of the coolers have the seal. That could have just been something model specific on my 198vx.
One thing I really don't like about my Ranger that Basscat does really well is the dash. Big fan of the fully molded dash, it really makes the boat look great and you don't have to worry about things fading/screws coming loose. And Ranger still hasn't figured out how to make a glove box!
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: Tiltman]
#7913034
08/23/12 03:04 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,127
Texas Smoke
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,127 |
So your Xpress 19 foot runs and rides better than a z 521 ? Due to having two teen agers in High School to make extra money I have increased the amount of rigging/repair I have done in my shop in my spare time. I have crawled every inch of these boats along with Skeeter. I have a lot of experience with Basscats both driving them and working on them. I will say that to work on one and to fish/run cables etc the fit,finish and structural layout of a Ranger is very impressive. Probably as good or better than the other two. The deck layout on the Z120 I just put a lot of time into was awesome well thought out and detailed very nice. Having said that, looking at the bottom side of the that boat my thoughts were ...."wow I dont think I would want to drive this in rough water" it is virtually a flat bottom from the end of the rod locker back. I also can say that coming south on Rayburn in a north wind with some pretty large waves I passed a Z521 in my Xpress 19 boat and the two guys in that boat looked miserable, and BTW it was rough enough that my front butt seat pedestal ripped out. I have been in equally rough water in a Puma, Cougar , and Jaguar and had no problem and darn sure and Xpress 19 foot boat wouldn't have kept up. I still think if I were to go back to glass I am going to choose a Basscat , strong value and great solid platform for the money. Those saying resale values are better on a Ranger need to quantify that I would like to see hard numbers. I know that I have never had a problem selling a Cat and know Kernan looks specifically for them because they sell fast. My two pennies. by the looks of those two guys its not any worse Come on Tilt. You know better than this. lol ........ Oh man, these threads bring out some doozies.
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: Jarrett Latta]
#7913046
08/23/12 03:06 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,127
Texas Smoke
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,127 |
i see way more rangers for sale than basscats I see more Fords for sale than Kias also. Hummmmmm, you think it's because Ford sells WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY more cars than Kia does ?? You think that has anything to do with it ??? geez.
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7913055
08/23/12 03:08 PM
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 15,137
txwhitetail
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 15,137 |
Nitro w Etec tops em all! Lol
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: Ranger_Ag]
#7913166
08/23/12 03:34 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853
Joefishin
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,853 |
Maybe they changed something between in '02 and '09, but I haven't had a lick of trouble out my livewells. Add a little sure life, a little ice, and we're good to go. In three seasons fishing two seperate trails I have lost one fish and I would be hesitant to blame that one on the livewell.
You are right on the cooler and think they have addressed that issue as well. My cooler doesn't have a seal around the top, so the ice melts fast. But back in July, I threw a bag of ice in the rear compartment next to the livewell and it stayed good pretty much the whole day. I have been looking to upgrade and all of the coolers have the seal. That could have just been something model specific on my 198vx.
One thing I really don't like about my Ranger that Basscat does really well is the dash. Big fan of the fully molded dash, it really makes the boat look great and you don't have to worry about things fading/screws coming loose. And Ranger still hasn't figured out how to make a glove box! I didn't lose fish in them, just felt like the shallow depth made me have to pay more attention to them. Yeah, the dash was kinda flimsy and I had to re-loctite some screws. I am a big fan of the one piece console. 
http://www.denalirods.com �Some men fish all their lives without knowing it is not really the fish they are after.� -Henry David Thoreau
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7913410
08/23/12 04:41 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 27,611
patriot07
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 27,611 |
JMHO, if I was spending that sort of money, I'd find the closest dealer for both and do a test drive in each. Spend some time sitting in the boat and seeing what you like and don't like should help. Also, you might get a better idea of which dealer you'd rather be taking your boat to for the next 10+ years.
From the sounds of the opinions on here, they're both really good boats. I've only ridden in a Z521, and I can honestly say that if I ever had that sort of money to burn, it's exactly what I'd buy. Fast, smooth, dry and a really solid fishing platform.
I do agree with N-M-W, that the Ranger does not drift at all and is the epitome of a fishing machine. But once again, I've never been in a cat other that climbing in one once or twice waiting on my boat at Rockwall Marine. And they all look good compared to my 15 year old 17-footer.
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
- Soren Kierkegaard
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: Texas Smoke]
#7913472
08/23/12 04:54 PM
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 14,088
Tiltman
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 14,088 |
i see way more rangers for sale than basscats I see more Fords for sale than Kias also. Hummmmmm, you think it's because Ford sells WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY more cars than Kia does ?? You think that has anything to do with it ??? geez. We sell both! when gas skyrocketss the Kia's move!
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: Huckleberry]
#7913481
08/23/12 04:58 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 13,758
Ken A.
Groovy
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Groovy
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 13,758 |
The ninth one down is my old boat except I had them remove the lil ole 250 and install the big dog before they shipped it to me.
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7913943
08/23/12 06:33 PM
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,130
374 Trigger
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,130 |
Basscat started out coping Ranger hulls so close you couldnt tell them apart (example old Ranger DTR10)back in the 70s.Tells me Forest had something going they wanted a part of.I think they are still the to best two boats out there.Skeeters the only other one thats hang in there for so many years,been there done that.
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7914008
08/23/12 06:48 PM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,087
Skeeter_Man1
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,087 |
Switch to skeeter but my second pick is a ranger
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Re: Ranger vs BassCat
[Re: BThomas]
#7914129
08/23/12 07:12 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 81
John Tanner - Pro Guide - Fork
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 81 |
I have had both. Both good boats but have been running Ranger for since 99'. The new Z521 is the best riding boat Ive driven. They Ranger fishes much better in the wind with better boat control. The bow doesnt get blown back and forth. Much better tracking.
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