2023 Ranger Boats Z520R

There are a handful of premium bass-boat brands at the apex of tournament fishing. Ranger has always been one of them and Z520R is a perfect example.

Ranger aims for comfortable fishability with reliable, competitive performance. The rig, fitted with a Mercury 250 Pro XS, freight-trained over 12-inch chop and larger boat wakes at 68.4 mph while fully equipped with trolling-motor batteries, a full tank of fuel and two test drivers. It’s pretty frugal for its size, making 3.9 mpg at 40 mph. Handling is pure Ranger legacy—smooth at all speeds, easy in turns, and never a threat of chine walking at top-end. The 18-degree deadrise, multistrake padded V-hull gives a solid, secure feel, even in rough chop. It features a tilt helm with hydraulic SeaStar steering system.

The console is extra tall and wide to accommodate dual side-by-side 12-inch Lowrance HDS graphs plus the Ranger RIDE digital-switching screen just below and to starboard. The cockpit seating is plush, deep and wide. Between the seats is a dry-storage box with phone charger and key tray. The optional passenger console is removable and has a large glove box.