Ive spent a decent amount of time looking at these two boats the last two weeks. Deck width on the z520 at the seat pedestal hole is about 70-71 inches, and the z521 is about 66 inches. This point is actually a bit furthur away from the point of the boat on the Ranger than on the BC. Maximum deck width is actually even wider on these two boats. On the BC, the width is 64 inches a few inches behind the pedestal. A lot of this info is on BBC Ranger forums. Also, the shapes of the boats are different – it seems to me that the Ranger carries more of its width forward to the front deck, though on diagrams it looks like BC does that also. I agree that the BC looks narrower, but its not really more than a few inches when actually measured.
Checked Friday – quoted 5% for seven years at local credit union. They wont finance longer. Last I checked longer terms for marine financing were in the 8% range or more.
Youll be needing at least four boats to live in Covington – bass boat, bay boat, small aluminum boat, and a small sailboat for kicks when it gets hot. From Covington, you can make a lot of good weekend trips. Red River Pool 3 or 4, 3 hours away. Toledo mid-lake 4.5 hrs, Cane River 3.5 hrs, Atchafalaya Basin 1-2 hrs, Caney Lake 5 hrs, Black or Clear Lake, Saline lake (in Central Louisiana) 4 hrs, Saline-Larto Complex 3 hrs.. I havent even mentioned the Mississippi lakes, and the oxbows along the Mississippi River in the eastern part of the state You can stay at my house for some of those trips if youll let me drive your BC. I think youll have a lot more choices of places to fish in under a 4 hour drive from Covington, but I dont know the Johnson City area very well.
It would be hard to beat a swing through Red River pool 5 or 4, then go 1 hour west to Toledo Bend for a day or two, then another hour west to Sam Rayburn for a day or two. Better to do this in spring, not summer. All great fisheries with different types of fishing.
Cant go – still have the restraining order in place from the 06 Auburn game. Let me know if they still have the urine stains on the front door.
Ive just recovered enough to talk about it. Ive been a Miles supporter, as I think we need long term coach to have consistent winning seasons. However, what happened yesterday was simply inexcusable. There is an obvious pattern of poor decision making here, and its getting old. As far as changing coaches goes, I think were stuck with him for a while, as his buyout is off the charts.
Thanks – not sure if theres much difference between the Puma and the Pantera width-wise. Debating if 18 foot Ranger is wider than 20 foot Puma. Ranger is 77 inches at front of console.
I dont think most modern rods will fit in a standard length truck bed running straight front to back. I bought the rod tubes that can be adjusted from Academy, and put stik jackets on the rods. Each tube will hold 6 or 7 rods safely. I have an f250 with standard length bed, and the tube fits perfectly diagonally across the bed, and holds my 7 10″ swimbait rod perfectly. Ive used this setup to take my equipment with me safely to FLW tournaments as a co-angler, with no broken rod tips thus far.By the way, I have the Roll n Lock bed cover, which does a good job of keeping my stuff safe at night. I just stand in the hotel parking lot at night and rig up my stuff, then lock the cover back up and leave it there. No problems with theft yet.
With 14,000 lbs to play with, you could afford to leave 50 feet or so of slack in the line and get a good running start. Be sure to take a few pics when the kids and wife realize that theyve only got 10 feet of slack line left, and youre on plane already. This is the best method Ive found to limit how much they ask to go tubing when I want to fish!
Not that big of a deal – just a few observations after a year of relentless analysis of whats on the market now. Im starting to think that I might need to take a few months off and just hang out at the factory while they build mine – hope thats ok!
Also, I already realize that several things on my wish list cant be done in the BC due to structural and design issues (such as the retractable rod strap due to conduit for the trolling motor wire, etc).
Im not sure I can live with carpeted boxes – my boxes now seem to get a lot of dirty stuff in them somehow. I just rinse them out with soap and water about once a year and they look like new. I like the bungees OK, but the rod saver retractables have worked so well, and look really neat, that I hate to not have them. I do prefer the bungees over the velcro though. I agree with the worries about the removable second console. I fish alone 80% of the time, but the second console is really nice for the occasional partner. I dont have any great ideas on this yet. I agree that time will tell on the model that Phoenix has out.The Cooks system is under the lids, if Im not mistaken. Im talking about something built in and outside, perhaps on the side of the console. Im apparently too lazy to lift the lid and hang the bait when I change it.I like the BC consoles the best, from a co-angler perspective. Im pretty happy when I draw a guy with a BC, particularly in February. My right knee, however, is not as happy about the narrow space between the consoles. I had just got new progressive lens bifocals when that happened, so now that Im not stumbling around like a drunk when I wear them, it might not be such a problem for me.I only need one rod on deck when Im on fish. The other 99% of the time, Ive got 5 out minimum. Ive actually thought about drilling a new slot for the latch on the TM about one inch furthur back so that the motor sits up a bit and doesnt hit the rods. For some reason, my current one has enough room under it.
Pretty amazing stuff!
Thanks guys – input much appreciated. The construction of the boat is the reason Im probably going to go with a BC. I really like the Ranger cover, and Ive not noticed any rub rail scuffs. It would be a great option on the BC, and I would pay more to have it (I keep my boat covered pretty much all the time, even in my boat storage area). Im convinced that the cover is the reason my 5 year old Ranger still looks brand new.I know that BC does everything for a good reason – I have learned that when doing my research. Seems I remember the box finish issue being a structural design issue that prevented the use of a smoother finish, in exchange for a stronger construct. Am I remembering that correctly?Ive seen the mods on the retractables where a hole was cut in the rod box – I would probably have to be medicated to allow someone to cut a hole in one of my lids. This isnt a deal breaker for me, just an annoyance.I never realized the Eyra consoles had a pocket cut out for the rod tips. Maybe they can just stick two of those on a Puma for me – problem solved!
We need to drop this thread from the board now! For the last 10 years, Ive been telling my wife that the motor only last for 100 hours before lots of problems begin. Ive got 93 on my current boat, so Ive finally got her convinced that this will be probably be my last summer before Ive got to get a new one. Come on guys – work with me a bit here!
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