Wheres Stroker and Basscat? 

I'd pick Stratos because Wolsky's boat is one sweet ride.

"Ride and Decide" - Champion's slogan---Tell everyone why a Champion is the best boat out there Russ...Oh does Banks Lank come to mind at the Frostbite?  How did it handle those 5-6 foot rollers?  What did you say.....Speak up....did you say you didn't even get wet?  That's what I thought you said.  Champion Boats are the smoothest ride out there, whether your in a boat like mine or a 196 or 206, you won't go back to anything else. 

That's my small denomination of input.

Bob

I am in with Rob.  What can I say, I am a bug man.  Does everything I ask it to, handles big, rough water, flies on the flat stuff, and really handles like a sports car.  Not bad for a 20+ foot boat.

A Stroker would be nice with a 300HP and to hit the triple digit marker. Still looks like a very fishable boat.

They're all good boats. But just look at how they're built.  Really, we checked out all the major brands, and they're all very comparible until you look at how a Ranger is built vs. the others. 

Ranger is the best built boat out there (http://www.rangerboats.com/pages/tradition/sign.cfm) ; backed by the industry's strongest warranty.  Period.  Their customer service is the best - and I'm a very tough customer (several JD Powers awards agree).  It's that service that you'll be dealing with after the purchase.

My 520 Commanche has a very sweet, smooth, dry ride.  Plenty of storage - more than comparable boats of the same size.  As for speed, Lyle and I are dead even (he passed me on the Columbia, but when I trimmed up I paced him). 

And the thing handles!  I nearly threw myself overboard a few times when I first got it - it digs and TURNS!  No sliding here.  That took awhile for me to get used to. 

Look at the trailers too.  Ranger builds their own trailers - not assembles them from parts they buy.  They manufacture all their parts and build the trailers at the plant, thus maintaining close watch over quality. No other boat manufacturer does that.

Also, pay particular attention to accessibility - from fuses to bilge pumps to the dreaded "trolling motor compartment" up front, some boats shine where others fall short.  Some are "stupid easy" while others are just stupid. I think you'll find the Ranger engineers have really put in some OT figuring out these details so that it's easy to maintain your boat.  You won't need a 3rd elbow to get to things!

I can tell you more, but my advice is to go out, compare and drive them.  What's important to me, may not be to you, and vice-versa.  So ultimately you need to do some legwork.

Rob,

Your right. Wish I did have the cash to get the Z-Commanche, but lookin seriously at the Champion and the Stratos. Gave it some thought about the new 20I-I-class from Skeeter. I believe they actually have the best transom out there, speed is comparable to Stratos and ride well thats another story. I guess it is a tough choice since they are all good boats.

As Glen stated I allways have looked at the entire package-fit,finish,accesability to components,trailer,ride,speed. Its a hard one to figure out. I will be checking them all out next year.
Russ

Troy,

Transom issues and too much money is why I don't look at the Triton.
Russ