Press Room

GO BOATING Tested '08:  NITRO Z-9 CDC
By Go Boating Test Team

Nitro’s new-for-2008 Z-9 CDC was inspired by years of input from B.A.S.S. legend Rick Clunn. This dual center console combines all the features the Hall of Famer ever wanted in a tournament bass boat with he speed and handling of a high-performance hull.

“This is my dreamboat,” Clunn said of the new Z-9 CDC. “I wish I could have fished my entire career out of this boat.”  It’s probably safe to say that it’s the boat Clunn will be fishing from for the rest of his career.

We tested the Z-9 CDC on Table Rock Lake last fall. Our test model had only a couple of upgrades, such as a Lowrance LCX-27c GPS/sounder with 7-inch screen on the bow instead of the standard X135 unit, and was powered by a Mercury 250 Pro XS, but other than that, there’s little need for upgrades on this boat.

The Z-9 CDC’s hull is hand-laid with foam-filled stringers that are chemically bonded to the hull. The new dual center console is ideal for landing big fish by providing access to the gunwales anywhere on the boat. In addition, it places the weight near the center of gravity where it belongs.  This bass boat breaks the mold, so to speak, in more ways than one. In front of the console is a large aerated, timed livewell with pump-out and flushmounted measuring stick. There are two separate Guardian livewells in the rear. All three feature oxygen-generation systems.  On the portside of the console is a trash bin and on the starboard side, a cooler.  State-of-the-art instrumentation gauges eliminate glare and face directly at the driver. A Lowrance LCX-27c combo unit is standard at the helm. 

Your fishing partner can bring all of his rods and has a place for his valuables, too, because there’s rod storage along both gunwales and a passenger-side glovebox. Behind the throttle is another glovebox.  The outer rear seats slide forward to form a step to the rear deck. Other standard features include a fold-down boarding ladder, stainless pop-up cleats and a built-in three-bank battery charger.

For complete article, click on the PDF file below.

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