When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Ranger 173 Ghost 2010 and the Ranger 2200 Bay Ranger 2012 are modified vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Ranger 2200 Bay Ranger 2012 measures 22,0 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 4,8 additional feet of deck space compared to the Ranger 173 Ghost 2010 at 17,3 feet (2010). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Ranger 2200 Bay Ranger 2012 tips the scales at 2 075 lbs — 1 090 lbs less than the Ranger 173 Ghost 2010 at 985 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 150 hp, the Ranger 2200 Bay Ranger 2012 has a 35-hp advantage over the Ranger 173 Ghost 2010's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 3 gal and 6 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Ranger 2200 Bay Ranger 2012 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Ranger 173 Ghost 2010 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Ranger 2200 Bay Ranger 2012 could be the deciding factor.