I've been looking at small vessels for the last four years. Retirement is coming up on me and I'm looking forward to this new life style. I've read the posts, read the articles, looked at the galleries and still I wonder... is this boat (R-25) that good?
?
- Thread starter tomw
- Start date
norbhat
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- Dec 22, 2008
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- 75
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-248 C
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- 2533J809
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- TWO IF BY SEA
I just bought one and will board for the first time next week. Check back with me in September after doing the Inside Passage and I'll give you an opinion.
Norb
Two If By Sea
Norb
Two If By Sea
j&lgray
Well-known member
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- Nov 28, 2008
- Messages
- 644
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-28
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- Trilogy
Finding the right boat for is like finding the right spouse. You can look and search, take some out for a trial run, listen to the advice of others but ultimately, you will know the right boat when you find it because it will feel right. It is both a head-thing where the boat meets your established needs and what you want in your boat; and it is a heart-thing where the look of the boat, its feel, textures and aura just calls you.
You are on the website of folks who typically love their Rangers, so the views you will read are, well, biased. Each one of the owners has a story to tell of why they love theirs and what brought them to the Ranger 25.
For us, we looked for our next boat for two years. The Ranger 25 met my head-things and when Laurie saw her at the Seattle Boat Show, it met all of her heart-things. We have no regrets and we love the crew at the factory for their continuing care and service and that is the lesson we really learned. There is a third component to your search besides the head-thing and heart-thing; the service and support that is present after the purchase. Every product will have its issues and especially because a boat is like a mini-city where you produce energy, provide life support and it takes you places; this is a very complex machine. For us, what separates the Ranger from the others is the service and support.
You are on the website of folks who typically love their Rangers, so the views you will read are, well, biased. Each one of the owners has a story to tell of why they love theirs and what brought them to the Ranger 25.
For us, we looked for our next boat for two years. The Ranger 25 met my head-things and when Laurie saw her at the Seattle Boat Show, it met all of her heart-things. We have no regrets and we love the crew at the factory for their continuing care and service and that is the lesson we really learned. There is a third component to your search besides the head-thing and heart-thing; the service and support that is present after the purchase. Every product will have its issues and especially because a boat is like a mini-city where you produce energy, provide life support and it takes you places; this is a very complex machine. For us, what separates the Ranger from the others is the service and support.
captd
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2008
- Messages
- 447
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-24 C
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT2528I809
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- 27 ft. 1979 Sports Craft
- Vessel Name
- Lucky Finagin
The Ranger Tug fits a special nitch. If you want to live aboard, If you want to hurry ahead of a storm, if you want to save mooring and haulout costs, if you want to save a whole bunch on fuel. If you want a boat that is safe up the inside passage or head for the Bahamas and then put your boat in your garage. Towing to Alaska, Mexico, or Florida, in other words you can cruise anywhere you chose. Both oceans, Sea of Cortez, all lakes and rivers. You can do all this and meet the best on the water. The C-Brats as well as the Tugnuts.
The factory support is unheard of. They actually helped me go from a 2007 to a 2009, because the new model was more fitting for our kind of cruising. The resale value on the Ranger is holding up even in these trying economic times, allowing for that kind of upgrade.
My Lucky Fin is stored in Mims, Florida. Burts Auto Sales has more people wanting to buy the Ranger than anything else in his lot. He is pestered every day to sell them my boat. Wefing will get a call from a guy that insisted on info on where to buy one. If he wasn't an old friend he would make me take the boat out of there today. People get nasty when he tells them it is not for sale.
What the factory and Wefing did for me would never happen in a auto or RV dealers lot. You would have to take a 30% loss.
I know of no other boat that gives so much for the money.
Bigger or faster means a whole lot more money.
I and my wife like it well enough to go for seconds..........That should tell you something.......You don't hear much buyers remorse on this site.
captd
The factory support is unheard of. They actually helped me go from a 2007 to a 2009, because the new model was more fitting for our kind of cruising. The resale value on the Ranger is holding up even in these trying economic times, allowing for that kind of upgrade.
My Lucky Fin is stored in Mims, Florida. Burts Auto Sales has more people wanting to buy the Ranger than anything else in his lot. He is pestered every day to sell them my boat. Wefing will get a call from a guy that insisted on info on where to buy one. If he wasn't an old friend he would make me take the boat out of there today. People get nasty when he tells them it is not for sale.
What the factory and Wefing did for me would never happen in a auto or RV dealers lot. You would have to take a 30% loss.
I know of no other boat that gives so much for the money.
Bigger or faster means a whole lot more money.
I and my wife like it well enough to go for seconds..........That should tell you something.......You don't hear much buyers remorse on this site.
captd
Bruce Moore
Staff member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2008
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- SSBN 658 Mariano G. Vallejo
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- Soundtrack
- MMSI Number
- 368096220
Moondance is our first boat. It took several years to figure out what we wanted in a boat, and several more to find it. We had almost given up when we saw the R25 on the water at a boat show. Six weeks later, after a factory visit, sea-trial, and due diligence, we were convinced it was the right boat. More importantly, we were convinced Fluid Motion/Ranger Tugs was the right boat builder. We wrote a check and got in the queue.
As we build competency and confidence on the water, our tug continues to prove itself to be even more than we imagined. The same is true of the factory team. They have been right with us every step of the way. And we never tire of the compliments, and outright amazement expressed by experienced boaters, power and sail alike. As one veteran passage maker said, "she's a right proper boat."
Cheers,
Bruce
As we build competency and confidence on the water, our tug continues to prove itself to be even more than we imagined. The same is true of the factory team. They have been right with us every step of the way. And we never tire of the compliments, and outright amazement expressed by experienced boaters, power and sail alike. As one veteran passage maker said, "she's a right proper boat."
Cheers,
Bruce
Stella Maris
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- Destiny
This is a great boat for beginner or experienced boater alike. It handles the rough water as well as those days that we dream of. This is the seventh boat we have owned and have not regret-ed it for a minute (even when we hit the submerged reef....)