3 for 3

We love our new R23 and have enjoyed fabulous support from Andrew, Ivan and the rest of the gang. We had a minor issue on our boat after taking delivery in November and Ranger Tugs stepped up to the plate immediately and made it right. Not to mention answering their cell phones and replying to emails when we asked typical newbie questions during our first few outings. I don't think you'll find a more responsive boat company than Ranger Tugs. Just my $.02.

Peter
Island Time
 
Thank you for those responses. It is reassuring to hear. Being located at least 6-7 hrs from the nearest dealer and thousand of miles from the factory, I wonder if participating in the factory delivery program would greatly lessen the possibility of getting a boat home with any problems? I would hope that the boat could be gone through stem to stern and any problems found during delivery could then be resolved at the factory level before it was shipped home.It may sound like overkill but do any new owners ever have their boats surveyed before leaving the factory to find out if there any issues that need to be addressed before the boat leaves the factory? I know that boats are never perfect and that there is always something that needs to be addressed but as an owner of Boston Whalers and Grady Whites since 1987 I am unaccustomed to hearing these types and magnitude of issues. Unfortunately neither BW or GW make a boat as suitable for cruising or doing the Loop and that is why I am interested in Ranger Tugs. A Rosborough RF-246 is another I'm considering but it is quite a bit more spartan than the Ranger Tug. But sometimes there is something to be said for simplicity. I just do not want to spend this kind of money and then have to spend the first 3-6 months of ownership correcting issues that should have been dealt with during the build or that should have never occurred.
 
Our boats are just as complex as the larger boats, such as Nordic, American etc. Many inexperienced boaters buy our "cute" boats and think they can just untie from the dock and float away. All of the components are supplied by vendors to Ranger and at times have failures. My experience has been that many new boats from any manufacturer often takes a year to shake out. I have also heard horror stories of the owner of a new boat paying thousands of dollars for fixes that should have been taken care of by the manufacturer. Ranger has made progress with quality control and has certainly stood up to the plate to resolve issues. Quality control saves everyone aggravation and cost in the long run. However, nothing is perfect and at least Ranger stands up to the plate. Taking delivery in the PNW, in my opinion, is well worth the experience. Besides cruising in what I would consider one of the most beautiful cruising grounds, it gives you the opportunity to use the boat and resolve any issues while close to a great team of service oriented people.
 
I think the final post from the “unhappy” customer referred to in the thread above is worth posting again here.

Bobby Beard":1jxe5cz6 said:
A quick update. Andrew and Tim arrived at the boat yesterday morning around 7 am as did the dealer Emile and Carl. I am happy to report Andrew and Tim jumped in and went to work. Forgoing any breaks or lunch they completed all repairs around 8 PM. All issues were identified and corrected. I was very very impressed with the level of knowledge, professionalism and background of Andrew and Tim. They addressed items that weren't even on the list that they felt needed addressed. We spent a lot of time talking and hammering out what went wrong and how there was break down in communication on both sides. I am extremely happy with the end result and outcome of this situation. I will post with more detail tomorrow as I will have more time to go into detail.
Click to expand...
 
Quite honestly regarding RT's customer service, the best approach when finding any issues with a new RT boat model is to first contact the RT Customer service (Andrew, Kenny, Time, Ivan, etc). This is a better strategy before posting the issues in this forum at first. Yes, it's tempting to spell out your dissatisfactions here to get things off your chest so to speak, but working with the RT Customer Service people first is the best approach IMO.

If the RT customer service does not respond, then yes, post here. Contact RT Customer at first is the fastest way to get things resolved. RT Customer Service obviously would prefer to deal with these new-boat issue directly rather then having to read or be informed by others of the issues posted in this forum.

For the record, I've owned three RT models; RT-25, RT-21EC and RT-27/OB over a period of almost 10 years. Each one had some minor issues to begin with, with the exception of the R-21EC which was close to being perfect for me. The issues were quickly resolved in all cases and this fact has kept me looking at RT for my boating needs.

RT is simply the best when it comes to delivering a quality value-add, cost effective, well designed and awesome after-sales support. I say this as there a many different boat models in my Marina and some of the horror stories I here about convince me I made the right choice in purchasing my Ranger Tug boats.
 
There is no boat in the world that is perfect coming out of the factory. They are bespoke complicated items that involve many suppliers and equipment combined with harsh conditions built in relatively short production runs. Liquid motion and the dealers go way beyond what you can expect from most other brands in making sure its the best experience possible for owners.
 
Now you got me worried. We're scheduled to receive our new R27OB on August 2nd. Keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have a 3 for 3 like you're having!
 
You could have a 4 for 4, it is the education process of owning a boat. On my 15th year of boating and I am at about 100 for 100. :lol: Most of those are on previous boats. At least with Ranger you have resources and service that you can count on.
 
likewise. but its half the fun.

you cant have an expectation that nothing will break on a boat. you need to be somewhat handy unless you plan to send the boat to the mechanic every month for simple fixes and improvements.
 
stashj66":1mmx9o9y said:
Now you got me worried. We're scheduled to receive our new R27OB on August 2nd. Keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have a 3 for 3 like you're having!
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, Aug 2 is but 16 days away for you.... and BTW, congratulations.

I can assure you are in good hands with Ranger Tugs (RT) and this Forum for any issues that you encounter.

As others have mentioned, nothing is perfect and this is true with a new boat as well. I would expect most things on your new boat will be working AOK, but if not then work closely with your Dealership and RT to report them and get them resolved. Keep in mind that any issues you find CAN be fixed/resolved.

Hopefully, you have setup for the 2-day orientation when your boat arrives. Take good advantage of this to go over all the things that you're unsure about. You will not retain all that goes on during these 2 days but consider it as a starting point for yourself to get better and better at knowing your boats capabilities etc.

Allow your enthusiasm for the boat to trump all other negative thoughts and enjoy your new purchase.

Good luck and be sure to visit this forum for useful help and advice.
 
Thanks for the encouraging words! I'm moving from sail to power so I've been around boats for a while and have had my share of problems. This is my first power boat and first new boat. One of the main reason I chose Ranger was because of their reputation for great service (plus I really like their boats!)
 
First off, my wife and I love our R31S. I find it to be near perfect today even after over 4 years of use. But, it did have a significant number of new boat issues - 25 of them in fact.

Still, I highly recommend Ranger Tugs boats and their great after market service. Andrew Custis and his technicians have been invaluable days, nights and weekends.

Unlike a modern day car where hundreds of thousands for many models are built each year with very standardized processes and much of it automated, a boat is almost custom built with very small production numbers. So, I have different expectations about delivered quality for a boat. I've owned 2 different diesel-pusher motor homes which also have had a significant number of new motor home issues. They are also near custom built with small annual production numbers.

I keep very detailed notes on all issues and maintenance for my cars, motor homes, and boats. If you are willing to endure my tedious and lengthy list, read on:

Summary of ALL 2014 R31S Problems
1. Scratched counter top
STATUS: RESOLVED by Wefing’s Marine dealer before delivery
2. Scratched stove top
STATUS: RESOLVED by Wefing’s Marine dealer before delivery
3. Misaligned prop shaft to transmission
STATUS: RESOLVED by Wefing’s Marine dealer before delivery
4. Broken gears in spotlight discovered on day of delivery
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly by having Diversified Yacht Services through warranty payment to install the replacement spotlight sent by Andrew Custis at Ranger Tugs
5. Broken bow thruster joy stick occurred on day of delivery
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly by having Diversified Yacht Services through warranty payment to install the replacement thruster controller sent by Andrew Custis at Ranger Tugs
6. Marred leather strap for gullwing seat on starboard side, found upon day of delivery
STATUS: RESOLVED. Dale quickly received replace leather strap from Ranger Tugs.
7. Clogged fresh water pump strainer – tiny globs of PVC cuttings – occurred immediately after delivery
STATUS: RESOLVED by Dale removing the globs after Ranger Tugs technician sent replacement strainer at no cost, since Dale had trouble getting the old one apart without breaking it
8. Fresh water pump cycled about every 2 minutes, occurred immediately after delivery
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly by Andrew Custis of Ranger Tugs authorizing Diversified Yacht Services through warranty payment to repair by finding and fixing the leaking cockpit shower hose.
9. Upon delivery, missing tan Sunbrella coverings that you can’t see through for: (a) 3 rear cabin windows, (b) rear cabin door, and (c) windshield.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly by Wefing’s Marine dealer sending replacement Sunbrella coverings
10. Upon delivery, missing recessed toilet paper holder in head.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly after receiving recessed toilet paper holder from Ranger Tugs and installed by Diversified Yacht Services through warranty payment.
11. Upon delivery, both TV volume levels were too low to hear well even at 100% volume setting.
STATUS: RESOLVED: Common problem with these type TV’s, Dale now attaches separately powered portable speaker to the TV.
12. Shortly after delivery, discovered all 8 flush-mount windows had gooey, sticky sealant.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly. Received replacement sealant from Ranger Tugs who authorized Diversified Yacht Services through warranty payment to replace all the sealant on all 8 windows.
13. Discovered shortly after delivery, aft A/C next to ¼ berth did not drain. Hence, it spilled onto plywood and monkey fur resulting in mold.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly when Ranger Tugs authorized Diversified Yacht Services to repair by discovering sagging drain hose which was fixed by tying up the hose to eliminate sags.
14. Discovered shortly after delivery, V-berth A/C periodically iced up and quit working.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly when Ranger Tugs authorized Diversified Yacht Services to repair by changing the thermostat control settings
15. Discovered when fixing the A/C drain problems, leaking sump pump corrugated hose connection at the sump. Sump is under the aft section of the V-berth then under a piece of starboard.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly by Ranger Tugs authorizing Diversified Yacht Services through warranty payment to attach the hose properly.
16. Discovered after the first rain after delivery, leak in the cabinet above the helm.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly when Ranger Tugs advised that the starboard running light might be the source of the leak, so Dale removed the attachment screws and re-caulked around them.
17. Discovery a few months after delivery, mid berth port light latch so loose it unlatched itself while underway. No obvious adjustment. No solution provided by Ranger Tugs.
STATUS: RESOLVED: Dale took the latch apart and put a very thin plastic shim in the latch to force it to close more tightly.
18. Discovered about 1 year after delivery, mid berth port light leaking around a screw causing a stain on the monkey fur.
STATUS: RESOLVED: Dale replaced and properly caulked around the screws.
19. Discovered about 9 months after delivery, three screws broken off at the top of the cabin where the blue cabin trim piece attached, clearly from over-tightening when built.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly by Ranger Tugs authorizing Diversified Yacht Services through warranty payment to attach the trim properly and seal the screw holes.
20. About 2 years after delivery, I received ignition warning that there was a fault and the engine would not start.
STATUS: RESOLVED quickly. On a weekend, Dale called technician Kenny Mars at Ranger Tugs who walked Dale through the process to reset the ignition issue. No problems since.
21. Discovered after 3 years from delivery, seeping sea water causing rust stains inside the hull below the engine exhaust port.
STATUS: RESOLVED by Dale having a replacement port installed and having a bonding wire attached to the port to minimize crevice corrosion in the future.
22. About 11 months after delivery, stern thruster shear pin broke.
STATUS: RESOLVED, by Dale replacing the shear pin.
23. Discovered about 1 year after delivery, 3 of 4 wipers sometimes do not work on the UP position. Then if I press the DOWN position they work. Immediately afterwards, they then work in both UP and DOWN position.
STATUS: OPEN. Ranger Tugs suggested the switches might need to be replaced.
24. Discovered about 3 years after delivery, the plastic catch broke that holds the strut for the mast to the forward deck. This is the strut that is used when the mast is folded down to hold it in place.
STATUS: RESOLVED. Richard in Ranger Tugs parts sent a new one at no charge for Dale to install.
25. About 4 years after delivery, the GPS stopped working.
STATUS: WORKAROUND. On a Saturday night, Dale texted Andrew Custis at Ranger Tugs who walked him through diagnostic procedures so that together we worked around the issue by powering off the house batteries to re-set the NMEA 2000 network. No problems since. The root cause of this problem is still a mystery.
26. On 3/16/2016, received notice of Service Bulletin 21-0-7 for the Volvo D4-300 engine – simply a label issue.
STATUS: RESOLVED by Diversified Yacht Services performing the work.
27. On 1/2018, received notice of “Recall Campaign. R0031, D4, D6. Alternator harness inspect” for Volvo D4-300 engine.
STATUS: RESOLVED by Diversified Yacht Services performing the work.
 
That 27 item list is a long one..... 🙂

My very worst new boat issue was related to my grandson being the first person to use the head in our new R-27/OB boat. 😉 😉 😉

When he wanted to wash his hands and turning the water supply on he was greeted with a horizontal jet of shower water coming from the removable shower head wand behind the sink. Apparently the factory installed the shower head with its valve on.

I could hear my grandson's (he's 10 yrs old) voice yelling - 'what the heck Grandad.... help please).

We all had a good laugh about this and were pleased it was grandson who found the new boat issue. :lol:

So all you new boat owners, check the shower head valve position before 1st Mate uses the head. 😉
 
The 27 point list is exactly why I started this thread. It is wonderful that Ranger steps up to the plate and helps as they do but I still think that is way too many problems to be acceptable when a customer spends that kind of money on a NEW boat. It is also very fortunate to have a very reliable local boatyard to help with all those issues. Unfortunately for those of us in the more inland setting that would be a nightmare and not something I would welcome or expect. I too have owned boats since 1987 and I understand that they can have issues and the more systems there are the greater the possibility for problems, but this was a BRAND NEW boat costing well in excess of $300K. Until we stop accepting these kinds and numbers of defects in new boats as normal we will get what we get. This list does not sound like bad design but rather quality control not being what it should be before the boat leaves the plant. These post compare boats to massed produced automobiles and I frankly think a smaller production boat manufacturing operation should have better quality control and a more custom build than the breakneck high paced automotive assembly line. After all Ranger only builds their boats two ways, NW and Luxury editions. It's not as if they offer a multitude of variants and no two boats are ever built the same. I applaud them for that but it should result in far greater QC than I am seeing on this website. I apologize if I offend any Ranger fanatics but there are multiple posts on this site with these kind of delivery issues.
 
Capt. Chris 53:

I think the important thing here is to keep in mind is that RT and its reliable/competent Dealerships, as reported here, will correct new boat issues. This goes hand-in-hand with what RT customers that pay 'good' money will be fortunate enough to realize and should expect. Much evidence posted here provides evidence of this.

This in itself will provided RT customer confidence in knowing things will get fixed in a reliable way with their new boat ownership.

Personally, issues I've had with my three RT new boat purchases were all fixed properly/professionally and in a timely manner... and I'll add that I'm lucky to be close to the RT factories in the event any issue requires the boat to be sent back to the factory to get things right. For those not so lucky this aspect will obviously fall to the local RT Dealership and thus for these people it's paramount they determine ahead of time that the Dealership is in good standing with RT.
 
baz":1deql0mg said:
Capt. Chris 53:
Personally, issues I've had with my three RT new boat purchases were all fixed properly/professionally and in a timely manner... and I'll add that I'm lucky to be close to the RT factories in the event any issue requires the boat to be sent back to the factory to get things right. For those not so lucky this aspect will obviously fall to the local RT Dealership and thus for these people it's paramount they determine ahead of time that the Dealership is in good standing with RT.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with your comment about being sure your dealer is in good standing with RT. Being in KY my closest dealer is in Michigan about 6 hrs away. The next closest in the FL. Panandle about 12 hrs and after that on the Eastern shore of Maryland 12-14 hrs away. It is not particularly reassuring to know I can expect to have issues with a new boat only to be told to haul it back to one of them. I’m still working full time and cannot afford to take all my spare time hauling a new boat back and forth to a dealer no matter how willing they are to correct warranty repairs. I don't expect perfection but some of these laundry list posts of problems are just too much when the solutions are that far away.
 
Capt Chris
I find your posts here pretty funny. First of all if Im not mistaken this thread was started by Jim. Who has just taken delivery of a brand new RT. It’s easy to understand after waiting for a custom build and the expense of a brand new boat why he could have some frustrations. You however have not gone through the same steps. Yet your outrage is front and center for all to read. For some reason you set a very high standard for RT and want everyone to know they don’t meet your expectations. Despite the lofty standards you project Andrew has twice taken the time to respond to you and show you he takes his job seriously and goes miles out of his way to ensure his customers are satisfied. I’m sure he would do the same for you if you actually owned a RT. I bought my CW knowing the nearest dealer was 600 miles away. It was something I had to consider before buying the boat.
Just for fun I ran a search on GW’s. One of the top related searches was GW problems. Certainly hope you don’t have any of the fiberglass seperation issues on your hull or transom. In comparison the temporary problems we’ve experienced during the shake down period seem minor.
In closing I would like to add that it would be extremely difficult for Andrew to satisfy you since you don’t have a boat and don’t have a problem for him to jump on. By all appearances you seem to be the most unhappy customer or non customer on this blog. Hopefully you find a boat someday that meets all your expectations.
 
With the backlog of people wanting the boat i imagine they are doing just fine. I absolutely love the responsiveness and service. If you want perfection (nobody can promise it) then it costs about $150k more for a comparable vessel. Stuff happens..it is how it is dealt with that matters. These guys have that down perfect.
 
This is a subject that there is no right answers or wrong Answers.There is no doubt that many Ranger and Cutwater owners have experienced above and beyond customer service. Purchasing a new C26 in 2016 I became a owner. The customer service raved about here on Tugnuts was taken into consideration when we purchased our boat. The Dealer we purchased from I can't say a Negative word about his credibility and honesty. I have boated for a number of years ,worked in the marine industry for over 20 years, My family owned a boat yard in New England and built custom boats in the 50's, 60's, and early 70's and for the old New England boat enthusiast My Uncle built most of the Mackenzie Cuttyhunks in his Yard in Taunton Ma. in the 50's and 60's The boats were called Mackenzie/Gray Cuttyhunks. I like Boats ! I really like quality built boats. I also like Quality Control. When we purchased our Cutwater I wasn't concerned about warranty, the few small issues that would come up I felt confident I could fix them. I knew the dealer was limited in resources. I also read about how well the team at Ranger and Cutwater step up to the plate. How many issues could I experience ? Well, more then I thought, depth sounder issues...... N2K power issues....... auto pilot issues...... water system leaks...... gunnel leaks...... cracked floor in the forward berth area....... broken door latch........ bent Mast and radar mount...... deck drain leaks and improperly installed....... 12V TV improperly wired....... Shore power plug connection loose....... CO detector never wired........... Trim tabs installed to high causing the trim travel to be reduced, two trim tab mounting screws broke installed with sealant covering the holes where screw heads were missing.......... many hose clamps that were improperly sized and cutting and deforming the hoses............. Also trailer issues, both engine and marine air thru hull scoop intakes were laying on the trailer bunks......... along with many little issues. All of which I was able to repair along with many other small issues .First and last dealer repair- the dealers technician using 1 1/2 " screws to remount the autopilot pump in the starboard storage compartment and screwing into the bottom of the boat. Yes almost all the way thru. I had to cut the floor out and fill and glass the hull....... None of the issues ever put us in a situation that we could not use the boat. Many were frustrating and required hours to troubleshoot and repair. Many times I questioned ,did I buy a new boat or a used boat. I did get some assistance from Andrew, I have had many, many emails to Andrew. With all the issues I had I still think that the design and overall build of the Cutwater is good.I'm told Fluid Motion is working on QC and I believe it. The two big issues that I have with Fluid Motion was the lack of assistance that was given when I needed to get my Volvo warranty registered. The dealer never provided a PDI, Volvo Requires this. I was given the run around by Andrew and the dealer. I couldn't fix this. All I wanted was a registered warranty. After 5 months I had to fix this too. I took care of it on my own. The other issue I have is the inadequate engine compartment ventilation. Electrical and mechanical equipment are compromised by running in elevated temperatures. Performance is also. ABYC have standards and Volvo has Requirements. Both the standard and Requirements from all information I can obtain are not met by Ranger/Cutwater ventalation.The only assistance I have gotten from Fluid Motion is we are not concerned! To answer Capt. Chris would I do it again? Properly not. AM I disappointed I purchased the C26 No.I believe it will be a good boat for our boating plans. Have I been frustrated ? Many Times!! Its a boat!!! I like boats!

Barerootsbob":150mlkqr said:
Just for fun I ran a search on GW’s. One of the top related searches was GW problems. Certainly hope you don’t have any of the fiberglass seperation issues on your hull or transom. In comparison the temporary problems we’ve experienced during the shake down period seem minor.
Click to expand...

Not really a comparison, GW have been building boats since the 70's many boats in the 90's had Delamination issues. GW's are well built boats. We don't know what the condition of a 20 year old Ranger hull is in! They haven't been in production that long.
 
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