CAPACITY OF RT 31CB

[dbashJ56]

We are considering buying a boat in the next 6 mos. and I was just curious about the capacity for the RT 31CB? Says it sleeps 6, but for day cruising I cannot find it anywhere. Also another question would be how much do you spend on annual maintenance?? We are both retired, and looking to get into boating for the first time in our early 60's. I am asking everyone we now who has a boat and you Tugnuts for any advice, input you have for us!!

Thanks!

 

[Dale777]

dbash356,

Since I have the R31S, I can't tell you anything about the Command Bridge capacity on the R31CB.

However, for sleeping quarters, I believe the two models are comparable. Two adults sleep very comfortably in the V-berth since it is large and has a partial walk-around bed. My wife loves that part compared to the R27 crawl-in V-berth that we owned previously. The mid-berth (the cave) is good for two children or one adult. Then, you can sleep two small children on the cushion that goes over the salon table. I don't see how a large adult could sleep there. We put a memory foam topper on the V-berth bed and the mid-berth bed to make sleeping nice and comfortable on both.

For day-cruising, we frequently have 6 people, rarely as many as 8 people, aboard in two different arrangements. I keep two very, very compact PICO telescoping chairs aboard, which I deploy in the cockpit so that 2 people can sit in those chairs and 3 people in the aft cockpit seat with me at the helm, when cruising up to about 10 Knots. Rarely, 2 more people will join me in the cabin, for a total of 8 of us. Above 10 Knots the noise becomes a bit loud in the cockpit for conversation. If the weather is crummy or if I need to go faster than about 10 Knots, everyone usually comes into the cabin with 3 at the table, 2 at the navigators seat and me at the helm, for a total of 6 of us. With kids aboard, sometimes they like to hang out in the V-Berth.

PICO chairs: https://www.amazon.com/GCI-Outdoor-PICO ... B0042X0YCK

Annual maintenance costs depend on a lot of factors. If you refer to the typical engine maintenance such as oil, oil filter, fuel filters, impeller, and zincs, then I spend about $1,000 since I have all the work done by a Volvo certified mechanic to ensure my 5 year extended warranty is kept valid. Additionally, I spend about $75 per month for a diver to scrape the bottom for about a 5 month period in SW Florida. And, every 2-3 years, I spend another $1,500 for a bottom paint job; this might be a bit cheaper than expected since I don't pay for a haul-out. The work is done during the annual haul-out for in-door hurricane rated storage during the hurricane season.

Most of our cruising is a mixture of day-cruising around Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach and extended cruising for a few weeks at a time up and down the Gulf Coast of Florida, across the Okeechobee Waterway to the Florida East Coast and up and down that East Coast. For what I have described, the R31S is PERFECT for us! We love our R31S, even though it had some "new-boat issues" that eventually got resolved; the factory is great at helping. Over three years later, I only have one small issue that still needs to be resolved.

And, if you are concerned at all about getting into boating for the first time at your age of the early 60s, don't be as long as you are healthy and willing to take boating lessons and to learn from every experienced boater that is willing to help you. Many of us are older than you. There are lots of those helpful people out there, with many of them on this forum. Go to some of the Ranger Tugs rendezvous around the country to get to know these people. They are amazingly helpful and the rendezvous are fun!

 

[aculverwell]

Dale777 covered the bases pretty thoroughly, but I'll add on a few points based on my experience with my new R31CB:

Sleeping
Mid-Ship Berth (aka Cave)- Our 2 (not small) teenage boys both sleep in the mid-ship berth together-- which is great for the adults since it keeps the main cabin free. It is a bit cramped, but you can definitely get in 2 normal sized adults if they don't mind being cozy.
Dining Table- I am 6'3" and have slept on the dining table, but I would not recommend it for tall folks. Technically you could probably sleep 2 kids on the table, but since there is a pretty good drop to the floor and no railing, I would not recommend more than 1.
Thus... total sleeping capacity depends on the physical dimensions of your crew, but rule of thumb for me is 4 adults are comfortable, 5 is cramped, 6 doable but not recommended.

Day Cruising
Max passengers really depends on weather and comfort....
Good weather: 4 on Command Bridge + 6-8 in cabin + 2 in rear Cockpit = 12-14
Bad Weather: 6-8 in cabin
Can definitely do more than this if really necessary.

Maintenance
Really depends on the age & condition of the boat and whether you plan to do the work yourself. I am spending $400 on my initial Volvo service next week, but plan to do regular maintenance (Oil/Filter, impeller etc.) myself thereafter. Based on cost of materials, I expect this to be in the $300/year range (plus scraped knuckles and grease stained clothes.) Actual repairs can be costly, of course, but we are currently covered by warranty and enjoying not having to worry about unexpected budget busters!

IMO, if you are going to get into boating, you really can't go wrong with Ranger Tugs. The boats are great and easy to manage, the company is great and really supports the RT community, and the RT community is pretty cool too.

 

[JamesTXSD]

The capacity of a boat depends on how you will use it. A 22 foot bow-rider can hold 10 people. No one would think of those 10 people spending the night on the boat. A 26' pontoon can carry 12 passengers, and everyone gets a place to sit. Fun, until the weather turns to crap.

On boats the size of the R31 you are considering, I have found them to be a great couple's cruising boat. Yes, you can carry more than two people, but the boat is really at its best with a couple. You can potentially sleep 6 onboard... but, they better know each other really well. 3 adult couples, would likely run out of elbow room before the first anchorage. At this size, if someone gets up in the middle of the night to use the head, everyone onboard is going to know about it.

The next question begs: where do you seat these people at meal time? And, where do you put people while cooking. How about showers? How will everyone tolerate 3 days onboard when Mother Nature laughs at the "partly cloudy" forecast and dumps sideways blowing rain on you?

We used to have a scrolling electric signboard for our 40' motorcoach... people would always ask, "How many does that sleep?" My standard answer: drinks 8, feeds 4, sleeps TWO." 😉 (had that on the scrolling sign) Oh, there were two comfortable fold-out couches and a nice bedroom. Still, sleeps 2. We don't have any small children, only one daughter... and she likes a nice, comfortable hotel when she travels.

We had a Corsair trimaran that the manufacturer advertised as "Can sleep 5." Not on my boat.

You have to consider where you put people's stuff? What water capacity? Privacy. And personal space.

You could put 8 people on the R31 for drinks. Comfortably seat and feed 4 (more if you are willing to split the group into two seatings, one in the cabin and one in the cockpit. But, how many onboard for lengthy cruising? Depends on your space and privacy tolerances.

People often buy a boat with the idea that friends, neighbors, and family will want to go out with them. Turns out, they generally don't (if they aren't boat people)... and when they do go out, they don't want to do it for more than a couple hours... and, they sure don't want to sleep in a mid-berth or on a dinette table instead of their comfortable bed at home.

Buy a boat for the way the two of you will use it. Grandkids and/or grown kids once in a while... sure, but don't expect them to change their lifestyle because you are excited about a boat. That said, the boating lifestyle is a delight for those who really "get it." Before buying a boat, take a safe boating class through the US Coast Guard Aux or the US Power Squadron - you will learn a lot about safety and use, which will help you make a better buying decision.

The R31 is a very nice boat. The pleasure you will derive from it depends on how you use it. Good luck with this discovery process.

 

[dbashJ56]

Thank you for all the input - lots to think about. One thing I especially appreciate is all the willingness to be helpful! We look forward to joining the world of Ranger Tugs!! I have really enjoyed this forum about everything from maintenance, to cruising and equipment.

Cheers
Debbie