Subject: Factory visit for viewing our new 2018 R-27 assembly
Andrew invited us to visit the Kent factory to see the initial assembly of our new 2018 R-27 (Hull #7). I had my son and grandson with me.
Andrew gave us 2 1/2 hrs of his dedicated time for this tour.
Since viewing the new 2018 R-27 factory prototype at the Bremerton Trawlerfest a month or so back RT has made some nice refinements/additions.
1) Fiddles for port side shelves above counter top.
2) Two cup holders alongside helm seat behind the engine throttle lever
3) Privacy canvas for V-berth entrance + a hanging curtain that tracks across the inner part of the V-berth (very nice to have IMO) and can be drawn and folded out of the way.
4) Webasto 5 gallon diesel fuel tank is now located behind the stove and feeds the Webasto heater unit behind the Microwave. The tanks filler is on port side (was on starboard side when seeing the R-27 at Bremerton Trawlerfest) and is an easy reach from the cockpit.
5) Thicker bolster for the transom mounted fold down dual seat. Bolsters are now color co-ordinated with the seating colors.
6) The coffee maker is indeed a stock fixture in the V-berth area. 😀
7) The dinette table has been re-designed slightly; is larger and makes for a larger berth. 🙂
8) All four batteries are now located in the port side cockpit locker. Two are located aft and two located forward and somewhat hidden. They sit on a starboard platform and can be slid into full view; probably with some effort needed due to the battery weight. They were moved to port side to help balance the boat.
9) The stern platform area between the single hand rail and the F300 engine when turned to starboard measures 2'x3' almost exactly. This should be large enough area to stow an inflatable in its bag and tied down.
10) I discovered the fuel vent. It's built right into the inside of the filler's neck. The vent line runs from the tank to the inside of the filler just below its opening cap, so that any fuel gurgling is simply captured and returned down the main filler line. Very smart design. Mind you, gasoline doesn't foam up as much as does diesel fuel.
11) The fuel filler cap is self opening; meaning there no special tool device needed to open it.
12) Discovered that the bow thruster is now made of all composite (no metal at all) material and does not require an anode. 😱 😀 Thus, the only underwater anodes now are for the trim tabs and the base of the F300 platform attachment.
13) The center V-berth cushion has been completely redesigned. It allows for better access to the port and starboard berths (especial the port side berth) and there's sufficient clearance for the head's door fully opening. At Bremerton, the door would rub and stick against the center cushion and subsequently could not be fully opened. 😱
My grandson is desperate for going crabbing/shrimping and so I'll need to look into getting at least one Scotty Line Puller for attaching to one of the downrigger plates. 😱 Hmmmm, I note they are rather spendy. 🙁 ... but by all the reports I've read they seem to be very useful. I think my 9 yr old grandson would not be able to pull in/up 100 lbs for pot being 300' down.....
I took a bunch of photos as I went on the factory tour.... These are unedited and if you wish for details for a particular photo let me know. You're welcomed to download any of them for personal use.
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0i5VaUrzxB56n
Andrew tells me they are completing one new 2018 R-27 per week at this time. I also saw and had it confirmed that the Kent factory had no new R-27 (Classic) boats being built at this time. I certainly did not see any.
Andrew invited us to visit the Kent factory to see the initial assembly of our new 2018 R-27 (Hull #7). I had my son and grandson with me.
Andrew gave us 2 1/2 hrs of his dedicated time for this tour.
Since viewing the new 2018 R-27 factory prototype at the Bremerton Trawlerfest a month or so back RT has made some nice refinements/additions.
1) Fiddles for port side shelves above counter top.
2) Two cup holders alongside helm seat behind the engine throttle lever
3) Privacy canvas for V-berth entrance + a hanging curtain that tracks across the inner part of the V-berth (very nice to have IMO) and can be drawn and folded out of the way.
4) Webasto 5 gallon diesel fuel tank is now located behind the stove and feeds the Webasto heater unit behind the Microwave. The tanks filler is on port side (was on starboard side when seeing the R-27 at Bremerton Trawlerfest) and is an easy reach from the cockpit.
5) Thicker bolster for the transom mounted fold down dual seat. Bolsters are now color co-ordinated with the seating colors.
6) The coffee maker is indeed a stock fixture in the V-berth area. 😀
7) The dinette table has been re-designed slightly; is larger and makes for a larger berth. 🙂
8) All four batteries are now located in the port side cockpit locker. Two are located aft and two located forward and somewhat hidden. They sit on a starboard platform and can be slid into full view; probably with some effort needed due to the battery weight. They were moved to port side to help balance the boat.
9) The stern platform area between the single hand rail and the F300 engine when turned to starboard measures 2'x3' almost exactly. This should be large enough area to stow an inflatable in its bag and tied down.
10) I discovered the fuel vent. It's built right into the inside of the filler's neck. The vent line runs from the tank to the inside of the filler just below its opening cap, so that any fuel gurgling is simply captured and returned down the main filler line. Very smart design. Mind you, gasoline doesn't foam up as much as does diesel fuel.
11) The fuel filler cap is self opening; meaning there no special tool device needed to open it.
12) Discovered that the bow thruster is now made of all composite (no metal at all) material and does not require an anode. 😱 😀 Thus, the only underwater anodes now are for the trim tabs and the base of the F300 platform attachment.
13) The center V-berth cushion has been completely redesigned. It allows for better access to the port and starboard berths (especial the port side berth) and there's sufficient clearance for the head's door fully opening. At Bremerton, the door would rub and stick against the center cushion and subsequently could not be fully opened. 😱
My grandson is desperate for going crabbing/shrimping and so I'll need to look into getting at least one Scotty Line Puller for attaching to one of the downrigger plates. 😱 Hmmmm, I note they are rather spendy. 🙁 ... but by all the reports I've read they seem to be very useful. I think my 9 yr old grandson would not be able to pull in/up 100 lbs for pot being 300' down.....
I took a bunch of photos as I went on the factory tour.... These are unedited and if you wish for details for a particular photo let me know. You're welcomed to download any of them for personal use.
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0i5VaUrzxB56n
Andrew tells me they are completing one new 2018 R-27 per week at this time. I also saw and had it confirmed that the Kent factory had no new R-27 (Classic) boats being built at this time. I certainly did not see any.