If Not a Ranger Tug then....?

[SJI Sailor]

After 4 great years in the Ranger/Cutwater family, I can answer this for us: we have an American Tug 395 being built.

The Cutwater 30 was fantastic to go places quickly and with great comfort. It is a perfect boat for 2 people IMO (and superb to single hand). Now we're ready for more room with trawler speeds, and the AT fits the bill with 42' LOA and 13' beam.

I'll be around here for a while and send HUGE THANKS to everyone here, more than I can name although I'll call out Bryan B, Dave B, Gavin, many others whose boats I remember over their names, and all of the Fluid Motion team. TugNuts is unparalleled for the community and help and made owning the C30 even better.

(And FWIW, our C30 is in the "for sale" forum.)

 

[Todd_D]

If money wasn't a factor I would look at a Hinckley Talaria 34. It is an absolutely beautiful boat and a jet boat makes loads of sense here in Maine since you can ignore lobster gear with one. If I was feeling a bit more money constrained I would look seriously at a Nordhavn 47. That is my ideal trawler.

For now I think I am in my last year with my Allied 36 ketch (depends on my wife) and hope to find a decent Ranger 27 classic for 2024.

 

[Ed604]

I thought this was a good read and thought i would add what I could to the conversation.
For me when I was looking, I found no other boats in the feature for value range of a cutwater 302. A boat where you had the layout "up" if you will. Many of the fisher/couple cruiser boats, all have the layout down below, and in the mid 30ft range this felt very tight and dark to me, and not to mention a much higher, and in my opinion, inflated price point too!
I feel that having the galley up with the clever counter/ copilot chair is great! It really feels much brighter and more open.
Someone said features... the boat has them. The cockpit works well enough for fishing (would be way better if the downrigger plates were further aft!) and the "jump" seats are indeed very high on the cool factor.

If I were to look to a different boat, I have to say that I agree with others in that it is beam as a feature, that I would value more. Maybe the Lindell or a Sabre or possibly an Eagle craft or Coastal craft? Of course this is a significantly higher price point too!

It is hard to say what a "next boat" is, as I have my boat now for many reasons as I have said above but those reasons can and do change too. For example, towing was one thing that I thought that I would really value and want. Who needs to pay those monthly marina fees, and the boat last longer out of the salt, but I don't have a trailer now as the boat I bought didn't come with one and have to say I really like keeping the boat in the water instead of fighting with the Mrs. every time we try to launch it and an overcrowded ramp!

I agree with the others in that you get a high feature to value ratio with these boats.

Ed

 

[SJI Sailor]

+100 to Ed. Keeping the boat at a marina that is close, we are not only easily able to do day trips but also to enjoy the boat at the marina like the proverbial waterfront condo.

That has been handy on occasions when we had work in progress at the house, etc., or when we wanted to stay and make an early start the next day.

 

[dbsea]

My retirement boat will be a Nordhavn 59 Coast Pilot. It's built like a tank (as all Nordhavn's are) but is twin engine with bigger diesels so it's more of a high end Beneteau Swift Trawler. I'm almost done with my USCG 100-ton masters license course, so I'll be set for insurance. My C30-CB is my first boat (I'm in my early 40s), and I wanted something smaller to cut my teeth on before I get into a 60-footer. It has been a great boat, but I find myself very sensitive to the roll of a single engine 10ft beam boat and need something more stable, and just with more room overall since i'm 6'4. Alternatively, if I win the lottery, I'll be getting a Grand Banks 60 or Fleming 65...

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2023-n ... t-8351379/