Looking at 23-25. Questions

[Fantic]

Currently my wife and I have a Formula 27PC. In season it is in a slip at Patoka Lake in So. Indiana. Winter we bring it home to So. ILL. We are looking at getting a more tailorable boat with similar features. Just looking at the specs it seems they are the same length. Weight is a little different. Probably due to tank size and motor? Sleeping area and the head looks smaller on the 23. Is the length made up in the back? We are thinking about doing some trips to other lakes in our area like Kentucky Lake, Dale Hollow etc. If we sleep on the boat it would just be for a couple of nights. I would appreciate some feed back on the two boats.

 

[S. Todd]

Most of the extra length in the 23 to make it nearly as long as the 25 is in the motor mount, not really usable space. Larger engine on the 25. I recommend you look at them side by side to decide if the extra $ is worth it for you. Reed Yacht Sales is your midwest dealer. I recommend you call them and see if you can see them side by side. Even if they don't have each in inventory at the same time, they often have a customer's boat on hand to use for comparison.

 

[Fantic]

Thanks for the reply. But Reed is over 8hrs from me.

 

[scross]

It’s a big decision. When we were looking we drove 12 hours each way to the Seattle Boat Show so we could compare everything and ask the factory reps questions. Best 3 days we spent doing the research before buying.
There’s a really big difference in the two boats. Which one is for you depends on your intended use. In my opinion (which is definitely biased) the R-23 is a great day fishing boat or overnighter. Good size for two adults. For cruising it works best going from full service marina to full service marina. Look at the fresh and black water tank holding capacities. They are pretty darn small on the R-23.
The R-25 will do everything the R-23 does but gives you much more comfortable cruising options and cruising duration. Good for two adults and a few kids or pets. Again, compare the tank capacities.
Our experience, which I think is typical, is that we (2 adults) consume 8 gallons day freshwater and contribute 3 gallons a day to the backwater tank. Your volumes may differ.

 

[Robert]

We have a new R23 in Louisville, KY. Pretty close if you cruise Patoka Lake. Your welcome to come down and check her out. We received the boat late October and are still learning about her. The quality of the build exceeded our expectations.

 

[Fantic]

Thanks guys. Robert I might have to take you up on that offer.

 

[Robert]

Thanks guys. Robert I might have to take you up on that offer.

We looked at a used R25 in Pensacola before purchasing the new R23. The R25 was a little too used. A new stock R23 with warranties was nearly the same price. The biggest difference is the head design. The R25 has the fully enclosed head where on the R23 the head is in the bedroom. Not a problem for the two of us. We lIke the 200 HP over the 250 HP. A little less maintenance cost on the 4 cylinder and the R23 has much more room on the swim platform. We have seen 38 mph.

Let us know if you want to check her out. We would be happy to take you for ride. Not too soon though the Ohio River is running high and fast right now.

Cheers
Bob

 

[Mgmiller3]

I did research online as well.. I found a great deal on a luxury edition R23 and it just made sense to take the plunge. I bought my boat without ever seeing a Ranger Tug in person while overseas in the military. Up to that point, I was just a day use only boater with dreams to tackle the Great Lakes and Near Coastal Waters. We have spent several nights on the boat. My wife and two young boys (3 and 5) all fit just fine and are comfortable at night. It's like our Airstream but on water, we have all the comforts we need but it's a vessel for our adventures and we don't mind sacrificing some space. I just made my wife drive 3 hours to look at an R27 at the Detroit Boat Show (Reed Yacht- as mentioned), but her and I aren't ready for the bigger boat just yet. The R23 is easy for me to launch and winch on the trailer alone. So she can handle the kids or the next chore. Docking is easy and Its handled well on the choppy days where we the weather man was off. That and my 1/2 ton truck can haul and stop it without issue (rated to tow 12k, upgraded E rated Tires, Extra leaf spring, Max Trailering Package, 6.2 Engine etc). I love the layout of the 23/25. The table being separate from the helm adds great functionality for passengers while underway. The 25 has many advantages over the 23, I just couldn't justify them with the deal I found and for our planned adventures. I wanted a "starter boat," now I am not sure I need much more.

 

[Fantic]

Thanks. I think I will take S.Todd advice and go to Reeds when we get a chance. We are looking more towards a 25 at the moment. Of course not seeing one in person it is hard to tell what would work out best for us. The main concern we have with the 23 is the pump head. Wife is not a fan of that style. Can it be changed?

 

[Mgmiller3]

Thanks. I think I will take S.Todd advice and go to Reeds when we get a chance. We are looking more towards a 25 at the moment. Of course not seeing one in person it is hard to tell what would work out best for us. The main concern we have with the 23 is the pump head. Wife is not a fan of that style. Can it be changed?

Toilet can be changed. Some threads on here of those who have made that change.

Here are some pros / cons that I recognized while comparing these models. My decision was ultimately driven by my finance committee (wife) when we found a good deal

R25
Pros-
1. Bigger -Motor / Fuel Tank /Displacement / holding tanks
2. Dedicated Bathroom/Shower
3. Aft cabin grill
3. Natural light in Bathroom
4. Windows in Cave
5. More storage space

Cons-
1. Table isn’t super functional on both sides in cabin- narrow entry
2. Heavier to tow /launch/recover
3. Swim Deck smaller
4. Port side salon seat lacks cup holders and has small dash


R23
Pros-
1. Less Expensive
2. Less Draft
3. Lighter boat to haul
4. Fully Functional Cabin Table seating area- wide entry
5. Less expensive motor maintenance
6. Large swim deck
7. Port side salon seat with cup holder and larger dash

Cons
1. Bathroom / Shower set up
2. Smaller fuel / holding tanks
3. Less amenities (electric toilet, aft grill)
4. Less powerful motor
5. No natural light in cave or bathroom

There is a trade off between a the two for sure but it just depends on what you value.

The R25 is an upgrade in many ways to the R23 but the 23 does have it perks as well. The majority of my boating is day use and the R23 is a better fit for that in my opinion in both form and function

 

[S. Todd]

Decades ago, when we had two pre-school age kids, we started boating in the Great Lakes with an 18.5 foot cuddy cabin. A couple in their 50's was walking the dock and commented to us that they always looked for the smallest boat in the marina and noticed that those folks always had the most fun. We had lots of fun with that and plenty of other boats under 25 feet. Whatever we had always fit our budget at the time and fuel costs were a non-issue. Back in the 70s, I proposed to the admiral in a canoe, and we have owned something that floats ever since. We love the size and sea worthiness of our current R29S LE, but the best advice I can give if you want to boat is don't waste too much time thinking tomorrow will be the day I can afford the yacht that does everything. Do it in whatever you can afford. You can always change to something different later. Every boat is a tradeoff. The biggest drawback of our R29, with its 320-horsepower diesel, is it doesn't go fast enough to slalom waterski and furthermore the swim platform rails make towing even for wake surfing (for which it has a nice wake) a non-starter. (The 29 was the seventh new power boat we purchased over the years.) Towing, storage space, and paying for the R29 is a different ball game and if those are big issues, then go with the fun factor and get something smaller.

 

[Fantic]

I agree with you on the size of the boat. When the kids were little we had a Bryant 232. Great boat. We skied, knee boarded and tubed every time we took her out. Once the kids moved out we went with the Formula. Tried to pull the grandkids with it. Puts out to much wake for the little ones. The boat has twin 350 Mags with Bravo 3's. You either idle or go. I have to get up to about 30mph to get on plane. Does the 23 or 25 have provisions for pulling a tube for the little ones?

 

[croakz]

Cons-
1. Table isn’t super functional on both sides in cabin- narrow entry

R23
Pros-
4. Fully Functional Cabin Table seating area- wide entry

Hi Mgmiller3, Are you saying the seats at the table are smaller in the R25 than the R23? Or what do you mean by entry? Thanks.

- tom

 

[Mgmiller3]

Hi Mgmiller3, Are you saying the seats at the table are smaller in the R25 than the R23? Or what do you mean by entry? Thanks.

- tom

The entry from the salon into the cabin is different on these boats. Because the R25 has a larger head / helm, the entry into the cabin is offset more to the port side of boat and berth is not symmetrical on each side. Whereas the R23 has a smaller head with just a toilet, the entry into the cabin is more or less centered and the berths are almost symmetrical and the sitting area with the table is easier to access and use. The centered entry on the R23 allows for a larger dash in front of the port side seat. Photo for reference. 

 

[MagicRat]

So I have a 2025 23. Having looked at both I think the most material difference is the size of the gas tank and the bigger motor. I think the new 25 has electric steering also I don’t think the 23 is underpowered, but I think that is subjective. I would echo others here and say the best thing to do is try both if possible. Otherwise, they are pretty close. Either way I would definitely opt for the lithium battery upgrade. In addition to the obvious things, the bow thrusters with the standard batteries are kind of useless. It’s night and day with the lithium.