may be one Ranger-21-in-France project

[oldkanousk]

Hello,

May be my post wouldn't much interest many...
that is information about French man hesitating to take the plunge!
Apologize for bad English, and for telling my project in so many long details.

From south of France, I can't keep from dreaming about owning/cruising one Ranger 21 ec -mainly alone with dog- along Mediterranean Coast and canals with Rhône-River not far from home...
Retired, 66 years, sea-kayaking, sailing my 1986 light old Drascombe-Coaster 21' (3m oars/yawl sails/5hp outboard/500kg), I view in pictures the Ranger 21, she is such as a nice small working-tug inspired boat ("clin d'oeil"), poetic in her way.
The difference is that in France fresh-waters, we don't have your such nice cruising large lakes... with all the wild scenery around.
Happily we have small canals with quiet country and villages.

There is one Ranger 21 EC for sale:
...very very rare in western-Europe, end-2009=2010, show-model /around 35k€ including shipping to marina here, with Geonav 7 wide, marine-head, bow-thruster, bimini, new batteries, 200h engine only driven by the importer, osmosis treatment (Interprotect 6 layers+2 layers Interspeed 340 antif.), deck wash-pump; went only in fresh-water and stayed upon trailer in winter undershed, travelled 5000km upon trailer.
I'm hesitating, the professionnal-seller would send me pictures next week.
Rangers 21 can't sell that much in Europe now, since €/$ + shipping price, and european small boat such as "Haber 660 M" (less expensive/same length but much more living-space, separated shower inside toilet small-cabin)

Reading in your forum, from Ranger 21 owners, the numerous small points important about maintenance, since a lot of technical-items in a very small-package, I'm afraid it'ld be more difficult for me (I am not a mecanic-guy) since no Ranger 21 owners here to ask, also with some (always too many!) problems to fix appearing in your posts: happy owners don't post much when no problems?... happily her engine is easy to work at, and I could ask help in the forum?

Money: in France, boat under 7 meters hull don't pay annual cruising-tax, neither for the "small" Yanmar30 engine; annual canal-cruising (Voies Navigables de France) tax is 140€, summer marina fee here is 330€/month, and sheltered dry-port is 1400€/year. Marina-pontoon places (Port-Camargue here) are difficult usually to find, but there are happily still summer-places for small boats, 40km from home, and communicating with canals (possible to cruise northly up to Paris!).
Having no trailer (anyway car's too small), boat would stay 3 months at marina-pontoon, with summer family day-cruises at sea, and 2 or 3 weeks or more cruises/living aboard along spring/fall along canals with canal-marina stops along... Other months, boat would stay under shed in dry-port.
Some canals on Summertime (canal-du-Midi) may be "dangerous" for the very small boats with gel-coat-hull, since too busy with many landlubbers driving big hired-boats without much experience (don't need license).

My questions are these:
- What do you think about this second-hand opportunity regarding cruise-project?
- Did some of you cruise one/two weeks long in canals, big rivers, living aboard in a simple rustic-manner (camping aboard: shower in cockpit) ? (I used to cruise/live 3 weeks long aboard my Drascombe, with cockpit-tent, problem is the low cuddy...)
- Is it possible to manage the Ranger 21 self-handling in canal locks? (in big-river locks such as in Rhône-river: it'ld be easier)
- At pontoon, after three days raining a lot (happens on mid-August), I'm afraid the bilge-pump would have drain the battery, since marina rule says one must not leave the boat connected with the shore 220v-plug to charge the batteries when boat is left unattended. Did anyone of you experienced that?
- Is the Ranger 21, with her small width, one boat designed mainly for easyness of towing upon trailer, or width is also designed for seaworthiness?
Do some of you use to leave their Ranger 21 in water, 3 months long or more?

Thanks for advice!

 

[SGIDAVE]

Hello Oldkanousk,

If I am understanding you...your purchase price is 35K Euros...this converts to approx 40,780 US Dollars. Comparing these figures to Ranger 21EC for sale in the US market, this is on the low end of the asking price range we see listed in a search online for used 2009-2010 models. So if boat is is good condition the price seems fair as I look across the pond to the EU market.

It is VERY possible to live 1-2 weeks aboard the 21EC as long as your expectations are reasonable. You used the word 'rustic' and that would be accurate. Others do this frequently.

The narrow beam is seaworthy given reasonable sea-state and wise captain.

You can surely single hand through locks.

I encourage you to GO FOR IT! These boats are built to a high build quality - MUCH higher than average. Yes, there are occasional problems but, as you observe, most of what gets posted on Tugnuts.com are the problems whilst the trouble-free multitudes are out boating and having fun. I have 'tinkered' extensively with my 21EC but the basic boat is very user friendly. You too can become a "mecanic-guy" with gradual self-teaching via internets and reading. Self-rescue or self-sufficiency is a good thing as regards boating; we all help each other when necessary. The 21EC is generally easy to work on, maintain, and repair.

Let us know if you end up buying,

david

 

[RSC]

I agree with David on all he said. The price seems reasonable. The EC21 is a very well built boat, easy to handle, maintain, and very reliable. The few issues that people occasionally have are very minor, infrequent and are addressed by this forum very well when they happen. With your previous boating experience I'm sure you know that boats always need some attention. I believe that the EC needs significantly less technical maintenance than most boats. Living on board for trips does require a willingness to adapt to small spaces and make additional concessions if there are two people aboard.

On the bilge issue you are concerned about...I have two bilge pumps and keep the batteries charged with solar panels when I am away. I have a secondary battery devoted strictly to one pump during my absence. It hasn't failed yet. My boat however is on a lift and has a roof that diverts rain showers but not wind driven rain. I have been contemplating sewing a canvas cockpit cover to help divert the majority of rain that may enter the cockpit and keep dirt in general from getting into the cockpit.

The narrowness of the boat's beam, as Dave said, is quite seaworthy in a reasonable sea-state and with a wise captain. Single handed through locks is not an issue. The crazy inconsiderate weekend boaters leaving huge wakes are an issue anywhere you go in any boat and can be quite annoying as well as dangerous. You will learn the capabilities of the boat quickly and know what to expect. The 21 is not a speed demon and requires a willingness to take one's time by traveling slowly, have fun and enjoy a great boat.
Bob

 

[oldkanousk]

Bonjour David and Bob,

Thanks much for advices, enthusiasm!

Going 5kn ok, the maxi 8 knots (?) would be very good, mainly cruising northly against 4 to 5 kn of south-stream at spots in Rhône-River (after snow-melting in the Alpes today, or big rains).
As for big waves: from speeding big boats, yes vigilance's important, better from front than aft', low cockpit freeboard, rolling.

Happy to understand boat maintenance here is not complicated. Just a list of different points not to forget!
Yes better learning the boat.

South of France can have strong winds (90km/h North wind "Mistral" or N-W "Tramontane"=wind increasing between mountains), without much waves as long as one cruises enough very close to this low sandy Mediterranean coast.
My question: how does the windage of her pilot-house handle against say beaufort 7 without much fetch (small very close waves in canal, river, sea-coast)?
Good glass-windows in the Ranger Tug, since sand+wind tarnish plexi windows.
Once Drascombe dangerously (captain fault!) motoring her small 5hp, couldn't come back northly 2 nm straight facing 8 Beaufort north-wind against 2' to 3' very close waves, solution was tacking without sail, 2 hours bucket emptying cockpit full of water, dropping anchor exhausted as soon as shallow...

Yes one cover with cloth for cockpit-dryness at pontoon would be the solution, by local sail-makers; when someone has got one, interested in viewing its design.
May be one first provisional simple quick-cut rectangle of some cloth slanting-back from aft'side of pilothouse-roof down to stern guard-rail could help getting much less water in cockpit.

Regarding the good-idea to have one solar-pannel, could you tell me where you positionned it, with its regulator? (fitted one 50w-pannel in tiny Eriba Puck caravan, with Steca-regulator showing state of battery)

Thanks again.

 

[hrc3035]

Here is a Picture of originally factory fitted slant back cover to prevent rain in cockpit.
Snaps on i 5 minutes. You can even stand under in the front.

 

[oldkanousk]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for cockpit-cover picture, Hrc3035 ; should be interesting to get from sail-maker, + snaps/hooks.

I mistook: price of this 2009 boat is 41k€ / forgot taxes 🙁((

Still newbie question to know more about the Ranger 21, may be some owner could know:
To get cold-freshwater shower in cockpit (when cruising say one week, without marina halts):
Deck wash-pump: is it connected with freshwater from tank, for instance possible as cold-shower in cockpit? may double as second bilge-pump easily?

so many questions: I apologize!

 

[oldkanousk]

Hello everyone,
some news
as life, some are good and some have done the best they could...

Back from R21's trial: I was surprised (despite all internet photos) when seeing, touching, knocking at, sitting, standing, opening... the Ranger 21, she's a very good looking boat, work-boat atmosphere, so different from what I used to see, sturdy hull and material for me, with well thought equipment at good places despite some are tight. I like her inside arrangement. Then I tried the boat in canal, and like much her easy handling, size fits to me.
I understand now why owners like their R21 so much.

Looking at engine before trial (250h, boat upon trailer), the mechanic of the professionnal seller explained he had recently to unfit engine from boat to make a new bed for it, from 2 inox plates about 3 or 4mm? thick and 4cm wide (length as engine): because as he told, the engine brackets were only screwed? to hull so were coming some loosen; bolts were welded (for the brackets) at these plates, before these plates were screwed and glued to boat; then it was easy as he told: the engine was fitted turning nuts at bolts, same for shaft connexion, no more work and better fitting now?
Another point was the freshwater-coolant recupery (clear plastic bowl for water+antifreeze expansion) that was empty? and despite I read to him from what was written upon bowl: (about) that coolant-level must be kept "between full and empty marks when engine's cold", we went cruising without adding coolant (the mechanic controled twice pouring finger deep in the coolant inside cooler-tank removing cap and told it was ok, but that he'ld look later at engine-Manual so to know whether expansion-bowl needs filling).
Different route for one blue cable (throttle?) after refitting engine was also interrogating, but why not.

Despite this engine point which makes my ?, boat is very nice...seller is a very kind person, mechanic also.

 

[SGIDAVE]

Hello Oldkanousk,

That's unusual about the remounting of the diesel engine. I've never heard of that before. I'm not saying it's never happened, just that I've never heard of it.

Are you going to purchase the R21?

dave

 

[oldkanousk]

Hello Dave and others,

I thank you for advice.

From Factory, lag bolts (motor mounts) are screwed in grp-laminated brass; sturdy, but should these happen coming loose with stripped out holes (rare): solution would be going one size larger.

Seller, after engine removal, added 2 longitudinal custom flat bars under engine:
- glued+screwed at hull
- 4 bolts welded at bars, telling "bolts+nuts better for tightening than lag bolts at motor-mounts"

Strength is now upon use of different screws spaced along bars through grp, instead of standard laminated brass + lag bolts through them at engine-mounts; it still can work well from what I was told.

As long as engine is not doing strong vibrations at cruise, with higher engine now 3mm or so , alignment wouldn't be an issue as told from Factory: I didn't felt strong vibes during cruise.
Premature wear of cutlass bearing is to look from outside, anyway not that hard/neither expensive to replace.

About clear plastic bowl for coolant, better at low mark (cold engine): Factory told doesn't matter empty, with the conditon that cooler remains full under cap.

Waiting for details of the modification.