I attended the Seattle Boats Afloat show today and was browsing the new R-29S model and it was a pleasant surprise to me that the island V-berth and Cave berths both have memory foam mattresses. There's always much discussion on how to soften the hardish mattresses on the smaller RT boats where extra cost has to be spent to make the sleeping more comfortable. I lay down on the R-29S island V-berth and the Cave berth and found them acceptable and so very much nicer than what I had on my previous R-25 Classic, R-21EC and my current 2018 R-27/OB.
So, maybe someone can chime in to say when memory foam mattresses became a standard for the R-29S model.
Incidentally, the R-29S Cave berth is suitable for two children and possible two small adults due to the extra 10-foot beam dimension compared to the 8.5 foot beam on the smaller RT models....and of course the cabin midship berth is wider also. It's quite amazing what an extra 18" can produce.
My one thought was that if the R-29S had a greater deadrise there would be no need for cockpit rails just like on the new R-27/OB model....less chrome to keep clean and makes the side panels on a full cockpit enclosure easier to accommodate retrieving fenders with zipped panels at the cleat points.
I was also surprised to learn the 300 HP Volvo D3 engine in the R-29S provides a good 18 kts cruise with around 1.6 gph and a top end of 22 kts. Can Tugnuts having the R-29S model confirm these numbers ? Thanks. 🙂
The bow spit that accommodates the bow located ladder would be something I would not want as it adds another foot to the boat's length and can mean extra slip cost for a permanent moorage. This bow ladder maybe something useful in Florida and its sandy beaches but here in the PNW not so much so. It can also interfere with forward vision (at least so I'm told by others). I wonder if RT would allow a new boat purchase to not include this item ?
I did like the storage space that is located behind the Microwave and accessed by a flip-down door at the foot of the helm -- very smart and good use of space.
So, maybe someone can chime in to say when memory foam mattresses became a standard for the R-29S model.
Incidentally, the R-29S Cave berth is suitable for two children and possible two small adults due to the extra 10-foot beam dimension compared to the 8.5 foot beam on the smaller RT models....and of course the cabin midship berth is wider also. It's quite amazing what an extra 18" can produce.
My one thought was that if the R-29S had a greater deadrise there would be no need for cockpit rails just like on the new R-27/OB model....less chrome to keep clean and makes the side panels on a full cockpit enclosure easier to accommodate retrieving fenders with zipped panels at the cleat points.
I was also surprised to learn the 300 HP Volvo D3 engine in the R-29S provides a good 18 kts cruise with around 1.6 gph and a top end of 22 kts. Can Tugnuts having the R-29S model confirm these numbers ? Thanks. 🙂
The bow spit that accommodates the bow located ladder would be something I would not want as it adds another foot to the boat's length and can mean extra slip cost for a permanent moorage. This bow ladder maybe something useful in Florida and its sandy beaches but here in the PNW not so much so. It can also interfere with forward vision (at least so I'm told by others). I wonder if RT would allow a new boat purchase to not include this item ?
I did like the storage space that is located behind the Microwave and accessed by a flip-down door at the foot of the helm -- very smart and good use of space.