My R-27 is under construction!

[wincrasher]

Thought I'd start a new thread on my new build. Got an email with some pics that my build has started. In another email, they told me the hull has been formed and was being cured, but no pics of that. As we go, I'll add post with whatever pics I get.

I suspect I'll be on the water by the end of February.

 

[nzfisher]

See if you can talk them into putting a piece of conduit from the engine "room" to just below the helm. You won't be sorry if you do any additional wiring to the back of the boat in the future.

 

[Brian B]

I totally agree with nzfisher. Just yesterday we snaked wiring from the engine compartment to the helm up the starboard side for an Aqua alarm installation. This required removal of the refrigerator and bottom shelf in the head. Even with opening up that space for access the snake got hung up and is now part of the boat. :cry:

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Thought I'd start a new thread on my new build. Got an email with some pics that my build has started. In another email, they told me the hull has been formed and was being cured, but no pics of that. As we go, I'll add post with whatever pics I get.

Please do post all the construction pics you can. They're interesting in general, and it's particularly helpful to see areas that will later be obscured from view. Congratulations!

 

[wincrasher]

It's all very exciting.

Anything else I should ask them to do? I got the impression that they didn't really want to change anything in their production processes - that's why they wouldn't give me the Webasto heater along with the air conditioner. Not what they "normally" do.

One thing that comes to mind may be the TV antenna. I've read some say they just coil a wire in the ceiling. No straight answer from my dealer if there is an antenna or not.

 

[Gin]

A TV antenna came standard on our 2013 R-27. And yes, they don't like to customize much if at all. One of Ranger Tugs' great attributes is how personal they are to deal with. But the demand for their boats is high and to meet it they need to keep everything standardized on the production line. Still, if you can get that conduit that nzfisher suggested, that would be well worth the arm twisting and cajoling that might be required 😉 . I could have used it several times over at this point. Running any new wiring from the helm area to the aft area is a total pain.

One other thing you might ask for is the Smartplug shore power connection and cord. I don't think they've adopted it as standard, but they have installed it for several of us. It is not a hard install to do yourself if they won't add it, and you don't save much by having them do it. But if they will, I'd do it during the build. Wonderful system and easily worth the upgrade.

Final advice: keep taking lots of pics! We made a visit at the point that I could photograph most of the pieces right before they put the boat together. So I got reasonably good photos of the wiring running throughout, location of the tanks in the hull, etc. I wish I had taken even more, and I took a lot. They have come in handy several times as I've tried to figure out where things are behind the refrigerator, etc.

Enjoy the excitement of the building process! You'll have your boat before you know it :!:

Gini

 

[stwendl]

A few additional pieces would be interesting

Sometimes you like to add items to walls like books outlets for 12v etc. knowing how much thickness is behind that wall to determine screw length is useful

I also am trying to get a complete wiring schematic for my r27 that I picked up in December. Whatever is in the manual is not even close to what is installed. Currently I just look at it as an interesting puzzle that needs to be explored

That need arose when I turned off the mains switch under the ac meter and it read 80v. Still need to understand how this is possible. Haven't tested if the outlets carry the 80v or just the meter

 

[stwendl]

I totally agree with nzfisher. Just yesterday we snaked wiring from the engine compartment to the helm up the starboard side for an Aqua alarm installation. This required removal of the refrigerator and bottom shelf in the head. Even with opening up that space for access the snake got hung up and is now part of the boat. :cry:

Let me guess, you used one of them coiled metal snakes with a hook at the end? Fiberglass sticks connected with shock cords and no hook may have worked better

 

[Brian B]

I totally agree with nzfisher. Just yesterday we snaked wiring from the engine compartment to the helm up the starboard side for an Aqua alarm installation. This required removal of the refrigerator and bottom shelf in the head. Even with opening up that space for access the snake got hung up and is now part of the boat. :cry:

Let me guess, you used one of them coiled metal snakes with a hook at the end? Fiberglass sticks connected with shock cords and no hook may have worked better[/

Guessed wrong. It was a 50' nylon fish tape, flexible end with an eye is what got caught. Using the straight nylon worked better.

 

[downey]

See that opening below the stove?
I would see if they could cut the exact opening below the microwave and finish it the same way.
This would give excellent access to the foot of the "quarter berth" yet not interfere if you wanted to revert back to a sleeper.
Then I would put a couple of small strips of wood to hold a tupperware drawer that you could slide in and out.
In the future if anybody wants to use it as a sleeper, it easily converts back. Meanwhile you can readily use the space for storage.
I've thought of putting 3 of these along the port side to gain better access to that area.
I talked to Richard about this awhile back and they wouldn't sell me the drawer front, but he did direct me to the website.
It would be so easy to do now compared to when it's finished inside. They have all the tools and tradesmen to do the job right.

I believe this is the website: http://www.noahsmarine.com/items.asp?Cc=TM-LD
where you can buy the 2 sizes of drawer faces.

 

[wincrasher]

More pictures! I'm getting very excited. This is either great progress, or a big 'ole mess, depending on your viewpoint....

 

[Irish Mist]

Very nice. I had to google to see what the cylinder thing was. I now know it is the water heater, It says it will hold the heat for 24 hours.. Pretty neat, I have not seen one like that before. Is that an option or what they are using now ?
You must be pretty excited, enjoy watching it come together 🙂
Mark

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Nifty pix. More, please...especially the final "marriage" of the big pieces.

 

[stwendl]

Great pictures, wished I had done this on mine. Some pictures of interest are details in wire and pipe routing. If you could got those as well

 

[nzfisher]

Great to have these images to see what is behind the glass. Thanks. If you could bribe them to let you spend the night doing modifications while all the inner workings are accessible that would be awesome.

 

[jcarrdive]

Great Photos! We have an R27, so it is especially cool to see one in the unfinished state! Thanks!
We pulled the trigger on a new R31, so I hope to have photos coming soon of our new boat!
Jeff and Ela
Bobolink

 

[wincrasher]

More pictures. Almost ready to ship. Not my trailer, this most belong to Ranger for testing. My dealer will provide the triple axle trailer and do my bottom paint. Shipping should be Feb 10, arrival around the 17th. I should have it at the end of the month. Right on schedule. 🙂

[

 

[stwendl]

More pictures. Almost ready to ship. Not my trailer, this most belong to Ranger for testing. My dealer will provide the triple axle trailer and do my bottom paint. Shipping should be Feb 10, arrival around the 17th. I should have it at the end of the month. Right on schedule. 🙂

Curious bottom paint and trailer? What bottom paint did you choose. Interestingly on the Seattle boat show was an exhibitor who promoted an ultrasound antifouling solution seemingly eliminating bottom cleaning. I was questioning what it would do to sea life and was given some epa rating. Do you expect better performance or stability from a triple axel trailer? I think ranger still provides a double axel trailer by default I thought

 

[wincrasher]

For the bottom paint we are using Micron CSC for hull and Propseed for the running gear.

In my research, all the people reporting their R-27's weighing nearly 10,000 lbs, I wasn't comfortable with the 2 axle. The 3 axle I'm getting has 15" wheels and is rated for 13,000 lbs, which is more than enough.

I'll be trailering this boat alot, so I wanted a really durable trailer. The paint is what is recommended by my dealer. I looked it up and it seems appropriate for the use. Mostly I'll be in fresh water with the occasional excursion in salt - mostly likely the Atlantic coast from South Carolina to Florida. It will never sit in salt water for an extended period (more than a couple weeks). Hopefully it will be fine and maybe last 3 years?

 

[jcarrdive]

Windcrasher! Congrats! What a nice looking boat! Ours goes under construction in a few days, I think. I can't wait to see the process, your pics were wonderful. Hope you post some pics of your delivery day!
Jeff and Ela
Bobolink R27 (soon to be Wallowa R31)