New member from Ohio - have some questions…

[BuckeyeSean]

Hello everyone, as the title says my wife and I are new members from Ohio and are looking to do the great loop in a few years. Our thought is to get a smaller boat soon to start practicing and to test living aboard for short stretches I’ve had fishing boats for years but nothing big enough to sleep on/live on. We are currently looking at used Ranger Tug 25s or 27s. For the most part we would use on inland lakes and then Lake Erie. Perhaps working our way up through the canal and even into Canada once we get comfortable with te boat. My initial thought was to go with the inboard diesel option for fuel efficiency, but I realize the outboards can cover a lot more water. Curious to hear opinions on both engine options with traveling and sleeping aboard.

Also wondering what size of trucks everyone is using to tow these around as we would like to avoid the costs of slips and storage for now.

Thank you.

 

[A&Etug]

Welcome!
We own a Cutwater 30 LE S and moor her at Catawba Moorings near Port Clinton.
We have used her all summer on Lake Erie.
Our plan next year is to take her to the NYS Erie Canal and travel down part of it and come back!
We are former sailors but enjoy the cutwater which is an inboard diesel, as far as we can tell so far we burn .9/10 of a gallon per hour!
That is NOT going 40 mph!, but faster than our sailboat and we have lots of storage room etc.
check them out also.
We have a trailer but that is hauled by our transporter to indoor storage for the winter.
Guys here are nice and friendly Enjoy, Hope you get all the Infor you need!
Here is a link that might help:

Great Loop Guide: Route, Boat Requirements & Planning Tips

Plan your Great Loop adventure with expert tips on routes, boat requirements, trip planning, and must-visit destinations for a safe and memorable journey.

mjmyachts.com

 

[Submariner]

Check out this video if you haven't already.
A lot of R27's have done the great loop.

 

[scross]

As to which truck to use for towing. I’m guessing several dozen threads with hundreds of posts and opinions. Search “truck” and you will see what I am referencing.
Two quick points. Know the true combined weight of what you are towing. As a conservative rule of thumb I’d start with assuming 10,000 to 11,000 pounds for the R-25 and 12,000 to 13,000 pounds for the R-27 on trailer with empty to low tank volumes. You won’t know until you weigh the boat+trailer on scales.
So, unless you live 1/4 mile from your launch ramp get a truck that comfortably meets those towing requirements PLUS all the other weight limitations the truck may have when towing your boat and gear inside the truck.
There are half ton trucks rated to tow 14,000 pounds (eg Ford F-150 using the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine & Max Trailer Tow Package) and 3/4 ton trucks that are limited to under 11,000 pounds (eg Ram 2500 Power Wagon) so look at the trucks numbers as configured and don’t get blinded just by the 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and 1 ton labels. That said, a 3/4 ton truck with a 15,000+ towing rating would probably fit the bill.

 

[ohioan55]

We live in Ohio as well. We own an R23 that we keep on the Ohio River. Feel free to PM me if you have questions.