New R23 buyer with questions

[Salish Seaker]

Hi all, first post on Tugnuts due to our putting a deposit down on a 2018 R23 at the Boats Afloat show last weekend! We are long-time C-Dory 22 owners so even though I know pretty much all there is to know about C-Dory boats, I'm like a fish out of water when it comes to Ranger Tugs, especially the new R23 so obviously I'll have a lot of questions before delivery in Feb or Mar.

We're trying to decide where to keep the boat. We're used to keeping it in dry storage and if there is availability for our boat on delivery, that may be our first choice but price is always a consideration. If we decide to store outdoors, do owners typically keep the cockpit exposed to the elements or do you cover the boat with a cockpit cover or full camper back cover? If uncovered, is it because the scuppers keep the cockpit clear of rain water?

The factory states that the bridge clearance is 8'6". I'm told this is the height from the waterline to the top of the radar. This is assuming the mast is folded down. Does this height sound accurate? One of the places I'm looking at charges by the height.

The factory includes a Lewmar 11# claw anchor in their anchor package. Have any of you used a 14# Delta Fast Set Plow anchor on their boats. I'm thinking of using our existing Delta anchor rather than the claw anchor. Also would the Delta require a different bow roller?

I'm sure there will be other questions but this will do to start. Even though we are sad to move away from our beloved 22' C-Dory, my wife and I are very excited to be new owners of a Ranger Tug.

Peter & Caryn

 

[baz]

Peter & Caryn:

Congratulations.... The R-23 is a fine boat.

I'm afraid I have no answers concerning your questions... but do have something to respond with....

The you state "store outdoors..." is this on a dry stack or in your driveway on a trailer ?

I kept my R-21EC on a trailer in my driveway for a while and it had a full enclosure always installed.

Rain water getting into the cockpit should drain eventual into the bilge and with the hull's drain plug removed will allow the water to be expelled.... just be sure to place the drain plug/screw back in when ready to put boat into the water. 🙂

You will need to winterize the boat if you keep it on the dry during winter time in PNW area.

 

[Navigator's Son]

Congratulations on your new purchase.

The only feedback I can offer is specific to outdoor storage. Definitely find something to cover the cockpit with.

I kept my previous boat on a trailer with a cockpit cover. It made a huge difference. While the cockpit is designed to allow rain water to drain out, you will certainly appreciate having a clean cockpit to climb into.

 

[Salish Seaker]

Thanks Baz and Robert. The outdoor storage I'm considering is the dry stack storage at Edmonds Marina. Either that or possibly covered storage in Edmonds but that's a little pricey and I prefer not to keep her wet moored.

When talking about a mooring cover, are you talking about a slant cover or a full camperback?

 

[baz]

Peter: If do go for the dry stack storage at Edmonds I'd be interested in know how you get along with that and your thoughts. I know the classic RT cannot be lifted by the forklift or that the lift that hauls the boat from the water cannot accommodate the Classic RT. I say this as when I discussed dry stack storage for my R-25 (Classic) I was told it was not possible.

 

[Navigator's Son]

When talking about a mooring cover, are you talking about a slant cover or a full camperback?

Good question.

My previous boat was a Bayliner 265 - I had a cover custom made that covered the entire cockpit from base of windshield all the way to stern transom. When the boat was on the trailer on land, I used this cover. While the lot was paved, you'd be surprised how much dirt would gather on the boat in only a few weekends.

When I later moved the boat into a slip, I found using that cover to be very inconvenient and simply resorted to extending the bimini and installing all the camper cover windows. This made getting on/off the boat easy and kept the cockpit clean (of course over time at the expense of the plastic windows... Given there were only 2 or 3 days in the summer where it was warm enough to run without the camper cover, this proved to be the best solution for me.

However, I later moved to a larger covered slip - 30', and of course subsequently sold that boat for my R25. I now just leave the rear bimini fully extended - I do not have the camper panels that I have seen others use - being under a covered slip on the water probably eliminates 99% of the dirt and rain that my deck would otherwise collect in an open slip or sitting on a trailer.

If you opt for covered dry stack versus covered slip - just something to look out for - are you on the bottom or top rack? Think about the boat above you and will their runoff land on your boat?

 

[Salish Seaker]

Baz, I did ask Edmonds Marina about whether they accept Ranger Tugs and the answer was yes. I wasn't aware that the Classic RT wasn't accepted. I know I would have wanted to dry store our C-Dory at Edmonds but they told me they can't accommodate flat bottom hulls. Hmm, seems like they have a lot of rules. 🙂

Robert, on our C-Dory, we have a full camperback with side panels and the bimini top. That was our first addition and still remains perhaps our best addition. I'm just trying to see if I can get around the cost of installing a new camperback cover on our R23. It sounds like it's necessary if we store outdoors.

We've stored the CD in the indoor dry stack at Twin Bridges near Anacortes for most of the past 12 years and we really like their service. Hopefully there will be a spot for us in Feb or Mar, we'll see. But I do like the fact that Edmonds is much closer to our home in Seattle, it is dry stack with the same services we're used to at Twin Bridges and the pricing is competitive if not lower. The only draw back is that it is outdoors and it looks like we'll have to invest in a camperback if we decide to go that route.

Thanks again for your replies guys.

 

[jagizzi]

Hi Peter and Carolyn,

We have had our R23 since July 4th and love it! Congratulations on your new purchase and here's to many happy hours on the water.

The bridge clearance ht sounds accurate when the boat is on the water. For dry storage that same height is now 11' 3". I am looking to build a cover and just measured yesterday.

We have been getting water into the bilges with heavy rain but I am not yet convinced that it can't be stopped. I have talked with Andrew a bit and will likely put another layer of foam tape around the center hatch to thicken the gasket. Right now a hard rain is able to overwhelm the gaskets a bit and results in a small amount of water in the bottom.

I am also considering talking with King Marine Canvas that does the work for Ranger Tugs and see what it might cost to enclose the cockpit for the winter. The zippers are in place on the existing canvas cover and it should be relatively straightforward, I just don't know what that translates to in dollars ;-)

We too looked at covered storage for the winter but haven't found anything suitable yet but our situation is a bit different as the boat will winter in a different location from its summer home in the San Juans. We are still working this out.

Feel free to reach out with any more questions. I will have the boat back in my driveway this evening and can easily help with measurements etc. You are also welcome to come down and climb around on it but as we are in Battle Ground you should be able to find something closer.

Congrats,

Jim, Kelli and Jenna

 

[baz]

Depending on the material and plastic window thickness I would guess King Marine, who do excellent work, will charge around at least $2,500 for the enclosure. You will be given a choice between snaps or small bungee loops to secure the enclosure sides to the boat's gunnel/sides. I would suggest having the bungee loops as they are far easier to use and good for fast release.

I had King Marine do my R-21EC's full enclosure which included the roof canvas and supporting chrome poles and it came to close to $5,000. This is a lot more canvas material and some 9 window panels, so the R-23 should be less.

 

[Salish Seaker]

Hi Peter and Carolyn,

We have had our R23 since July 4th and love it! Congratulations on your new purchase and here's to many happy hours on the water.

The bridge clearance ht sounds accurate when the boat is on the water. For dry storage that same height is now 11' 3". I am looking to build a cover and just measured yesterday.

Congrats,

Jim, Kelli and Jenna

Thanks Jim, Kelli and Jenna. Can you clarify? Are you saying the height on a rack is 11'3"? Is this including the mast being up? How about folded down? Or are you saying the height while on a trailer from the ground to the top of the radar with the mast down?

We were lucky when we first got our C-Dory because the canvas makers we used were excellent. Very thorough and precise. Unfortunately the partners split up shortly thereafter. Many C-Dory owners also used King Marine Canvas who had the patterns for each model. Do they also have patterns for Ranger Tugs? Wow, $5000! Almost double what we paid 12 years ago.

 

[olygirl]

Peter and Caryn,

We had King Marine do a full enclosure on our new R23 and it was $4,000.00+. The price varies depending upon how many screens you want. Dave Hauk at King is absolutely wonderful to work with and we highly recommend him. We really enjoy the full enclosure as it gives us another "room". If you would like a picture email me and I will be happy to send a couple to you.

Laura
lfum1@comcast.net

 

[Water Bill]

Peter and Caryn,

Congratulations on your order for the new Ranger R-23. I to was a C-Dory 22 owner, C-Swell was her name. As much as I was concerned about giving her up I am glad I went with the R-23 and so far I am really liking Mystery Girl. I picked her up July 13th and spent 2 1/2 weeks cruising around the San Juan Islands. After the San Juan's I spent 3 weeks at Yellowstone Lake before trailering her two Lake Keowee in South Carolina.

I also had a 14# Delta anchor which I put on the R-23. I will probably be make some modifications to the anchor pulpit. It is on the small size and the clevis between the chain and anchor hangs up in it and the tip of the anchor hits the stainless steel guard on the bow of the boat if you let the windlass pull the anchor all the way in tight.

I went to King Marine Canvas Products on August 2nd after cruising the San Juan's and the crew there used my boat to make the first pattern for their first R-23 camperback. Here is a link to some pictures I took while they were putting it all together.
gallery2.php?g2_itemId=49933
I had the camperback on at Yellowstone Lake and it was definitely a worthwhile investment. Laura is right about the price being in the $4,000 range.

Bill

 

[jagizzi]

Can you clarify? Are you saying the height on a rack is 11'3"? Is this including the mast being up? How about folded down? Or are you saying the height while on a trailer from the ground to the top of the radar with the mast down?

That is the height while on the trailer with the mast down. I haven't measured with the mast up but can sometime today.

 

[Salish Seaker]

Thanks for all the great responses! This is all very helpful to an RT newbie and the pics are great Bill. I do remember your C-Dory, I'm glad you're enjoying the R23. Haven't discussed with the admiral yet but it looks like a camperback is in the future, probably not right away. We always felt that the addition of the camperback, which was our very first addition, was almost the most invaluable and appreciated item we ever added.

I'm wondering if the factory would be willing to install a bigger bow roller? I guess I'll have to ask Andrew and/or Jeff.

Thanks again. Peter

 

[tjiann]

Peter and Caryn,

We had King Marine do a full enclosure on our new R23 and it was $4,000.00+. The price varies depending upon how many screens you want. Dave Hauk at King is absolutely wonderful to work with and we highly recommend him. We really enjoy the full enclosure as it gives us another "room". If you would like a picture email me and I will be happy to send a couple to you.

Laura
lfum1@comcast.net

Laura, would you be willing to post or email a picture or two of your R23 enclosure? My wife and I just purchased an R23 and are considering such an enclosure (now that we know they can be made) in lieu of shrink wrapping each winter. Thanks.

Tim
tjiann99@verizon.net

 

[Water Bill]

Tim,

I took Mystery Girl to King Marine Canvas Products on August 2nd and they used my boat to make the pattern for their first R-23 camperback enclosure.
Here is a link to some pictures I took while they were putting it all together.
gallery2.php?g2_itemId=49933
I used the camperback at Yellowstone Lake in August after leaving King Marine on the way back to South Carolina. it was definitely a worthwhile investment. Laura is right about the price being in the $4,000 range.

Bill

 

[Salish Seaker]

So we took delivery of our brand new 2018 R-23 on November 15th and we're very excited. Kenny and the factory were gracious enough to trailer the boat up to our marina near Anacortes since we didn't choose to buy a trailer. The orientation went very smoothly as Kenny did a great job. We are so impressed with the customer service Ranger Tugs offers, especially the job Andrew has done in getting us this boat and staying with us through the entire process. We're now looking forward to our day 2 orientation on the water with Tim. It will be fun learning how to dock this much bigger boat than we're used to, especially mastering the bow thruster.

I have a question now that we took delivery of the boat. I've been looking through the pictures and noticed that a lot of boats don't have the boat names on the boat. Is there a reason for that? For the boats with the names on the boat, where is the typical place most owners put the name decal on? I would especially be curious to hear from other R-23 owners and see pictures as well. For some reason, I don't see a lot of albums for R-23 owners either.

Thank you for putting up with an obviously excited new owner.

Peter

 

[baz]

Peter: There's no need to apologize for being excited about your new boat at all. The R-23 is a fantastic boat and very good value for the money IMO.

Most (if not all) of the RT in my marina have names.

For our new R-27/OB we had it documented with the USCG & Homeland Security. The current rules call for the name to be on the bow/hull and on the transom along with the Hailing Port.

Good luck with Tim and your 2nd day. Tim's instructions are top notch and ask as many questions as you like of him. Run the boat through its paces and practice docking several times if you have the time. Being able to see the motor out the back and its orientation will help you guide the boat to port and starboard with ease. Go slow docking as there's no rush... just take your time and if you get it wrong just pull back out and try again.

 

[Salish Seaker]

Thanks Barry. I got pretty good at docking with the nimble C-Dory but the R-23 Is definitely bigger, longer and heavier. I have a feeling the bow thruster will be a welcome addition. 😀

Peter

 

[tjiann]

Thanks Barry. I got pretty good at docking with the nimble C-Dory but the R-23 Is definitely bigger, longer and heavier. I have a feeling the bow thruster will be a welcome addition. 😀

Peter

The bow thruster is one of the greatest inventions ever. 😀 Enjoy the new boat.