Newbie questions, please help!

[Mdwood]

We live on the west coast of BC, just getting back into ocean boating and salmon fishing after many many years away (I.e., we are green). We have been seriously looking at Ranger Tugs, specifically the 23 and 27. Quite honestly, the 23 is all we need, it’s just the two of us, we’re mostly going to be using it for fishing with the occasional overnight trips. We are hoping it would last us 5 years or so until we get our navigational and boating skills up to par. Then we might get into longer distance cruising, couple of weeks at a time, and look at the larger models.

We have gone out for a sea run on a R27 with diesel (2015 I think it was). Nice....stable....but I found it too noisy inside the cabin, even when cruising at 8 knots. Then we tried a 2017 R23, outboard gas. Quiet when running when we were inside with the door closed. Check. And the interior layout was fine, all we need, again check. But...2 issues. #1. It was very unstable feeling! When a person moved about on deck or in the cabin, the whole boat (in flat calm seas, at 7 knots) leaned way over. Basically, a very rolly polly unstable feel to it, compared to the 27. I understand this is partly due to the narrow 8’6” beam....but obviously the extra 4 feet in the 27’ increases the stability hugely. And to me, that also means safety on the water? I don’t want to be tossed all over the place if we encounter some non-ideal sea conditions. And #2, where can you put a tender when you have a solar panel on the roof? I don’t want two kayaks, we’d like a small rowboat style tender.

I’m looking for thoughts and input!!! Thanks!!

 

[Toki]

The R27 is also 8.5' beam. I'm going to guess that one of the reasons the R27 felt so much more stable than the R23 OB is because of that heavy Volvo engine placed way low in the hull, sort of like a sailboat keel, as opposed to that outboard way above the water line. Makes me curious how stable the new 27 OBs feel relative to the 27 classics.

 

[JamesTXSD]

More likely the different hull shapes from the original diesel R27 and the outboard powered R23 and 27. I may be wrong on this, but I think the outboard powered hulls are more V-shaped, designed to be run faster. The original R27 is a semi-displacement hull, and thus flatter... which equates to more stable at rest or very slow speeds. Realistically, you get used to the difference, if a faster hull shape is what you want. As with any boat: tradeoffs.

 

[knotflying]

Just a thought. If you eventually plan on using it for more cruising and overnights latter on, go with the 27. Everyone has their rationale as to why they picked their type boat. However, everyone always wants a bigger boat than the one they have. We own a 27 inboard and noise has never been an issue. If you close the cabin door the noise level is quite comfortable. Granted not like the quieter outboards.

 

[bluestreak]

As a CG Auxiliary member, we have the opportunity to patrol on a 2000 25' Boston Whaler cabin boat with twin 225 HP Yamaha 2 stroke OB's and an 8 ft beam.
We have been in some nasty weather on an inland lake and have taken water over the cabin top.
The new to me 2016 R-27 feels much more stable even with the vast difference in hull shapes. The Whaler has a pronounced flair to the bow as opposed to the R-27's more blunt bows.

As Toki pointed out, that Volvo diesel deep in the hull will make it ride more stable.
Bill