Next Ranger to get Outboards?

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B

BillE

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Feb 25, 2017
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Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
How big will you go? Will we be seeing an R-31 with twin 300s, like the big Cutwater?
 
We had a planing boat with a Yamaha outboard, and sold it for a Ranger Tug because we like the tug trawler, inboard diesel, semi-displacement type boat . Just our personal preference, but I'd hate to see the inboard diesels all go away. Now, I can understand that offering both configurations in every model may not be economically feasible for Ranger Tugs to produce, but isn't that what the Cutwater line-up is for?
If I owned Fluid Motion, I would focus the Cutwater boats on planing outboards, and focus the Ranger Tugs on the inboard diesel, semi-displacement tugs. Same outstanding features, styling and service to satisfy people from either camp. That is what built up the following RT enjoys today. I'm not sure why they are changing that strategy.
But then maybe that's why I don't own a multi-million dollar company like Fluid Motion. 😀
Just my 2 cents.
 
I think we see the cutwater 28 with outboards next.
 
We like to leave everything to your imagination. In fact, the owners leave it to ours as well. As soon as we know what is next, so will you. Now you know why we are the last to know. 😀
 
I’m with “YukonRon”, I had 2 C-Dorys for for 11 years before moving to my R25SC. I’m enjoying the ride and the scenery. The semi displacement hull on our 25 gives us the feeling of being in one of our previous bigger boats. Verry comfortable on the Chesapeake Bay.
 
Andrew Custis":3ra4nmik said:
We like to leave everything to your imagination. In fact, the owners leave it to ours as well. As soon as we know what is next, so will you. Now you know why we are the last to know. 😀
Click to expand...

Keep up with the imagination. It's what I like about RT & CW. A rolling stone gathers no moss. Please keep doing innovative designs. 😀
 
I have no problems with innovation, as long as it still comes with choices.
If (when) the time comes for us to move up to a bigger boat, I hope we still have options to get a new(ish) RT with the inboard diesel. If they have all switched to outboards by then, our options would be to find an older model, or leave the RT family. I hope it doesn't come to that!
 
I don’t think you’re going to get choices. The demand for the outboard RT models is so high that I don’t see any inboard diesels going forward. RT doesn’t have the production capacity or interest in meeting anything but what produces the biggest sales and profits.
I don’t blame them but miss the original RT concept. We are really happy with our R25 Classic for long duration crusing trips to remote areas. Maybe someday we will move up to a 2015 or 2016 R27 Classic. Have zero interest in an outboard - doesn’t fit our mission. Maybe some other company will pick up what RT seems to be turning its back on......
 
I think thats a little bit unfair Scross. yes fluid motion is moving with the times based on customer feedback (IMHO - bravo as listening to customers is one of the great things about the company)

But they have made some smart decisions with their outboard choices.
The fuel thread http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9974&p=68808&hilit=outboard+fuel#p68768
shows that the performance curve compared to the diesel is very much inline and realistically just adds a higher top speed when needed.

I'm not sure I buy the difference now between the diesels and gas engines in terms of reliability. its not as if the diesel inboards in new tugs were the super low power diesels of old that lasted basically forever. These are modern, leisure spec, common rail, electronic ECU powered volvo diesels.

plus depending on the tug model we now have a choice of twin outboards which has way more redundancy than a single diesel.
 
-----" I would focus the Cutwater boats on planing outboards, and focus the Ranger Tugs on the inboard diesel, semi-displacement tugs.---"

I feel certain that was Fluid's original game plan but these pesky customers seem to have preferred the styling of one and the propulsion of the other!

I asked the question because I am intrigued by this new development of outboard powered cruisers, and I don't mean the "Express Cruiser" bubble boats that have been with us for years. I don't care about going fast, I just can't co-habitate with diesel and prefer an engine that I don't have to crawl around in a hole to do routine maintenance. I've been told that there is no such thing as an outboard trawler, and I believe it, but the trend toward big outboard cruisers is close enough. Rosborough has a 30+ footer with outboards in the works, so I would bet that Ranger is planning to answer them. We will see. I just wish this had started ten years back so I could afford a nice used one by now.
 
Yep.... the big 37-foot Grady White has three big outboards out back and it's Optimum Cruise is stated to be 30.8 MPH @ 3800 RPM and doing 1.0 MPG.
 
Am I correct in my understanding that the outboard models are more than just an engine change, but that they also have gone to more of a planing hull design rather than semi-displacement? Can you guys confirm this for me?
To me, that is as much of a deal-breaker as the engine choice. We could have upgraded our Hewescraft to a big twin outboard ocean-going model, but chose not to. Going fast pounding over waves is no fun for my back. Trying to go slow in a planing boat with big outboards is not the trawler experience I was looking for either.
Of course RT is free to produce whatever they feel the buyers are looking for. But I have to agree with scross. All the current Tug owners bought this boat for a reason, they were not looking for outboards. Maybe the market is changing, but RT will be turning their backs on those who want the semi displacement diesel experience.
 
+1 on the Cutwater 282 with twin 200s. I would love to see CW come out with an OB version that slots in between the C242 and C302. Adding in the flip up bulkhead from the 242 and 302 coupe versions would be a nice update as well. And if Fluid Motion were designing the “282” for my purposes, I’d say add a little more beam since I will not trailer it.
 
knotflying":193mrqog said:
look at the positive side. Perhaps the classic diesels will be worth more on resale.
Click to expand...

I hope you are right. Time will tell.
There is already so many choices out there for go-fast planing boats. How many choices are there for a semi-displacement diesel coastal trawler that is trailerable with a pickup? That is a market that RT has (had?) a good hold on.
 
I'm sure I have probably added my two cents worth on a different thread but here goes.

We were very happy with our C-Dory 23 Venture with twin 60 hp Yamaha's for many years. It was exceptionally well finished even in comparison with a RT having been one of those unusual units that was built fully insulated and with all the extras such as the Wallas stove/heater, hot water heater, galvanic isolator etc. etc. It would cruise at the speed I liked [about 15 mile-per-hour] and would deliver 3 miles per gallon from that speed pretty much all the way to its top speed of 30 mph. What made us change was the desire for a shower and to move away from the porta potti that meant disturbing everyone and everything during those midnight trips that become more frequent with later years. Of course we then fell in love with all the other extras, wider beam equals more space, microwave, swim platform and so on.

When we went to look for a new boat our first target was the R 23. I liked again the idea of outboards. What killed it for me was the overall length with outboards up since it didn't fit in the boathouse. What killed it for my wife [and therefore for me] was having the shower and head still in the V berth. We are now very happy with our R25SC am glad we were able to catch the last of the generation, the 2017. Is the boat perfect? No. EVERY boat is a compromise and I'm sure that everyone will defend their choices boat vociferously but in the end all that matters is that we are happy with the choice we have made. My last thought is that I'm glad I actually had a choice. The R 23 did not fit the bill though the price was attractive. The R 27 is now so far out of my price range as to take it out of consideration.
 
hull change is an interesting point.

I have a semi displacement in the cutwater 28. I would be interested to hear from owners who used to have a semi displacement hull (tug or cut) and now have an outboard powered full planning hull (tug or cut); whether on the plane, off the plane at displacement speeds, or sitting at anchor/fishing its more uncomfortable or not?

despite the c28 being semi displacement it has always felt pretty lively; and not reminiscent of either a big heavy displacement sailboat or heavy displacement power boat.
To put it another way, the semi displacement cutwater seems to be closer to the planing end of the spectrum anyway but I only have 1 point of reference 🙂
 
At the risk of side-tracking this thread, the thought occurred to me that in time, diesel engine use in marine environment may be curtailed.

I found this article, and more are sure to be had on a thorough Google search:
https://www.transportenvironment.org/what-we-do/shipping/air-pollution-ships

Does the crystal ball foresee a DEF requirement for diesel powered small boats?

For now, we like our inboard diesel coastal cruiser; it was an on-purpose decision to come off of planing hull to avoid the bouncing around when the hull slapped the water. X-games are fine on TV.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All
 
Crewdog":35np2lc3 said:
At the risk of side-tracking this thread, the thought occurred to me that in time, diesel engine use in marine environment may be curtailed.

I found this article, and more are sure to be had on a thorough Google search:
https://www.transportenvironment.org/what-we-do/shipping/air-pollution-ships

Does the crystal ball foresee a DEF requirement for diesel powered small boats?

For now, we like our inboard diesel coastal cruiser; it was an on-purpose decision to come off of planing hull to avoid the bouncing around when the hull slapped the water. X-games are fine on TV.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All
Click to expand...

Happy/Merry Christmas to you also.

I find that with my R-27/OB that with calm waters and even a small 1 foot chop there's little water slapping to bounce the boat. I'm surprised at how solid the boat feels at 30 mph and steers accurately, turns smoothly with little effort needed at the helm. It's a very 'obedient' boat in this regards. When I went at 14 mph in our R-25 I got a bit nervous as it did not respond to rudder inputs very well and would swerve about with the rudder held midships. The extra speed the R-27/OB offers does IMO help with the boat steering holding a steady course securely. I do have to agree the slapping noise for the R-27/OB is apparent which is not something you hear with the R-25 or R-27 inboard semi hulls and has taken me a bit to get used to.
 
I'm an old school diesel guy. We bought an R25 for two reasons. For one, as a 25 ft boat it has an incredible amount of interior volume. Secondly was the diesel engine. But what I've since discovered with this boat is that these modern diesels have lost most of the old school advantages. It doesn't take long surfing this forum to see how many threads are associated with engine issues. Unfortunately it is a simple fact of life that modern OB engines are less problematic than modern common rail, turbocharged, high efficiency(aka low emission) diesels. The OBs are simply produced in much higher numbers and are more mature designs.

From a manufacturer's perspective a LOT of Ranger's customer service headaches vanish if they stop producing diesel powered boats. They found a market niche with the diesel tugs. They now have an established place in the market and it's probably a good business decision to move towards the OB models. Let's face it they wouldn't be doing it otherwise.

If we had to re-power our boat tomorrow I'd bolt a bracket on the transom and drop a couple of Suzukis on there.
 
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