Old Rangers never die....or do they?

[Chimo]

I was just reading some of the threads about seaworthiness, following seas/broaching, grounding and whatever. It occurred to me that RTs have been around for some time now and some must have “expired” in one way or another.

I’m sure some of them will have been trashed in hurricanes or suffered mortal wounds from sinking at the dock, falling off trailers or being involved in other accidents. Some may even have simply worn out, particularly some of the really early ones.

Has anyone heard of a RT being lost at sea because it was in bad weather? Anyone rolled to the point of water coming over the cockpit side and if so how well did the cockpit bail? (I think these boats may be more seaworthy than we suspect.)

How DO they leave us?

 

[SlackwaterJack]

Like most boats, cars, etc., they generally don't die....they're MURDERED by the owner.

 

[stwendl]

Funny a friend of mine said the same thing about batteries, they usually get murdered.

I think I only know of a few rangertugs that burned down when a marina in Portland caught fire in end of 2015. Over 400boats lost their lives there.

 

[scross]

One was destroyed by arson while at berth in Southern California. Never heard of any Tugs being lost while underway.

 

[Chimo]

One was destroyed by arson while at berth in Southern California. Never heard of any Tugs being lost while underway.

That's pretty impressive! Maybe the skippers of Ranger Tugs are just really good. 😉

Seriously, has nobody ever heard of a RT being lost at sea?

 

[baz]

This couple made it through in 4' waves and plenty of rocking & rolling in a R-21 in 2014. Listening to the audio transmits the stress level when in such water conditions. The video is in two parts; 1 & 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5PHwaB0Okg

Part 2 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioPGdg4Bqmw

Hmmmm... Part 3 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPrQUgLFDHA

 

[South lake]

Ranger Tugs do handle a little rough water pretty well. In 2012 we spent the night in the state marina on Middle Bass Island on Lake Erie. The next morning we came back to our home marina on the mainland in East Harbor. Maybe a 9 mile run. The weather report was waves under 2 feet so it should have been a smooth trip. But the wind was strong from the southwest and when we cleared South Bass Island all of a sudden conditions got very different. It took 40 minutes to get to the harbor. Normally that area is filled with charter boats fishing for walleye or perch. But on the way in I noticed none of them were out. When we got into East Harbor I stopped at Tibbles Marine for fuel. A lot of the charters come out of there and a number of the captains were standing out near the fuel dock. A few of them asked me "You're not going out now are you?'. I said we'd just come in from Middle Bass. One of them said wasn't it rough out there? I said yes and as soon as I fill the tank I'm going looking for the weatherman who said the waves were under 2 feet. They all got a good laugh and commented on what a cool boat our R25 was.

Here's our video of part of the trip:

https://youtu.be/9eR_gJmk2q0

 

[scross]

Just based on the law of averages, there's probably a Ranger Tug or Cutwater that has been damaged or totaled by hurricanes in the Gulf or East Coast waters. And maybe someone, somewhere, sometime who had their boat sink due to not remembering to put in the drain plug before launching.
I just haven't heard of actual cases like that.....

 

[PetDrs]

There is a resurrected (in progress) 2013 R21EC for sale on this site that took on a lot of water during the Houston flood. That one hopefully will get a chance at a "second life"....... 🙂

 

[stwendl]

This couple made it through in 4' waves and plenty of rocking & rolling in a R-21 in 2014. Listening to the audio transmits the stress level when in such water conditions. The video is in two parts; 1 & 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5PHwaB0Okg

Part 2 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioPGdg4Bqmw

Hmmmm... Part 3 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPrQUgLFDHA

Why did they have the light on the foredeck and chart plotter on bright day mode. Takes away your night vision

 

[baz]

This couple made it through in 4' waves and plenty of rocking & rolling in a R-21 in 2014. Listening to the audio transmits the stress level when in such water conditions. The video is in two parts; 1 & 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5PHwaB0Okg

Part 2 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioPGdg4Bqmw

Hmmmm... Part 3 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPrQUgLFDHA

Why did they have the light on the foredeck and chart plotter on bright day mode. Takes away your night vision

Don't know about that. Maybe to allow the video camera to get a better view of the chart plotter's screen... but just dunno.

 

[tugnnaweigh]

Saw a R29 on National Liquidators years ago, listed as hurricane damaged, partial sinking. Price was still up there though.

 

[sportner]

Three or four years ago we were following four boats 55’-72’ coming into Johnstone Straits in our 27’ RT on our way to Alaska, the winds Became strong and the waves 6’+, sharp, and close. The other boats turned into Blind Channel, I continued for a short distance for fun and then turned to follow the other boats into Bind Channel marina where we spent the night. That evening one of the Captains of the larger boats came by and said Dave Livingston (RT designer) would have been proud to see us confidently crashing through those waves as they broke over the bow and cabin. We made it to Alaska and on at least two occasions on that trip we were in similar conditions for extended periods. My mate didn’t like it and neither did I really, but I never felt threatened other than the threats my wife made if it happened again. My point is that the boat will take more than the operator if handled properly. Head in or quarter the waves, time your tac to minimize the wave on your beam, and if possible avoid dangerous situations all together. I never felt in danger of broaching, ever. Do I want to experience that again? Never.

 

[doke01]

Yeah, we've been in some rough stuff. I remember cresting waves and losing steerage as the rudder came out of the water. My wife wasn't happy, especially since we were in it for about 3 hours. I was quite exhausted after that one. Trying to stay in my seat and keep the boat pointed in the right direction seemed like it would never end. The boat just plowed through it all and I never felt in danger (although losing steerage was a bit scary the first time, but once I understood what was going on I had no issues). After that my wife believes me when I say the boat is stronger than we are.

 

[baz]

Yep.... it seems many of us have been in rough weather, me included.

There was one trip we had coming south from Comox running down the east side of Vancouver Island CA when we hit some high wind and 4 to 6 foot waves all of a sudden. It came from nowhere and suddenly. I was traveling at 14 kts when I hit the waves and bang, bang, slap and I slowed down quickly to ride the beastly waves. I yelled to my wife in the V-berth to hold on but either she didn't hear me or thought the better. The first wallop and she rocketed to the foredeck ceiling with a resounding bonk. My wife yelled at me and I told her things will be rough for awhile (some 4 hrs of it) and to hold on. She took my advice for the next few hours as I slogged on through to the nearest safe harbor. Those hours seemed endless and all I could think of was for it to end. The boat (R-25 Classic) handled it well and I felt safe and controlled the forward speed as best I could to master the waves. Part of the scary part was with all the water crashing against the windshield it was hard to see where and when the boat would encounter the next big wave. The stock wipers really don't do a good job in those conditions.

Sometimes even with keeping an eye on the weather condition before making a run, Mother Nature can fool you.