Possible purchase of used R-29. Advice??

[Mike & Heather]

Hello all:

I have been following the Tugnuts forum for a few months as I looked at a vaiety of Ranger tugs. Great forum, thanks 😀 I am currently sitting in the airport after spending yesterday on an "almost new", ~200 hrs on engine, R29 with my marine surveyor. Things were clean but I wanted to get any "gotcha" advice from the forum. I will likely be keeping the boat in Bellhaven WA and flying up from the SF bay area at least for the first few years, likely having it in a charter program. I have a lot of experience sailing/racing JBoats ( 24, 29, 30, 35) in the SF bay but this is the first powerboat I would own.

Some things that we not clear after being on the boat:
1. Waste tank plumbing seemed very difficult to access
2. Same could be said for fresh water
3. Not clear on the switching mechanism between the 2 fuel tanks. Does one pump to the other or is there a selector valve?
4. I am used to seeing a A/B/Both selector switch for batteries on my sailboats to prevent running down the starting battery bank but did not see this on the R-29. Is there another system to prevent draw down of the batteries so there are no starting problems in the morning?
5. This boat has no generator, do users usually use the generator? No AC on board.

My surveyor has these and other questions for the factory tomorrow but I thought I would introduce myself and make sure I am not missing anything.

Thanks

Mike

 

[Stella Maris]

Mike,
What year is this R-29?
Thank you,
David

 

[Mike & Heather]

2010 built in June 2009 I believe. Named Sporty II currently in Bellingham, WA

Mike

 

[Stella Maris]

Are you still at Seatac?

 

[captain's cat]

MIKE, just for your general interest, Pete, the current owner of Sporty II, has made 11 posts on this site, none mention why he's selling or bear on your questions though.

search.php?author_id=416&sr=posts

 

[captd]

Someone needs to say. Pete has pasted away. He loved his boat. It was well taken care of.
captd 🙁

 

[Mike & Heather]

As we looked at the boat this weekend it was clear the love that Pete had for the boat. We met several people on the dock that talked very fondly of him, his willingness to always help out, and being an all around great guy. It was sad to think that he did not get much time to enjoy the boat.

Mike

 

[captain's cat]

Sorry I didn't make the connection with Pete Cleland and his passing. Capt'd confused me even more with his post that he had "pasted"..... Mike, I think that's a great boat, hope you get answers to your questions and good luck with your purchase.

Charlie

 

[navyman65]

I have been trying to locate a Pete Cleland from Wenatchee, Washington, who served in the Navy and used to love Bultaco motorcycles. I served with Pete in the U.S. Navy, first in basic training in San Diego during the summer of '65 and subsequenlty from May to September '66 at Fire Control Technician "A" school in Bainbridge, MD. In that short period of time I considered him a close friend. We shared many good times together.If anyone knows whether this is the Pete Cleland that I knew, I would apprecaiate any information you could share with me. Having read his obituary, are ages are abou the same. I think that it may be him.

Respectfully yours,

Richard A. Smith, Esq.

 

[Spirit of Gratitude]

This is the Pete that we are all missing very much. Hope this helps.

Stuart

 

[johnniethek]

Mike,

Pete loved his boat. You can bet it was well-cared for.

I don't know what the price is you're looking at, but it's clearly a buyer's market. Typically, you will get a much better (financial) deal (assuming the boat you buy has most of the available options) going with a good used boat that a new one.

I would willingly bow to the view of others who have different perspectives.

JtK