R-21EC

S

swordmanjosh

Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
24
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Non-Fluid Motion Model
1999 Glastron GS209
Vessel Name
Dragon's Cove
I am not a Ranger owner yet and currently own a Glastron GS209 and I've been trawling with the tugnuts for awhile. I see plenty of topics on the R-27, R-29, R-31 and some on the R-25 but the R-21 doesn't come up much. I've been thinking about starting with the R-21 to trade up from my Glastron but I'd like to get a feel of what people like or dislike about the R-21 since it doesn't seem to be discussed much.

Thanks,
Joshua
 
swordmanjosh":2ig7i28c said:
I am not a Ranger owner yet and currently own a Glastron GS209 and I've been trawling with the tugnuts for awhile. I see plenty of topics on the R-27, R-29, R-31 and some on the R-25 but the R-21 doesn't come up much. I've been thinking about starting with the R-21 to trade up from my Glastron but I'd like to get a feel of what people like or dislike about the R-21 since it doesn't seem to be discussed much.

Thanks,
Joshua
Click to expand...

Welcome Joshua,

A search of the archives on this site should give you plenty of reading material from 21 owners. I personally think the R21 is one of the best boats made by Ranger Tugs. We started with one several years ago and currently have a R31. I wish we still had our old 21, but it has a very nice home now in California.

The R21 is powered by engines ranging from 18 hp to 30 hp. A few may have had 9 hp or so Yanmar engines. There is not a lot of performance difference between the older 18s and newer 30s. You get a boat that will cruise at 5-7 knots and sip fuel. Our 18 hp got over 18 Kmpg. On our 31 now, we spend most of our cruising day at 7 or so kmph. We had rather enjoy the trip as well as the destination. With the 21 you will not have the option to kick it up to 20 or so to get there a bit faster, however with planning you may not need that capability.

Many times I wish I still had our 21. It was the perfect bay boat for our home in Port Isabel, Texas. Going out playing with the dolphins and watching the commercial traffic on the ICW and the ship channel is great fun. The large open cockpit especially with a bimini top makes a great place to entertain friends and family on day cruises. I have at least one friend that after upgrading to a larger boat has purchased a new 21 as a second boat, giving them the best of both worlds.

The only problem with the 21 is that it will make you dream for longer extended cruises in far away places. Which may require you spending much more $$ on a larger Ranger Tug. But I guarantee that you will never regret buying a Ranger Tug. On the right side of the home page are several blogs and web sites from Ranger Tug owners. You can spend a many interesting hours sifting through those sites. Check out Walldog's Journeys from the 2009-2011 time frame and you will see several posts about adventures on our R21.

Good luck with your quest and keep us posted on your search. Any questions will gladly be answered here.
 
Thank you for the reply. I've read a lot of the journeys of other people on this forum. I actually found it while researching trailerable live aboard and coming across trailerlifetrawler.com and immediately fell in love with the little Ranger tugs. I have a dream of living aboard for months at a time when I retire but until then I thought an R-21 would get me in the mood for a trawler lifestyle. With my current boat I normally never run faster than 15 MPH and most of the time tootle around 10 MPH (just enough to plane the hull with the outdrive all the way down). While I love my first boat it lacks for any amenities besides a bed to sleep in and to stay protected from the weather as I had full camper canvas made for her. I look forward to hearing from others about any experience with an R-21 also. This is in my price range in the next 1-2 years but if I saved for an R-27 it would be many more years out.
 
Check out Voyages of the Port Nut. Six years worth of great cruising logs. John has put a lot of nautical miles on his 21 - all over the Salish Sea.

Cheers,

Bruce
 
Thanks Bruce. I will check it out tonight.
 
I've operated several of the Ranger Tugs. 🙂 My favorite has always been the R21EC. 😀 I feel it is the best handling, extremely easy to maintain and easiest to just jump on and go. I'm sure the owners of the larger Rangers will take exception to my "best handling" remark. But, the R21EC has a much larger rudder in relation to the boat size than the other tugs. As a result, it steers better in all conditions, especially with aft quartering wind and waves. The only place it gives up any handling prowess is in close quarters where the other Ranger Tugs have both bow and stern thrusters to use. A good driver/pilot with a R21EC with its bow thruster will never notice the difference.

I'm on my second R21EC. Considered the larger models several times, but never bought one. Mainly because I'm a sailor at heart; it's been difficult for me to go all power; give up sailing. I have an extremely nice, easy to use sailboat docked about 100 yards from my house. My R21EC is docked 15 to 20 minutes away, by car. But, I find myself using the tug when the wind is howling, the waves are breaking, the sun is boiling or the temperature is cold, including freezing. And, when other folks don't care about sailing, or when I'm lazy. 😱

I've never used the marine head and galley on either tug, so I can't address winterizing them. But, it took about 10 minutes to winterize the engine and bilge; took about a gallon of antifreeze. It's so simple, one can go out in freezing weather and then re-winterize quickly and cheaply afterward.

I could go on and on about all the Ranger Tugs, especially the R21EC. b/t/w my first one could exceed 10 knots going down waves in a good breeze; it would surf. Haven't had the latest one out in those conditions, yet.

gene
 
How could I forget? The beam is legal (almost everywhere?) and combined with low weight they are simple to tow anywhere.
 
Thanks for the reply Gene. I have a lot of experience with winterizing boats and RVs so I don't think that is an issue, just some new things I'd have to learn with the diesel. With this info and all the good things I think I will be looking to buy a used one in the next year or two depending on how finances run and selling my current beauty. I love her and she will always have a place in my heart but time to move onto something with some amenities so staying out is a little nicer.
 
We've had our R-21EC for about 2 yrs now and absolutely love it. We've looked at larger Rangers but find for what we really want to do the 21 is just about perfect. It's easy to tow and launch which opens up worlds of places to go and explore. The shallow draft makes getting into quiet spots easy and even if you do run aground all you have to do is hop out and push. The 30 h.p. Yanmar sips diesel. You may not go very fast (average speed for us is about 6-7 knots) but you can go a long long way. Maintenance is a breeze with easy access to the engine compartment. Oil filter, fuel filter and impeller changes are no problem and engine noise is really not an issue even at higher RPMs. We've made some upgrades to the cabin bed to make it more comfortable and easier to access space under the berths. This winter I plan to install a new higher BTU air conditioner that will work off 12 volt battery with an inverter or shore power. We've spent up to 3 nights out at a time and enjoyed every second. I've got a sun shower to wash off the salt water when we swim. The back cockpit has great space and the swim platform holds a large ice chest. Attach a grill to the side and fire up whatever you'd like to eat. All in all for the size and investment I give the 21 two thumbs up! Oh, and I almost forgot one of the best parts: We've taken Maneo all over the Gulf coast, large marinas , small marinas, on the hook or on the beach, and EVERYBODY I mean EVERYBODY will come ask you about your boat! Ask any R-21 owner.

Happy cruising!

Karl & Sara
aboard Maneo
 
hello Joshua ...... you wont see many posts on the R21s because they don't have many mechanical issues and the owners are too busy cruising to sit in front of a computer and just talk about boating. We purchased our 21EC from Wefings in Apalachicola and have been extremely pleased with the boat and the dealer support. The owners forum (Tugnuts) offers tons of information on almost any issue. As for the tug itself, it is equally at home on a large lake (Hartwell - 58 miles long), the Erie Canal (over 300 miles long), or my home waters (Lake Michigan). The boat handles well in all conditions and feels like a much larger boat ...... without the bigger logistical issues such as tow vehicle size and oversize beam permitting. One of the biggest benefits is that if you charge spectators $5.00 for each time they call the tug "cute" you can pay for your entire trip. You will have to search far and wide to find a tug better than the R21EC. 🙂
 
Thank you Fran and Capt Karl for the input. Fran I like your comment about no mechanical issues and plenty of time to boat and not sit in front of a computer but as an engineer I have a habit of researching things a lot before taking the plunge but I have been sold. The 21EC dry weight is even less than my current GS209 which has none of the amenities the 21EC has. Salt water won't be an issue for me as I'm currently in Indiana which also has its own issues of being able to see a boat in person unless I drive up to Michigan area. I'm down here on Lake Monroe currently.
 
Hi Joshua,
We own 2013 21ec and love it! I agree eith all the previous posts. We cruise Lake Superior and stay aboard for 4-5 nights at a time. Check out " Reed Yacht sales" in Racine Wi. Mark Derenne is the Gentleman to contact. We found them to be a super dealer to work with!
Good luck,
John G.
 
John,

Thanks for the point of contact. I'm probably about a year away financially and I won't be able to buy a new boat but a used one. From my history a used boat is sometimes better than new because it has had all the bugs worked out of it already.

Thanks again,
Joshua
 
Everyone here has been very helpful with replies and I've search the forums and drank all the information I could find on the R21EC. Now the next question is there anyone near Indiana or in Indiana that has one that I can take a look at? I know this is a long shot being mostly landlocked like we are but I figured I'd give it a try. Thanks to all.
 
It looks like Reed Yacht Sales in Michigan is your closest dealer. They're in Grand Haven and La Salle. You can also check the World of Ranger Tugs map. Not sure where you're located but there are a few 21 owners in the region you could connect with.

Cheers,

Bruce
 
Bruce,

I know Reed Yacht Sales is the closest dealer but I was wanting more of a personal touch. Be on board a 21-EC that has been used, not a show room model. Be on board with actual users who have owned the boat, not a sales person. Granted I know many sales people have been on board but an owner is a completely different person.

Thanks,
Joshua
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

  • Tugnuts.com is the community hub for Ranger Tug, Cutwater, and Solara owners. Since its inception in 2008, the Tugnuts forum has grown into an active and thriving community of more than 9,000 members. It serves as both a meeting place for the best boating community online, and an invaluable archive of information.

  • User menu
Back
Top