R-25 modifications I have made

[Ram]

I wanted to document some of the modifications I've been making in my Ranger 25 in case anyone else has similar issues or questions. I want to state up front that I am a big fan of the Ranger and have visited the factory, and I am very impressed with both the quality of the design, the work that is being done, and the support being provided. I have only had this boat for 6 months now, but I spend a great deal of time aboard it and I and my whole family really enjoy it. Please do not take anything I post as being critical of the boat or the builders.

I have hull #11, a 2007 model that I believe was the first one (and only one?) imported into Canada. It is a little unusual in that it has a Yanmar 125 HP, and I'm only aware (through this forum) of one other R25 that has a Yanmar 125. In other respects it is "stock". I bought it used from the original owner who had it for 1 year, cruised it a few times, but was getting too old to keep it up. I had been interested in the R25 before, having seen an R21 a number of years ago and admired the design, when this one showed up in the slip right across from my sailboat. We wound up buying it - as my wife said, how can she stop me when the boat found me?

These are a few of the changes or fixes I have made in the boat:

- When I first got the boat, every time I came down to check on it there was an accumulation of a few inches of water at the aft end of the starboard cockpit locker (under the fule tank f rot he stove). I pumped this out and sponged the compartment dry a number of times, and was thinking there was some problem in the gaskets or the cockpit drains. Eventually I found a drip on the supply hose for the hot water heater. Tightening the clamps on both ends of this hose fixed that leak for good.

- I had another accumulation of water along the port shelf in the forward cabin. I first stuffed foam insulation up in the gunwhale (behind the liner, thinking this was condensation. But that didn't do it completely, and I never had water on the port side. I then opened the liner under the anchor locker and found a drip on the drain hose. The clamps were tight, but the nipple at the base of the anchor locker wasn't well sealed. I did a patch job with some 5200 around the nipple to seal that off. Almost all water gone, but not quite. I finally filled the seam along the top of the rubrail in that area with clear LifeSeal because someone here had mentioned there is no sealant applied under the rubrail. Since then I've had no further water in this area, so I'm assuming the main cause of the problem was the seal on the rubrail (probably water dribbling around the screws int he hull-to-deck-joint).

- The second time I went to go out in the boat there was no drive when I put it in gear. After checking the shift cable, the transmission fluid, etc., I realized that the shaft had separated from the transmission hub. I found all the bolts and nuts in the bilge. I replaced them at that time, but I noticed that the bolts were barely long enough for the locknuts to lock on. I expect they vibrated a bit, lost their grip and just fell off. I've since replaced the bolts with longer ones. The originals were 2" bolts, I used 2 1/2" bolts with about 1/4" cut off the ends (so really 2 1/4" bolts). This leaves plenty of thread for the locknuts to grip properly. I don't know if this particular problem is unique to the Yanmar 125, but I'd advise checking the bolts on your shaft hub, especially if you have a Yanmar.

- The dinette table was not centered between the seats, so there was quite a bit of room between the table and the forward seat, and I could hardly sit in the aft seat. I considered a number of remedies, including cutting off part of the table. It finally occurred to me to just unscrew the table from the tops of the pedestals and shift it over a couple of inches. I don't know if this is a design issue or just a manufacturing error, but the table works much better for me in this position. I was careful not to move it too far forward that it would interfere with the folding of the forward seat. What I found is that it works fine if the front edge of the table just contacts the back of the seat when it's flipped forward into "cruising" position. I also unscrewed the bottom of the aft seat back and put a shimm behind to give it a bit of slant. Now the aft seat is much more comfortable.

- I also installed a bimini top, purchased through King Canvas, the supplier for the Ranger. The quality of both the frame and the canvas is excellent. The installation, which I did alone, was not exactly a piece of cake, especially since some of the interior trim had to come off in order to retrofit the rails on the cabin top. But it went well and I am glad to have this option. Over the winter, which is very wet and moldy here, I just stretched a poly tarp over the frame, and it protects the cockpit very well as well as my head.

- Another little tip. I think everyone knows that it's somewhat difficult to see well when going in reverse due to the head compartment and aft bulkhead. I found a little rearview mirror at a chandlery ($19.95) that has a suction cup base. I stuck this on the outside of the leading edge of the opening window at the helm seat. Great rear vision right down the side of the boat without even turning my head. I'm going to get one for the port side as well. Well, actually 2 - I managed to knock the one I had put on overboard while trying to adjust it.

Other changes I plan to make:

1) Autopilot - I have an auto-tiller on my sailboat and consider it indispenible for extended cruising.
2) Trim tab indicators - These would just be nice to have, even though some of the reviews I've read of the Bennett ones suggest they may not always work that well.
3) Galvanic isolator - I'm in the water year-round and use AC. From Andrew's description it sounds like this is an easy install.
4) High-capacity bilge pump - My boat has a single Rule 750. I bought a Rule 3500, I'm planning to install it just forward of the muffler and either tie the outlet into the macerator pump discharge line or add a separate line.
5) High-water bilge alarm - Haven't you realized yet that I'm a maniac about dry boats? 😎

 

[commander bill]

I had same problem with leak from water heater conections but I am a little confused by your actions. My boat has drains from that storage compartment which lead to bilge. Any leakage should go to the bilge rather than accumulate in the compartment. Are your drain holes plugged?

 

[Ram]

In theory this is true (that the water in the starboard compartment should drain into the bilge). But the limber hole (section of PVC pipe providing opening through the stringer) is a bit above the floor of the compartment, and it never seemed to drain the water into the bilge very well. Andrew's first suggestion to me had been to poke something through that pipe to insure it was clear, which I did. I would still get enough water collecting in there to rise over the plywood panel that the water heater and stove fuel tank tank are mounted on. I could never figure out exactly why the water didn't drain out better, because it seemed to be above the level of the limber hole. It may be that with no load in the boat it sits on the waterline in such a way that the water doesn't all collect aft.

 

[j&lgray]

Thanks for the information and the detail you provided.

The Laurie Ann also had a leak from the fittings at the hot water heater that was solved with tightening the hose clamps. However, in my zeal, I over tightened and crushed the plastic hose bib fitting. I replaced them with bronze fittings, a feature that the factory is doing on their boats now. So, if you have plastic fittings that connect the hoses to the hot water heater (located on the starboard side, cockpit storage) be careful about over tightening those and consider replacing them with bronze (or are they brass?) ones-the cost was about $20.

Do not be surprised or dismayed at the occasional water leak in the fresh water system. These hose clamps need a bit of maintenance now and then. You can find the fresh water connections (1) under the pilot's foot step that is accessed through the cabin heater assembly (four screws opens up this entire area), (2) under the sink, (3) under the head sink and the access plate in the floor that is under the sink, (4) in the engine room under the shower and (5) at the hot water heater. There are hose connections behind the shower fittings and these take a bit more time and effort.

How do you know that there is a problem to attend to? Visible water pooling or dripping or the fresh water pump cycles when it should not. By the way, that fresh water pump pressurizes the system at 41 PSI which is a preventable long-term strain on the connections. We only turn on the pump when we need the water-we do not leave the system pressurized.

 

[Tom Ray]

I wonder whether it is a good idea to turn the water pressure on and off like that on Laurie Ann. While it's true that keeping it pressurized is one kind of strain on the system, letting it go from 0 psi to 41 psi, with the attendant stretching and contracting of pipes and hoses, is a different kind of strain. It might be better to just let the stretch and stay that way while aboard.

Water pressure pumps should always be turned off when leaving the boat, IMO. If some connection fails, it will pump all the water in the tank through the failure point and then run dry. Not good.

 

[henrym]

Little Toot (#75) also had a improperly installed leaking hose on the water heater. I also found that rain and deck washing water was getting into the cockpit storage compartments through the hatch lifting handle. There was no caulking utilized during assembly. Make sure you caulk the handle and return spring holes. Also had water leaking onto the galley countertop behind the sink via the area behind the spice rack - this was caused by an improperly installed deck light gasket.
Henry

 

[captd]

Here is a new one. Hooked to shore water. The bilge pump was coming on that night. I have a leak some where in that system. Maybe Andrew can give me a little insight on how to get to it. Pump does not come on using tank water.

This same leaked water ended up in the Vberth floor soaking the honey teak rug. I can't figure out why or how it got there. In the past ,( with Mis Dee), rain water would bypass the scuppers and flow into the side compartments mostly on the port side. Drain tubes were too high. On the trailer when putting on the brakes or going down hill it would end up on the vberth floor. How does that happen in the water? I know water runs down hill, ( and payday is on Friday) do you think it is bow heavy? At night, I am sure it is. My previous Ranger was the 125 Yamar. Hull # 6. Now with the drain holes it will drain out by itsself. I don't need to dip it out and sop it up with a sponge. Thats progress.

captd

 

[Ram]

I forgot the most important modification I've made to my R25 - a catch to hold the head compartment door open! I got a very small magnetic catch from a local chandlery. The magnet is on an L-bracket, which I attached to the under side of the companionway step. There is a very small buton attached to the outer edge of the head compartment door. When the door is opened all the way the magnet catches and keeps it from swinging around - a great convenience (hey guys, how about adding these to the stock boats?).

I also made a small modification to the latch on the cabin door. I stuck a small, circular velcro tab onto the face of the bumper that latches the door open. Now when the door swings back the latch doesn't engage unless I push on the door. I was really tired of having the latch engage every time I opened the door and having to unlatch it to close the door behind me.

 

[Margaret Lower]

Almost 10 years since Ram made this post !!

Responding because Hull #66 is in our possession now in Alaska. Its original registrations numbers(now almost faded away) are British Columbia numbers).

AND we have the 125 hp Yanmar engine. Purrs like a kitten with about 440 hours.

Don and Margaret.

 

[Paul Schmitz]

Well I just joined tignuts- have a 2007 ranger 25 with yanmar 125 hill type unknown as I don’t know where to look for it anyway my problems at this point are
How do you access the impeller? Its impossible to see or touch its on port side under and behind starter
Also Trim master trim tab pump motor is broke what do I replace with
Thanks Paul from RI USA