R23 As a family boat

[Eddy]

I’ve been following the Ranger Tug boats for a while and always loved their classic look and ingenuity. I did a lot of research here in the forum and I’m about to pull the trigger on a brand new R23 but have some questions for y’all.

We’re a family of 5, with 2 girls age 9 & 11 as well as a 2y old boy living on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina. Here is my thinking why to get a R23 over a 26ft center console - please let me know if I’m on the right path. Much appreciated!

• Our little guy is a trouble maker so high gunnels are a must.
  My wife is not very fond of the ocean so a cabin to make her feel safe when things get a bit rough seems great.
  The ladies will appreciate the head even if it is a bit smaller than on a R25 or bigger
  I don’t see us doing any multi-day trips but the forward and quarter berth would be nice for the kids to nap.
  The 19” draft would allow us to still explore the many beaches along the NC Crystal Coast (has anybody every beached a Ranger Tug?)
  I plan to go with the solar panel but not the expensive lithium-ion upgrade. I believe that configuration would still allow us to run the AC, fridge and microwave for snacks during the day, right?
  The autopilot and downriggers seem to make for a nice trolling setup (yes I know, the factory mounts are a bit far forward).
  The swim platform seems to be awesome for the kids to get in and out of the water.
  With the mild climate here in NC, the R23 would allow us to boat pretty much year round, right?
  Anything I’m missing?

 

[Bruce Moore]

Bumping post delayed in moderation queue.

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

I think you’ve got everything right except for the A/C use. You need the lithium option for that. Otherwise, A/C is only useful at the dock. It pulls about 80-90A.


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[CruisingElvinRay]

We are in Southport, by the way. We’ve been through your area several times (as far north as Virginia Beach) and the boating around there is great!


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[DMD3]

May be a bit tight for a family of 5. Fully enclosed wet head on 27 is a huge advantage. Yes to the cabin for a sense of security for sure.

 

[KKRCRACE]

We have a C242 and I don’t believe it would be enough boat for a family of 5. Probably ok for short day trips. Just my opinion.
KKRCRACE

 

[RThorn]

My wife and I have taken 2 other adults and a small child out for the afternoon a couple of times. Great for a quick picnic someplace but to small for 5. The R23 is marginally big enough to overnight on with just my wife and I

 

[SgtAlf]

"The 19” draft would allow us to still explore the many beaches along the NC Crystal Coast"
30" draft with the motor down...

 

[Eddy]

Thank you so much for all the information provided! 😀

Looks like the consensus is that the R-23 is a bit on the small side for a family of 5 but ok for the day trips that we envision.

What's y'all's experience with the AC and heater on the R-23 without lithium-ion batteries? If I got fellow NC boater CruisingElvinRay right then you can't really run the AC while underway. How good is the cabin air circulation? I'm a bit concerned about all those nice skylights and 90+ temperatures... Also, what's your experience running the tug in the cooler month?

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

We’ve been cruising a lot this summer, but would be cruising a LOT less without A/C underway. In a bow rider or center console, you get wind in your face. You won’t get that with an R-23.

We ordered the A/C underway option prior to the lithium batteries. It came with a lead acid 270 Ah (135 useable) bank of batteries. Good for about 1.5 hrs of A/C while cruising. I completed a complex lithium install over the winter with a 400 Ah bank and other accessories that give us 5.5 hours of A/C while cruising.

Our favorite season for cruising is fall/winter. We spent New Year’s Eve/day on the boat in Savannah one year. We love cool weather boating with our R-23.


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[glider4]

We went from a R-25 Classic to a C-28 last year. A number of reasons for the change but a major reason was for more room for Vicki’s two grandkids to go cruising with us. Four people in the R-25 was just too cramped. Granted we do 5-10 days cruises with the grandkids (ages 14 and 11 now) which is a lot different than doing only day trips like you are talking about.
For the same money I would much rather have a 4-6 year old R-27 Classic than a new R-23OB if I had a family of five. Kids have a way of growing. Get a boat roomy enough to last your family a few years!
We leave next week for a 5 night cruise from WA into Canada with the grandkids. Can’t wait!
PS: As far as deliberate beaching that’s a no-go in the PNW and Alaska where tidal swings of 12-18 feet or more can happen every 6-8 hours. I have seen bigger Cutwaters and Ranger Tugs successfully beaching on Lake Powell beaches so it’s definitely doable if you’re not worried about changing water levels.

 

[cruz-in]

My Take:

Get what you can afford and go have fun with your family. When our kids were younger, we had an 18 catboat (sailboat). Two kids, an 80 pound Lab, and us had a blast on that boat. Some time we threw a tube out the back and the kids road in it.

Pick one you can afford and go for it.

My $0.02 FWIW

 

[Eddy]

Great advice, thank you!

That trip with the grandkids sounds awesome! For something like that I definitely would want to have a bigger boat. Our use for now will really just be day trips to explore, play at the beach, look for shells etc. My preference would be for a 27-30ft center console but the safety and convenience of a closed cabin for naps etc is what got us down the Ranger Tug path.