R27OB in Ocean Waters

[seanlisa122]

I am about to pull the trigger on a new R27OB. I live in Southern Ca. and will be using the boat in the ocean. My question is how will this boat handle ocean waters. I own a 28ft sail boat and take it out a lot, but only when the weather is appropriate. This will be my first power boat so I really dont know what to expect or if I should be looking at something bigger..
Thanks
Sean

 

[nzfisher]

I have a r25 and it lives in Newport Or. I probably have 800 hrs or more use in the ocean off the Oregon coast. Following seas can be a little harry but you should adjust your course slightly to accommodate. The ocean in Oregon is much rougher than what you will experience in s cal typically. I don’t go out on the days where it is hard to fish because it is so rough why would you want to. I have been out over 40 miles off the coast chasing albacore and felt totally at ease but the conditions were good. Like most experiences it depends on your frame of reference- what you are used to. If you have been out on a bad day-6ft swells 6 seconds with a 2-3 ft wind wave at 45 degrees the boat will take it fine but you won’t like it. pretty much true in anything but a big boat. It makes a nice fishing platform on nice days. I like fishing it more than the Grady I used to fish on. If you have the outboard you have enough power to stay on the back side of the swell so even coming into harbor on a big sea it is comfortable, sometimes with the diesel I have had to push it a little to stay on the back side coming into shallow water with a big sea. So I hope that helps.

 

[seanlisa122]

Thanks, I think like anything else you have to pick you're comfort level as far as going out. Me being relatively new to power boats I will be taking it slow.

 

[Barerootsbob]

I keep my C28 in Long Beach and like you I watch conditions before I take the family out on the water. Ive seen many Rangers and Cutwaters at Catalina. The 27OB will be an awesome boat for So Cal. But I must mention that having a platform mounted dinghy is very nice out there.

 

[oneeyedjackass]

Hi neighbor!
we keep our R23 in marina del rey. I think the R27ob is going to be awesome. We were new to the cal coast cruising when we got nixie late 2016. And like you said we took things very slow and kept things super safe, it's been a great adventure right in our backyard. If your coming from a sailboat I think you will dig the speed, it opens up whole new areas that you can easily get to without getting beat down. We've found that the earlier we can get out of the marine the more comfortable the ride will be. Especially if you are heading up coast. Have fun see ya out there!
mark

 

[johnniethek]

Just wondering if folks think the R-27 OB is capable of cruising out of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and down the Washington Coast to the Columbia River? I am thinking that would be a wonderful way to spend a month during an upcoming summer.

 

[seanlisa122]

Thanks Mark!!! Hopefully see you out there..

 

[Cutwater28GG]

@jonnie

picking a weather window it should be possible.. I think the issue is fuel range.

 

[guthriejp]

My wife and I took our 2018 R-27 OB up to the San Juan's during early April. She wanted to see Orcas' and saw on a post there were some out in the Haro Strait. So, we went up to Stuart Island, had lunch in Reid Harbor then proceeded into Haro Strait. Raining and large swells met us there. As we rounded San Juan Island into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, things turned really rough. We debated heading back to deception pass, but the currents looked really bad! I put our destination of Kingston in the Garmin and took a heading. We had abeam seas, 15kt winds and a tide moving fast! It was rough!!! Wife wanted to go slow, I said HELL NO! I put the Georgia Girl up on plane and pounded thru the seas doing anywhere from 18-23 mph. Over 2 hours of getting pounded, we found all the loose stuff on our boat! Latches that weren't tight and found places that we should not have put stuff! As we got just south of Smith Island... Two Orcas!!! Two brief breaches, but we saw them. What a site! The rest of the trip was still rough into Admiralty Inlet, but the Georgia Girl cut thru it! Tough boat in my opinion. We plan to cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca in July from Port Angeles, that is only 20 miles. I will be a little more judicious on the timing this time. But I feel the Ranger can handle it, question is can the crew! This is our first boat and we love it. We have over 55 hours since we took delivery in late February.

 

[johnniethek]

Thanks for the feedback.

I take delivery of my new R-27, the Salish Searcher, in about three weeks. Plan to take advantage of its 300 hp outboard to cross the strait a few times this summer. Sequim to the San Juans and Port Townsend to the San Juans are on the agenda. As is circumnavigating Vancouver Island late in the summer.

SO looking forward to trading in my 21-foot Red Ranger on the bigger beast...

 

[seanlisa122]

Brought our R27 down from Long Beach to Dana Point this past weekend. Wind was really blowing and gusting when we attempted to leave in the mid morning. Had a heck of a time getting out of the slip. As soon as we got out into open waters it was just way too rough. So we turned around and put her back in the slip. We decided to hang out and get some lunch. The winds were forecasted to settle down. We ended up waiting until around 6pm to give it another go. Things where still a bit rough but manageable. We averaged about 20mph down to Dana and enjoyed the weekend. No issues getting back as it was pretty calm. Averaged about 23mph back but could have gone faster. Lots of learning and fun. Really getting the itch to trailer her and get some wake boarding in... Loving the R27OB so far.. Have fun

 

[oneeyedjackass]

Hi Sean
We've been there before. We learned awhile back to make sure and get an early start to beat the afternoon wind/wave buildup that seems to always happen here in socal. It also can be tougher going up coast than down. My 2 cents. Have fun out there, see ya soon!!