Short scene of Ranger 21EC in this video

Very cool. Video very very sharp rez... super video shot. I can clearly hear the lady on the R-21 speaking out. Nice running shot of the R-21. 😀

They did give way to you, right ? I've given way to quite a few small sailboats and it's alway nice to hear them shortly after on the VHF radio saying "thank you small tug....". 😱
 
Hi Baz,

Your hearing is way better than mine! I didn’t even realize she was talking, and I can’t make out what she said. We had just come in and put the boat away. I took this video from the race committee starting platform right beside my boat (opening video clip).

I noticed you have a Ranger 21. I had a 34’ sailboat built in England in 1985 and took delivery of it in the winter of 1986. This year when we put it back in the water it was 95 degrees and we were in that heat, with no shade (the Bimini wasn’t installed yet) for about five hours. That and the fact I’ll be 75 in September made me think about air conditioned powerboats with an inside helm. I like the look of the tug/trawler boats. I’ve been reading about a pretty wide spectrum of them. I used to take the sailboat out by myself, but those days are past. I’ve read about everything from a Ranger Tug 27 up to Nordhavn, but my ocean sailing days are behind me and I really want to be able to bring a dog or two and go out by myself. When I saw the incredibly cute little Ranger 21EC it occurred to me I could keep the sailboat, at least for a while longer, and putt around the rivers and maybe out into the Chesapeake and get a better sense of what it’s like in a powerboat. It looks like the 21 would be super easy to dock, and also easy for a dog, or even my wife (who gave up sailing years ago) to get into. If you have time and the inclination, I’d love to hear how you used your 21 and your thoughts about this boat. I would just day sail it. If (when?) I do sell the sailboat, something like the Ranger 31 or Nordic or American Tug 34, which I assume I can dock by myself at times, seems like a better replacement for the sailboat.

Thanks.
 
Windermere:

I'm a sailor at heart, but also like the powered boats as well. I sailed or help sail a very large 75 foot gaff rig yawl from Southhampton UK across the channel to France on many weekends during spare weekends from University studies. I paid 10 shillings (that would be about $1.50 in this days) for this for the weekend or for how long the trip took due to weather and such. One one such trip we had a large Yankee jib deployed and it tore/split along its leading edge. This caused the jib to fly up vertically and in so doing it placed a vertical load on it's holding cleat that was some 8 feet behind where I was standing. The effect was this cleat was pulled from its decking and catapulted forward and guess who was in the way (me of corse). The cleat hit the side of my thigh and the pain was unbelievable. I must have yelled out and quickly leaped/fell into the boats interior to hide myself and my reactions from the other mates as I tried to recover. I'll never ever forget this event.

About the R-21EC.... Well I've traded it to Ranger Tugs to purchase the new 2018 R-27. In fact, RT sold it yesterday to a person from Idaho for the same price as they gave me for the trade in. The new owner is tickled pink and actually picked it up today to tow back to his home.

For the 20 month I owned it it was a very nice little tug boat. Well suited for lakes and could also take on rough sea conditions in the PNW Puget Sound and San Juan island areas. It's slow (max of around 9 kts or so), very fuel efficient and a dream to maintain as most things (especially the 30 HP engine) were easily accessed. It's built well and for what Ranger Tugs charges for it I would say a tremendous value for the money. For extended cruises it will prove to be small, but I know people who aren't concerned and make the best of it. It's very easy to trailer about. The boat will just about turn on its axis and perform a turn equal to its length; it has a very large rudder. With the rudder and a bow thruster it's easy to dock either stern in or bow in.

If you just day sail the R-21EC it will serve you very well. If you look after the R-21EC you should find it easy to sell and upgrade to a larger Ranger Tug. As you go up in size, the solo aspect of handling the boat becomes more difficult and more so if being 75 and older with body aches and/or health issues. Plan for the future is my motto as best you can. One of my requirements for a boat is that I must be able to handle it single handed.

Good luck. 🙂
 
Thanks very much Baz. I sailed Windermere in England, but fortunately, while we had some adventurous late winter/early spring weather, I was spared any experiences like yours. I appreciate the information about the 21. If I buy one, I don’t anticipate using it for anything but day sailing around relatively sheltered areas nearby where the sailboat can’t go because of its draft. I saw a video of a 21 being roughed up by seas and 25K winds with higher gusts - in the darkness of night, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPrQUgLFDHA - an experience I would not was to share.

I did wonder about the speed. It looks like you have to run the engine at close to 2600rpm to get to 6 knots.

Good luck with your new 27. I’m sure you will love it!

Bill
 
At least in the later 21's with the Volvo engine, 2100rpm results in 6 knots.

CN
 
Just had to note that if the sailboat is under power the tug would have the right away since it's approaching from the starboard side. Hypothetical of course since the shot was taken from the docks.
 
Captain Nice":3v488o3v said:
At least in the later 21's with the Volvo engine, 2100rpm results in 6 knots.

CN
Click to expand...

CN

CN, 6 knots, or 6mph? The test I read, http://www.usboattest.com/boat-tests/tr ... -21ec.html gave the speed results in mph, and I converted them to knots.

30 HP Yanmar Top speed, 3600/9.8
CRUISING SPEED (rpm/mph) 2000 / 5.9 - 5.127 knots ;
2200 / 6.3 - 5.47 knots ; 2400 / 6.7 - 5.8 knots ;
2600 / 7.1 - 6.17 knots, Top speed 3600rpm/9.8mph-8.5 knots

Thanks,

Bill
 
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