Tender

[Baxtabrook]

Adding a tender (rooftop) to an R27. Has anyone put a RIB up there? Afraid of the added weight both loading, and on the racks. Thoughts?

 

[knotflying]

My personal limit for lifting and maneuvering is around 55 pounds. I would think the RIB is more than that. You may need a lift davit and a cradle on the roof.

 

[allanrs74@gmail.com]

I carry a small inflatable weighing 53 pounds on top of my 2016 27" Ranger C. I have a factory solar panel mounted which I slid as far to the starboard side as possible. I had two stainless steel frame/brackets fabricated and tied into the factory roof rack which hold the inflatable above the solar panel. The inflatable sits upside down on the port side of the rack and is tied down in position.

It is a two person operation and not terribly easy to get the inflatable up and down from the roof rack, but as I use the boat for fishing, shrimping, crabbing and cruising in south central Alaska it works for me.

Regards,
Bob

 

[Baxtabrook]

Thanks for your info. It was also suggested by our dealer to slide solar to starboard and have dingy on port hoping to eliminate any shade on the solar panel. Also heavily fishing/prawning/crabbing out of the North Vancouver Island, so deck and aft space is at a premium. The factory lift seems cool in theory, but impractical for fishing.