The new 2018 R-27 review

[Boatdreamer]

Barry, thank you for a great write-up on the new 27. I can't wait the see one in person, but I would need to get over my fear of sleeping on a boat with a 150 gallons of gasoline onboard. I'm sure Ranger Tugs follows all the USCG safety rules for storing that much fuel so I'm sure the first time I saw 40 MPH I would forget all about it. Just the thought of getting to West End in the Bahamas in two hours is sweet. What size and brand generator are they using and how large of an A/C unit do you think they will be using? The reason I'm asking is I had to do major modifications to Gratitudes A/C to get the boat cool in the Floida heat. If we decided to buy an other one I would only do a sea trial in the summer to see if the air can cool the boat. One more thing, i would want our next one in white, no more dark colors in Florida! Good luck with your new build.

Tim and Donna
Gratitude

 

[baz]

Tim & Donna:

I'm told Ranger Tug can create a white hull if requested. Actually, it's the cheapest color for Ranger to do.

I don't know the full specs for the new 2018 R-27's A/C and Gen units. Best to ask this directly to Ranger Tugs. The Genset is powered with gasoline.... 😱

I would expect a heating cooling professional can determine the correct A/C specifications for keeping a specific boat cool in the Florida summer heat. I assume the worst case scenario for keeping the interior of the R-27 cool enough would be on a suffocating day at nighttime. When cruising you get fresh air ventilation that presumably helps.

I'm aware of the heat/humidity aspect that occur in the southern states. We lived just north of Atlanta for 4 years, 3 yrs in southern Virginia on the coast and several years in northern Connecticut and do understand the need for A/C. Traveling down to Florida a few times we experienced the heat issue. My wife was pregnant at the time and fainted several times due to the heat conditions. In fact, we are so accustomed to A/C that we have A/C for our house in the PNW Puget Sound area just north of Seattle. This may sound strange but it actually does get quite hot for maybe a month or two in this area. When we first arrived in WA in 1977 we were entering a period of time in August with temperatures in the high 90ºFs for several weeks and nasty humidity along with this.... and we thought all along as we traveled west we were getting back to cooler and more moderate weather.

 

[baz]

You may notice that the new 2018 R-27 has no rails around the cockpit's gunwales. I was told this was because the design called for increasing the height of the gunwales making it unnecessary for rails. Upon inspection I would say the new R-27 has an extra 4" in height for the gunwales. I don't know if this was achieved by making the sides higher or lowering the cockpit flooring. 😉

 

[502mad]

Great review Barry!

My wife and I are starting the research on acquiring our first RT (actually... first stinkpot.... always been ragbaggers) and as much as the 23 is more in keeping with our budget the new 27OB will definitely have to be considered.

The funny thing is, before your review, I always thought a deisel was the only way to go but now a clean, low -dB OB needs a re-think.

Curious to follow along on your acquisition.

Thanks for taking all those great pics!

 

[baz]

502mad:

From a financial aspect consider the price difference of the R-23 vs. the new 2018 R-27 with the R-23 loaded up with options all of which are standard/stock on the new 2018 R-27. In addition, price in the extras you get with the new 2018 R-27, such as more space, larger V-berth, larger head enclosure, propane cooker, more cockpit seating, electric flush head, longer cockpit overhead canvas, well designed and super looking helm console, double-wide helm seat, bigger Inverter, stronger platform for OB, hot/cold shower for return swimmers and windless (and the list of the extras is much longer than what I state here) and you will get to an amazingly small price difference between the R-23 and the new 2018 R-27.

My real point here is that the new 2018 R-27 at this point in time is very good value for the money. 🙂

Of course, if you want the basic/stock R-23 the price difference is much greater making the R-23 much more affordable.

Also, my guess is that Ranger will increase the introductory pricing for the new 2018 R-27 come early next year, much like they did for the R-23.

 

[S. Todd]

Great review Barry.
I feel your excitement in finding the perfect boat to do what you want it to do. Back in the 80s I purchased three boast in a four year period until we stretched the budget and found the right one. When after 17 years that one met an untimely end to its usefulness in a highway accident (that was not my fault) it took three more purchases until we owned a R25SC (so far this one seems right at this stage in our lives).
I would have to see it running at night but from the photos it sure looks to me that the handholds on the eyebrows in front of the red and green lights are going to partially block the view of those lights from a boat that is dead ahead. I have followed a ski boat at night that my brother has and when he is not running with the bow up from dead astern the stern light mounted on the arch gets blocked by the wake board tow post mounted up there. It is extremely annoying and unsafe IMO. Required lights fore and aft should never be blocked by other features of the boat. I am sure if you call it to Andrew's attention they will double check this and fine tune the installation if necessary as production ramps up.

 

[baz]

...snip...
I would have to see it running at night but from the photos it sure looks to me that the handholds on the eyebrows in front of the red and green lights are going to partially block the view of those lights from a boat that is dead ahead....snip...

Thanks for the comments...

I have to agree as they do look close to what you have mentioned. I will have to take a closer look next time I get to see the boat. The photos were of the new 2018 R-27 #1 (prototype ?) and likely rushed somewhat for the Bremerton Trawlerfest.

There may also be an issue with a boat dead ahead not seeing these lights if the R-27's bow is high up, as that would angle up the lights horizontal plastic surface and could block the light(s) from being seen. 😱 Traveling at night is precarious at best and not something I've done too often. 🙂

 

[Jake]

Congrats, great choice. The 2018 R-27 is certainly at the top of my list but wonder why you didn't include the C-242 in your research, a little more in common with the R-27 compared to the R-23.

 

[baz]

...snip...but wonder why you didn't include the C-242 in your research, a little more in common with the R-27 compared to the R-23.

True.... I could have... However, I really prefer the more conservative styling of the Ranger Tugs along with their customer support team. It boils down to what one is more comfortable with.

The Ranger Tugs and the Cutwater boats are all very fine boats IMO.

 

[BobnDoc]

Barry,

Thanks for your very comprehensive review of the 2018 R-27. Just reading your words was like taking a virtual tour, even before seeing all the photos. It looks like Ranger has come up with a great design, and you made a great choice in jumping on it. Cynthia and I wish you and your wife many happy and comfortable cruises !!! Bob

 

[baz]

I came across a YouTube video a person captured of the new 2018 R-27 during their visit to the Bremerton Trawlerfest. I was alongside this person at the time and wasn't aware the person was taking video.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Me4BvIUW1g

 

[ixlr8]

Who was that demonstrating the berth storage and the table, I assume it was one of the factory folks?

 

[scross]

That was the all knowing and most honorable Duke of Windlass himself. Otherwise known as Andrew Custis.

 

[baz]

That was the infamous "Andrew" (Andrew Custis). 🙂

P.S. Was down at my Edmonds marina today walking Jake and with the glorious sunny blue sky day was anxious to get on the water. I had told Andrew I was flexible on my new 2018 R-27 delivery, but after today I'm not so sure I will have the patience to be that flexible.... :lol: Maybe push the RT dealer orders to the back of the line.... 😉

 

[ixlr8]

P.S. Was down at my Edmonds marina today walking Jake and with the glorious sunny blue sky day was anxious to get on the water. I had told Andrew I was flexible on my new 2018 R-27 delivery, but after today I'm not so sure I will have the patience to be that flexible.... :lol: Maybe push the RT dealer orders to the back of the line.... 😉

I went for a ride on a 23 a few days ago, I still want to see a 27 before making a decision. After riding on the 23... if I had an order in for either.... I would be tempted to call the factory about 3 times a week wondering when it was going to be ready!! My dealer has a 27 on order and it is suppose to be in "soon", but he won't be any more specific than that. I am starting to go a little crazy just waiting for the 27 to come in so I can see it, never mind if I had one on order. Patience is not my strong point. The temptation is strong to put a deposit down on the 27 the dealer is getting in! I suspect if it was a color I liked I would have.

Jim

 

[NautiTug]

Any Idea why no Stern thurster on the R27 2018?

 

[Admiral S]

With an Outboard or Stern drive you have very good directional thrust. Really no need for a stern thruster in that configuration.

 

[baz]

Any Idea why no Stern thurster on the R27 2018?

As previous poster mentioned.... you have good directional thrust with the OB motor.

I have the R-21EC currently and it has the bow thruster only. The R-21EC has a very large rudder and with a careful blip on the throttle and using the rudder the stern direction/motion can easily be made. I suspect the R27 2018 with its OB motor can be operated in a similar fashion.

Without a stern thruster you have less transom weight, possibly better forward motion performance, less maintenance, lower manufacturing cost and no messing around on your belly servicing a misbehaving stern thruster. The transom and transom access of the new 2018 R-27 is VERY different from the R-27 with an inboard diesel with stern thruster. The internal area of the transom of the new 2018 R-27 is extremely clean looking and uncluttered compared to that of the R-27 inboard diesel.

The beauty of having a bow & stern thruster is that one hand can be used to control the boat's attitude by using the two closely located toggle switches. Controlling the boat's attitude be it the R-21EC or the new 2018 R-27 with just a bow thruster requires two hands; one on the bow thruster toggle switch and the other hand on the steering wheel (and maybe the odd movement of the throttle lever being needed). However, on a calm day I find when docking with a starboard tie for any of the boats, I will steer/glide in with the bow pointing at the dock side and as the bow approaches the dock I use R-21EC's rudder or R-27/OB motor or rear stern thruster to align the boat's starboard side to be parallel and adjacent to the dock's side.

 

[baz]

I was at CSR in Des Moines, WA today to checkup on the R-27 having bottom paint applied and to get the boat's name and signage done. I took some 57 photos of the boat outside and inside to keep a check on things that may have been changed by the factory as the R-27 production is still evolving as Ranger Tugs continues making refinements to the overall design.

I noticed a few things different from my last visit which I've detailed below. The referenced Photo album shows the 57 photos I took today..... https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0iGqkRUiGrb911. They should be the first 57 photos in the Album.

Changes... or maybe things I missed before.

1) The V-berth cushion configuration has been redesigned and IMO a big improvement. There are now 5 individual cushions and the center ones are smaller and more easily stowed when not needed.

2) The V-berths table has been redesigned and IMO amebas far more sense and is sturdier without its extension flap. It also sports to coffee cup/mug holders. 😀 This redesign of the table + cushions means there's no issue with opening the head door. It simply will now stop at the face of the center aft cushion when fully opened. There's a nice privacy curtain that can be drawn across the entrance to the V-berth, as well a complete canvas covering that can be installed around the V-Berth's entrance way from the cabin.

3) The VHF radio is not Garmin as I thought before; it's a Standard Horizon-Explorer model.

4) The propane alert meter has been moved from the center counter behind the Nav seat to aft of the stove and up adjacent to the rear cabin wall alongside the oven's opening handle.

5) All cockpit lockers are now piston assisted, and work very well.

6) The two propane tanks are now the smaller size and are the same as each other. Before, one was much larger than the other.

7) I had to have the boat's name placed on the Transom per USCG COD requirements. I was unaware of this and maybe it's a new requirement.

8) The cabin bunk/berth that is configured with dinette table lowered and helm seat swung around looks to me to be a full Twin size and fits my 5'-11" easily.

9) The tie-bar steering for the kicker motor appears to me to have been redesigned and looks nicer and its bar protected with a plastic shrouding.

10) The 4 batteries are screwed down to a starboard base plate and can be slid from their near hidden placement to gain access. There's one battery up toward the transom and partially exposed while the other three are more toward the cabin in port side locker with just one fully exposed. Sliding the aft battery out shouldn't present a problem, but sliding the other three batteries will take a fair amount of effort presumably.

11) I found it very easy to climb up into the cockpit via the deployed swim ladder with the R-27 on its trailer.

12) All of the lower cabinets in the cabin have floor boards with finger holes. Thus the floor boards can be lifted out easily allowing access to things below and potentially more storage areas. Niceee. 😀

13) I noted the bilge pump model under the V-berth's entrance step has been changed and re-oriented.

14) I hadn't noticed earlier that on the transom above its fold down dual seat has a round hatch over to port side. Opening this hatch allows access to the 120v receptical used for the Kenyan electric grill. This is nice for having using 120v appliances in and around the cockpit. Avoids having to run an extension cord into the cabin with door open.

15) The huge size of the center cockpit locker continues to amaze me.... 😀

16) The Webasto diesel fuel filler now has a sticker nearby that clearly states that diesel is to be pumped vs. gasoline for the main engine fuel tank filler which is located on the transom's starboard corner on the gunnel. The filler cap has its own built-in handle and does not required a special tool to open it.

While at the paint shop I ensured they knew to paint all the Yamaha F300 outboard's metal that sits below the water line; this includes the bullet that partially remains in the water when fully raised. They had been unaware of this requirement of mine, so I'm glad I mentioned it to CSR person.

Our R-27 is looking real good.... 😀

 

[baz]

Item #17..... 🙂

17) The shower head is now a brushed-steel fancy looking vertical tube-like thingy that presumable provides a rain shower spray. 😱 At first I thought it to be some kind of new tooth brushing device. :lol: