Tug Shopping

[tom.morgan.100]

My wife and I are long time small boat sailors and love cruising on the Chesapeake Bay. We have never owned a power boat (inboard or outboard). We are looking for a power boat that will allow us to extend our cruising range. The R21EC seems to be a good choice. We would appreciate any suggestions from those of you who have purchased power boats. What suggestions do you have to determine the condition of a used boat; particularly the engine? We are beginning our search and would appreciate all the help you can give us. Thanks in advance.

 

[Lone Star Ranger]

Having owned a 21EC, I can tell you that it is a great boat to use as a "starter" powerboat. The Yanmar diesel engine is easy to work on because it sits on top of the deck. So there's no need to be a contortionist as in the bigger models where the engine is under the deck. The 21 also handles the Chesapeake very well, and is very manueverable. A recommendation is to have a surveryor look over the boat.

Now I must warn you...once you purchase a 21, you will be the center of attention at every dock, ramp, and even highway if you are trailering your boat to a new location. Additionally, you may get the dreaded "twofootitis" disease and start looking at upgrading to a bigger model...like we did!!! :lol:

Send me a PM and I will give you a couple of numbers to the dealers in our area.

 

[Just Limin']

Hi,

We took delivery of our Ranger 25 SC this past April. We sailed our 1980 Pearson 323 for four years prior. She's our first power vessel. We couldn't be happier. Our boat is on the West River near Lone Star Ranger. Please take a look at our photos on this site.
My personal advice, if you can swing the difference in cost, start with the Ranger 25....and buy it new if possible. Feel free to write directly. All tug owners love to talk boats.

Bill Eggert
West River, MD
Just Limin'

 

[baz]

The condition of a boat is best conducted by a certified Marine Surveyor. This quite likely is also a requirement by a finance company/bank if the boat is not new. The Marine survey should also include estimating the market value of the boat which quite likely is another finance/bank requirement.

The Surveyor may or may not provide engine condition, so this may require contracting with a marine engine expert. The most important aspect of the engine condition IMO is the number of hours it has been run and if proper substantiated maintenance has been done.

My advice is to carefully compare the R21 and the R25SC with respect to how you plan to use the boat. Both boats can be trailered (obviously the R21 would be easier). If you plan on keeping the boat in the water at a marina then investigate the moorage cost for both.

The R21 is an excellent choice for day trips and would cost 50% to 60% less than the R25 to purchase, operate and maintain. It accommodates two people in the cabin with ease. The long cockpit can seat more people but they would be exposed to the weather unless you have the full cockpit enclosure. The R21 is kind of a basic Ranger Tug and very cost effective and from what I know and have read is very sea worthy. It will rock about much more than the larger boats so take this into consideration. This aspect may not be to your liking... so check with your 1st mate to ensure this would not present issues. The Ranger Tug boats can take a lot more than the people on board can.

The R25 will cost almost twice that of the R21 (depending on options chosen). However, it's much more of a boat in terms of creature comforts. The cabin is very much larger and 4 to 5 people can easily be accommodated inside it. It has a full private head/toilet which many people find desirable. The R25 will cruise faster than the R21 so if in a hurry you get to your destination faster. The R25 is better for extended cruises.

Before you make your final decision and depending on your budget I would suggest you carefully review both the R21 and R25 to see which makes more sense for you both. Take both boats out for a spin on the water.

In 2009 when we purchased our new 2010 R25 we started off considering just the R21 from a budget aspect. After much back and forth considering how we would use the boat over time we ended up deciding on the R25 and pushed our budget to make it happen. In retrospect we are very pleased with our decision and love our R25. It meets just about all of our requirements... and of course a larger Ranger boat would be nice such as the new 2013 R27 or a used R29... but that will have to be put off for the time being. 😉

The two most important things to dwell on would be your budget and the way you intend to use the boat now and in the future. Also consider the creature comforts both of you want on the boat.

To save some brass consider relatively new used boats with less than 250 hours. From my observations, the Ranger Tug boats will depreciate some 20% over 3 years if they've been well maintained.

 

[mlull]

If someone looks at the 21 as a "starter" they're looking at it wrong. Otherwise, it truly is a great little boat and will attract more attention than you can imagine but even that is not what it's about. Using it and maintaining it is where the fun and satisfaction is. Read all the posts on this website about not being able to "get to" things on the 25's and up and you will grow to love the simplicity of the 21. I have to chuckle about all the issues of the larger boats compared to the 21. Ranger really started with the 21 and as it chucks out larger and larger boats it may be outgrowing what the 21 has brought to the company. The 21 is truly a unique and enjoyable boat... affordable, economical, and a heck of a lot of fun.

 

[DonGeorge]

Our first boat was a R-21 named Equinox and we still miss it very much. The little tug is not only super cute but very capable, we spent 17 days on two summers ago going from Seattle to Nanaimo and back. On our trips we encountered terrible weather, including a particularly bad day on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but the little boat handled it really well... we did have a full enclosure and that kept the cockpit dry, this was super important as it is not self-bailing. And did I mentioned it is SUPER CUTE? ;-)

We see ourselves buying another 21 someday as they are just plain fun!

As for the used boats, I strongly believe a boat that is used more but it is well maintained it's a better option that one that is rarely used and has low hours. Diesel engines like to run and sitting at the dock for months without moving is never good (unless the owners took precautions and did the required services before which is rarely ever the case). The same is true for heaters, generators, electronics, heads, etc. anyway, good luck!

Jorge

 

[H2oguy]

If you go with the advice to go bigger I have a 2010 Ranger Tug 25sc that is completely loaded with all options, like new inside and out and less than 100 hours on the Yanmar 150! Health issues have kept me from using this boat as I had intended. Even has Dinghy on Weaver Davits. Located in Pompano Beach, FL. See full specs and 100 photos on Boat trader dot com. I'm motivated and will make you an increadible deal if I can sell on my own without a broker!
If anyone knows anyone with interest please let them know.
Thanks,
Todd
954 942-8610

 

[walldog]

If you go with the advice to go bigger I have a 2010 Ranger Tug 25sc that is completely loaded with all options, like new inside and out and less than 100 hours on the Yanmar 150! Health issues have kept me from using this boat as I had intended. Even has Dinghy on Weaver Davits. Located in Pompano Beach, FL. See full specs and 100 photos on Boat trader dot com. I'm motivated and will make you an increadible deal if I can sell on my own without a broker!
If anyone knows anyone with interest please let them know.
Thanks,
Todd
954 942-8610

When you do not have it listed with a broker, put together a post on the "For Sale by Owner" section of the TugNuts with pictures or a link to pictures and the price. You may get some nibbles from readers here. Good Luck, sorry you are unable to continue to use the boat as planned.

viewforum.php?f=16

 

[RProffer]

We own a R21-EC and we live on the Chesapeake and we love it. It was designed as a day boat/weekender and it does both quite well. We use it for fishing the bay and rivers, and no special devices are needed for trolling. With its shallow draft and great maneuverability, it does well for cruising the bay and tributaries. We have spent 2 and 3 nights on her, and that is okay for us. Some people might consider the R21 as "roughing it". If you are planning longer cruises, or require nicer quarters, then I would recommend the R25 or R27. There are a lot of really nice used R25's available. The Ranger Tugs are so well built, they really hold up well, and it is hard to beat the Yanmar engine.

 

[JohnH]

We are life-long sailors and bought an R21 as an experiment with motorboats. We have subsequently bought an R27. Here are our observations:
The R21 is a wonderful powerboat. It is very seaworthy for its size, and it is more fun to drive than the larger boats. Its limited speed (7 kts comfortably, perhaps 8.5 max) is not an issue for someone coming from sailboats. It is, however, quite small inside the cabin. I know that many folks cruise on it for several days, but we used it solely as a daysailer and fishing platform. The limited cabin size was the reason we bought the R27. We have made short cruises on the R27 very happily. I note, however, at least for my taste, for a simple afternoon on the water, I preferred the handy-ness and closeness to the water of the R21.

In the interest of full disclosure, I acknowledge that I think that all motorboats are boring unless you are trying to go somewhere specific. For an afternoon on the water, a sailboat is more interesting unless there is no wind at all.

So the choice depends on what you want to do. I'd like at least 3 different boats for different purposes, but that raises other issues.

 

[knotflying]

So the choice depends on what you want to do. I'd like at least 3 different boats for different purposes, but that raises other issue

And I thought of three different wives for different purposes and thought the same, it raises other issues. :lol:

 

[baz]

Mike: You are funny.... that gave me a good laugh... thanks. 🙂 We love our R-21EC in a boat-like way. 😉