Outfitting a Ranger Tug 25?

[Island Ranger]

I know there aren't many out there yet, but I sure would like to know how everyone is outfitting their CR25 , and how it worked out.

Specifically - has anyone added the cockpit canvas? What does it look like? It must do something special for the price, no?

How about carrying the dinghy - has anyone tried mounting on the swim step? On the Sports Rack? Which Dinghy?

Oh, and I have already asked Jeff but he hasn't had a chance to answer...how much anchor rode fits in the storage locker? Can I get 25 ft 1/4 in chain with 300 ft of 1/2 nylon in there?

And....any other ourfitting comments? I know Kirby (C-Sick) & I have been comparing notes, and I'd sure like to hear from some others...

Thanks,
Mac
CR-25 under constrcution now...due next month

[Ron on Meander]

Hey Mac!
While I can't offer any first hand C-Ranger experience, as far as the cockpit canvas goes, I can't imagine being without in on our 25 C-Dory. I know you used your canvas a lot on Two Lucky Fish and I think it will be just as useful on the new boat. Us cruisers always have more stuff than will fit in the cabin and at night and during wet days it is great to have it covered in the cockpit. I always thought that the best way to carry the dinghy on the 25 was with Weaver Davits on the swim step. Keeps it very handy and yet is out of the way.
Congrats on the new boat and I'm looking forward to a chance for a ride and a sundowner or two!

Ron

[Island Ranger]

I've learned a few things about outfitting so far -

Ranger Jeff says 300 ft of 1/2 plus 25 ft of 1/4 inch chain will fit easily in the anchor locker

We have been seriously considering adding a generator, mostly so we can have hot water for showers when anchored out. But I learned from Ranger Jeff :

"The water heater is heated through the Fresh water cooling system on the engine. As your engine heats up so does the water. It can also be heated by hooking up to shorepower. It also stays warm for several hours after turning the engine off. Pretty cool stuff"

They haven't done any enclosures for the CR25 yet - working on the cockpit cover now

And thanks Ron - those Weaver davits look like just the thing!

Learn something new every day.

Mac
Impatient on Whidbey Island

[lloyds]

The Yanmar should heat a 6 gallon tank in about an hour if you run it at cruising speed. They do a really good job. Work good for the red dot cabin heaters too, if you don't mind a little noise while you are motoring.

[Old Dog]

Two Lucky Fish,

I can confirm that the anchor locker in the C-25 will hold what you've suggested. Mine has the Lewmar 1000 windlass and that calls for a larger rode. I specified a Bruce anchor (only to discover that they are not currently available in the US but Lewmar and others have an acceptable knockoff) so that may be the reason for the 1000 windlass. Anyway - I have put 50 feet of 5/16 chain and 300 feet of 9/16, 3 strand nylon rode into the anchor locker with room to spare. If you get the Bruce wannabe, that means a different bowsprit which the factory can put on and it seems to work very well. To each his own, but I like the "Bruce" anchor.

Jeff probably mentioned the Weaver davit system to you. I have used them before and if I was going with a inflatable dinghy, that's what I would use. It works very well. However, I have a homebuilt wooden pram that I want to use as a tender and I'm afraid that attaching it to the side will tear it apart. I've seen what years of being shaken on the swim platform do to an inflatable and although fixable on an inflatable, I'm leery of the impact on a rigid, wood boat. I'm going to end up hanging it off some custom made arms over the swim platform so I can attach from the bottom. There are some davit systems that will allow that but all I've seen are overkill for a tender that is less than 8 feet long and weighs about 65 pounds. Anyway - will probably be a summer long project.

We did not go for the generator. I'm going to add two extra house batteries and an inverter and that will be excessively adequate. It will not run the hot water heater, of course. We've found on previous boats that you run the engine every day either going someplace or to charge the batteries so even if you are sitting at anchor that heats up the water so it's never been a problem for us.

I put this message on the forum rather than send an email direct so that others may put in their two cents worth and agree or disagree - one of the real values of this formum - diverse opinion based on different experiences. Heck - if we all agreed and had the same opinion, this would not only be a waste of time,we'd bore ourselves to death.

[Dreamer]

Mac, If you wrap the water heater with a commercially available water heater blanket, the water will stay warm lots longer. The 12 gallon tank on our Krogen would still be warm enough to wash up with in the AM!

[captd]

I have added 15 ft. of chain and 300 ft. of 1/2 in rode. Room to spare.
The gen set was in this boat. 2500 watt....runs on diesel, which is nice.
Her name is "Mis Dee." She goes in the water on Monday in Titusville. Will be bound for the Keys.
Put 4 rod holders on her. The rod holders built in are directly under the rail and do not work for anything. Has anyone experienced the water in the port and starboard bilge that does not seem to drain to the keel? When towing, the water flows forward into the v-birth floor. It is rain and or wash water. Once the water gets in there it must be vac sucked out. I had a couple of gals upon arriving in Titusville. It also wets and stains the matteress in the crew cabin under the table. The water just stands there untill the bow is lowered than it rushes forward and jumps the step and covers the teak floor. I have submitted the problem to the powers that be, but have not gotten a sulution from them yet. They did say there were weep holes in the stringers that the motor mounts on. They even sent pictures to prove it. I thought by explaining the problem here in a little more detail they might read it and have their people work it out. For now I keep a cheap tarp over the cockpit to shed rain water. The keel plug has been out since I picked up the boat at Eastpoint, Fla.
Pictures will be forthcoming.
captd

[Island Ranger]

Thanks CaptD -

Interesting... when we went out on our sea trial on one of the boats that was at the Lake Union Sea Ray dealer, it had water on floor too. It came forward when we slowed down. The carpet under the bow was stained. We discovered the washdown hose clamp was leaking, the bilge pump wasn't on, and the dealer said the water was leaking from the stanchion mounts which they were to fix. As soon as we stopped, the water flowed to the bilge pump and we could pump it out. There was quite a bit that came back when the pump stopped - the water that was in the bilge pump line. I never checked to see if that was enough to flow forward....

Aren't the rod mounts under the removable rail? Or do the remaining rails still interfere?

Keep us up to date please! We pick up boat at the end of the month, and I know I will do "The Hose Test" before accepting delivery....

Mac

[Old Dog]

We've experience the same thing with water coming forward at the V-berth when towing. Not to the same extent you described but enough to be a problem. A lot of construction debris has washed out of the drains along with the water.

At the moment, I've got the drains plugged. Will be interesting to see where the water goes now. The factory needs to find a fix.

Old Dog

[Ron Cowan]

I do not know how the floors and drains are in the 25' tug but I was getting water filling my pilothouse sump under my v-berth in my 2006 21' ranger tug. I talked to John Livingston and he said it sounded as though drain holes were do drilled in the rear of the sump. I drilled the holes and it helped but I still don't know the source of the water. Water in the berth area of the tug is not good 21' or 25'. The Florida heat makes for a steam bath with the pilothouse closed up.

Ron