C Ranger 21 Maiden voyage

[K7MXE]

Today I picked up my slightly used 2006 Ranger 21ec Tug. Took
it up to EQ Harbor Service at Oak Harbor Wa. They had sold it new
and first owner changed directions in his life and well only problem
was it did not have a trailer so EQ is fixing me up with a new EZ
Loader. Boat ran the length of Whidbey island with favorable tides
most of the way and was a six hour run from Kingston Wa to
Cornet Bay. I saw one C Dory or Clone just as I left Kingston and
from quite a distance looked to be a fishing edition. Plans for the
little Tug are river exploring in Eastern USA.
It does have a Raymarine C80 system and that works good for
never reading the book. Radar, fish finder, and GPS all tied into
the chart plotter is way cool
Weather was good for most part. Cool and only rained only once.
I had fresh snow to great me after I drove back home from EQ
and I live 3.5 driving hours south of EQ and in the foothills of the
Cascades.
No name yet but leaning to naming it after my mother as is seen
on a lot of Tugs
Bob Heselberg (K7MXE)
Eatonville Wa

[El and Bill]

Bob --
Sounds like a great cruise -- congrats on your new boat. That lil' tug will be ideal for cruising on the Eastern rivers -- going to do the Great Loop?? It would be a great experience in a dandy boat.

[dotnmarty]

I have to admit-I envy you. Congrats Bob.

[drjohn71a]

Bob, did you go on the 'inside' loop to Deception Pass? ...or thru admiralty?

John

[Jim T]

Congratulations on your new boat. I also have a 2006 21EC Tug and absolutely love it! I have owned various sizes of C-Dory's over the years and they were all great but as of now the tug is my favorite. I would like to know what you think after you have some time to spend with her.

Enjoy
Jim

[Adeline]

[K7MXE]

Well to answer the questions, What my plan for 07 was to check out
Cumberland river and maybe the Tenn Tom down to salt water and
on way back to Washington I thought about checking out Powell Lake
in Az.
I put good use to the tides that were available yesterday and went up
the inside making use of a incoming tide that changed to a outgoing
half way up Whidbey Island. Worked good and I made good time.
The hot water heater worked good too and see no reason why one
could not be hooked to a outboard if you could get into the water
jacket Boaters World shows some hot water heaters in their wish book.
I regulated the heat by opening the side window.
I will come up with a name fitting the boat. Previous boat names
were "Number six" a very early Thunderbird sailboat and "Honest Bob"
a nick name that stuck somehow, named after myself. "Honest Bob"
was a five year project rebuilding a new unfinished 30 sailboat that
had filled with water and went un noticed for two years.
Looking forward to future exploring fresh water. When I find a working
modification I will pass it on and one of the first will be changing location
of the wipers.
I bought a older GMC Suburban to pull it with and think that will work out
fine except for eating large amounts of fuel and thats life pulling a trailer.
Should be a fun year if Southern bugs are not like Alaska (and other
Places) bugs. Ya all take care Bob Heselberg K7MXE
Eatonville Wa

[davehogue555]

Congratulations on your new R21EC. I just bought a slightly used 2005 R21 and have taken possession, but haven't gotten her wet yet. Wouldn't you know we had several days of freezing weather and ice as soon as I brought her home. Hope to go out this weekend. If you're trailering through South Texas on your way east, I'd like to show you some pretty lakes. The previous owner said she gathered a crowd everywhere he tied up, can you imagine what two would do?
Dave

[Mike]

hey bob!
congratulations on the tug! if you get on the Cumberland River give us a call. we live on Old Hickory lake (MM 236.5, Cedar Creek) and brother, "BYRDMAN" is in Claksville. we spend a bunch of time cruising the river.
c u later
mike

[oldgrowth]

Bob - I am glad you finally got her wet. Sounds like you ended up with a good ship. If you plan on doing any local cruising before heading east let me know, especially if you are putting in, in the South Sound area. I would like to see you boat up close.

I still haven’t started on the extension to my boat, there seemed to be one delay after another but am scheduled to start Monday. Going to do all the work in Olympia (in my warehouse), which makes it much easier on me.

Don’t be a stranger and stop in and see me in Olympia.
________
Dave

[Byrdman]

Bob... Congrats on your tug. Spent a day on one myself and it is a great little tug. Come on over the the east side. You might want to get Heartland Magazine. It has great articles, one about travel in each one, covering the Great Loop area and our inland waterways.

BUGS: Yes we have them. HEAT & HUMIDITY: YES we have them. Plan your trip around the the weather as to stay ahead of the heat changes. Move north spring to summer, move to the south fall to winter. Now having said that... we do hang out all summer....you just get in the water more often, you learn how to navigate a noodle (See Foggy Dew Post/Pics), you learn to bring the cooler out to the swim platform....before you go into the water, big ol hat no matter what it looks like to keep the sun off you as the noodle ride goes on.. The sunrises and sunsets are awesome, fans are the best thing to fight the bugs.....just keep a good amount of air moving to blow them away... like a 20" box fan from Walley-World for around $10-$15. Forget stopping them with screens... the screens do a goo job of stopping the air, and seem to hardly slow the little criters. Can spray your screens with OFF or similar...and that will help... or.. AC is how we go when we really want to beat the humidity and get a good nights sleep. Brother Mike and his wife Brenda ("B") spend many hours year round on the Cumberland. Fantastic source for local info...and...we are know to toss together a river cruise every now and then.

[K7MXE]

I did subscribe to it on a deal that all can take advantage of. I got two
years of Heartland Boating and a left over Quimbys guide for less than
the cost of the Quimbys which means I got two years for free. Well
made magazine and they will send anyone interested a copy to check it
out.
The little Tug has some very fine screens but know bugs will find a way
around them.
Dave if I ever get caught up would like to scope out the progress on
the fiberglass work fill me in on where the work is being done.

Bob Heselberg

[oldgrowth]

[K7MXE]

[size=18][/size]Well Dave I had planned on getting down your way on Friday but got my plans changed one more time with a phone call from Kathy at EQ harbor service and guess I will be on the road to the north picking up the boat and bringing it home. I will give it a try next week and have some pictures by then too. Bob Heselberg

[C-Pup16 in Los Angeles]

Bob, I'd really welcome you and other C-Rangers to cruise and tie up on the string line with us C-Dories on our August Catalina Cruise. It's an interesting boat. I have a 16 ft CD which I button down with a camper back making it a reasonably snug "full" cabin of the whole boat. I wonder if by doing that, I end up with more interior space than your Ranger's ec.
Keith, C-Pup16