C-Ranger 25, new or used?

You may have already considered this, but have you looked into the Rosborough 246 Sedan Cruiser? It's not as slick as the Ranger but it is of true commercial quality; very robustly built. They've been around and have a great track record. Might be easier to find one used as there are hundreds in service. Les is keeping one at EQ for viewing if you're considering purchasing new. I have an idea: you could buy one new from Les, make your trip, then sell it to my wife and I at a discount the following year in a pre-arranged deal! (tongue in cheek of course but PM me if interested!). Just a thought. Mike.
 
Byrdman, where art thou? He's a Rosborough Dealer now and would be pleased to sell another boat. He's got one himself too...

Charlie
 
westward":3f8kfga3 said:
You may have already considered this, but have you looked into the Rosborough 246 Sedan Cruiser? It's not as slick as the Ranger but it is of true commercial quality; very robustly built. They've been around and have a great track record. Might be easier to find one used as there are hundreds in service. Les is keeping one at EQ for viewing if you're considering purchasing new. I have an idea: you could buy one new from Les, make your trip, then sell it to my wife and I at a discount the following year in a pre-arranged deal! (tongue in cheek of course but PM me if interested!). Just a thought. Mike.
Click to expand...

Actually....I have never heard of this boat. Certainly didn't see one at the Seattle or Portland Boat Show. Quite impressive. Tuggish without the frills. However, I know my wife would object having the head so close to the V-berth. No enclosed shower either. She barely tolerates the porta-potty in our 22' footer on weekend cruises. One year w/o an enclosed head on the Loop...fuhgetaboutit.

Noticed an '02 for 55k on Boats.com. New gasser cost 90k??


-Greg
 
I SO agree with Dr. Bob, regarding the best boat for the mission. Of course, 5 years is a long way out, so your tastes and requirements may change many times before then. If all I were going to do was the Great Loop, I'd buy a well-cared for older trawler... it's at the bottom of its depreciation scale, so you could run it for a year and not lose much (as long as you continue to take good care of it). It would be comfortable (not particularly fast), economical, and would certainly have the enclosed head your wife wants.

Granted a new boat like the Ranger Tug will look better, but unless you really need the trailerability, you'd be spending more for less, AND taking the bigger depreciation hit. We all know there's more to it than just economics... but even for only a 1 year stint at ownership, I'd want a boat that "feels good."

I'd suggest you pick up a copy of "Honey, Let's Get a Boat", by Ron and Eva Stob... it's a book about a couple who did pretty much what you're talking about. It's certainly not an in-depth account of the trip, but would give you a look at one couple's decisions.

Good luck with the plan.

Best wishes,
Jim B (who thinks our CD-25 is the right boat for the mission)
 
Greg asks if I would have purchased a Tom Cat used. If there had been one available when I purchased mine (June 06)--the answer is yes. I had been trying to see and get a ride on one for almost a year when I put my order in (I did sea trial two boats before ordering--both in March/April 06).

As it turns out there have been several Tom Cat 255's which have sold used since I purchased mine--and I did consider buying one of those as the West Coast boat--but couldn't justify the $$ for the limited use I would get.

I agree that if you really want to enjoy the "loop" you should take at least 2 years--and a trailer would allow you to do part, then trailer to Baja or Florida and spend the winter there, and then back to finish the Northern part the next year. There are lots of advantages to a trailerable boat. We choose the C Dory and Tom Cat specifically over the Rosborough 246--but did consider these boats also. PM if you want to know why.
 
If I were going on the Great Loop for two years and was willing to invest $150,000 or so, knowing I'd get it back later, I'd buy a used Lord Nelson 37' Victory Tug after checking out the water depth clearance issues along the route.

Hell, there's even enough room on board for MY wife! Who wants a shoe box when you can have a doghouse! Room on board for scooters, dogs, bicycles, etc.

victory_tug_steaming_small_best_1.sized.jpg

More photos in my album.

Joe.
 
Joe: I'm assuming your wife doesn't read your posts. If so, speedy recovery! Dr. Bob: just curious whether the lack of a hard chine on the R246 hull had anything to do with your choice to go a different direction. Mike.
 
JamesTXSD":jax7t6hm said:
I SO agree with Dr. Bob, regarding the best boat for the mission. Of course, 5 years is a long way out, so your tastes and requirements may change many times before then. If all I were going to do was the Great Loop, I'd buy a well-cared for older trawler... it's at the bottom of its depreciation scale, so you could run it for a year and not lose much (as long as you continue to take good care of it). It would be comfortable (not particularly fast), economical, and would certainly have the enclosed head your wife wants.

Granted a new boat like the Ranger Tug will look better, but unless you really need the trailerability, you'd be spending more for less, AND taking the bigger depreciation hit. We all know there's more to it than just economics... but even for only a 1 year stint at ownership, I'd want a boat that "feels good."

I'd suggest you pick up a copy of "Honey, Let's Get a Boat", by Ron and Eva Stob... it's a book about a couple who did pretty much what you're talking about. It's certainly not an in-depth account of the trip, but would give you a look at one couple's decisions.

Good luck with the plan.

Best wishes,
Jim B (who thinks our CD-25 is the right boat for the mission)
Click to expand...

The R-25 has a number of advantages that appeal to us.
1. Diesel
2. Sufficient speed,
3. Headroom and large V-berth
4. Enclosed head, again with sufficient headroom,
5. Looks
6. Large windows
7. Trailerable (especially if we keep it)
8. Well equipped galley with the step notch, so I can walk by
9. Sufficient cockpit
10. Bowthrusters

True....there are larger boats but I'm agree with Bill and El....buy the smallest boat you can tolerate. I have a 30 foot boat right now and wouldn't dream of taking it for extended cruises in narrow places and a hundred locks.

Have the "Honey" book. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

One more thing. When we go to boat shows, we compare boats to our "fleet" and future "fleet." Each time, the R-25 gets my wife's enthusiastic thumbs up. This tells it all...

http://tinyurl.com/33omvo[url] -Greg
 
Greg, Try a 62 foot boat with 62.5 foot air draft and 7 foot water draft, full keel, single screw and no thruster. A 30 foot anything should be fairly easy to kick around. Actually the larger the boat, the easier the platform is to work on--it is more stable in rough weather. Of course, as Bill pointed out on another thread--there is little really rough weather on the Loop. I found that the Ranger 24 was very easy to dock even without the thrusters.

There are advantages to the R246 hull form. It does cut thru the chop better and the round chine is a semi displacement hull which is more effecient at low speeds, but which tends to roll somewhat more. It also can present more handling difficulty in following seas than the CD which has the hard chines--plus with the same HP the C Dory is considerably faster. Because of our current situation in having to be available to care for an elderly relitative, speed is important to us.

The disadvantages of the R 246 to me are personal--and revolve about my height of 6'2", and the layout. I have the utmost respect for the Rosoborough. I first looked at them in the late 50's and early 60's when I was considering one of their wooden sailboats. They build very good boats. It appears that they have dismanteled their dealer network and are gong back to factory sales, along with Les in the West and Patrick in the East. Interesting that primary C Dory Folks end up representing the Rosborough line.
 
We haven't gotten any advanced information about layout and use of space, just that it's going to be 2' longer with a little more cockpit space. I agree that the coffin berth is a waste of space unless...well, i'll leave the unless out as some here may not appreciate my humor.

The loss absorbed by the seller of the used R-25 was minimal owing to the fact that he got a great deal from the factory as an incentive to let them use it in the Miami show last year. It would have been even less had he ordered the boat with the factory installed diesel generator.

Another consideration in regards to loss is the tax benefits that you may qualify for, (ask your tax professional). If you buy now and take advantage of the tax incentives available to you over the next 5-6 years you may ameliorate entirely any depreciation expense, (depending of course upon what the market value of used Ranger Tugs is 5-6 years down the road).

Either way, spend as much time as possible aboard the boats that you are considering the strongest (pester the bejesus out of your local dealer) so that you get a boat that DOES what you want it to do, not the one that looks best doing it! I realize that being from Washington you'll be buying from a dealer up that way but feel free to PM me if I can be of any assistance at all.

Charlie
 
SGIRhino":12x4gd0a said:
We haven't gotten any advanced information about layout and use of space, just that it's going to be 2' longer with a little more cockpit space. I agree that the coffin berth is a waste of space unless...well, i'll leave the unless out as some here may not appreciate my humor.

The loss absorbed by the seller of the used R-25 was minimal owing to the fact that he got a great deal from the factory as an incentive to let them use it in the Miami show last year. It would have been even less had he ordered the boat with the factory installed diesel generator.

Another consideration in regards to loss is the tax benefits that you may qualify for, (ask your tax professional). If you buy now and take advantage of the tax incentives available to you over the next 5-6 years you may ameliorate entirely any depreciation expense, (depending of course upon what the market value of used Ranger Tugs is 5-6 years down the road).

Either way, spend as much time as possible aboard the boats that you are considering the strongest (pester the bejesus out of your local dealer) so that you get a boat that DOES what you want it to do, not the one that looks best doing it! I realize that being from Washington you'll be buying from a dealer up that way but feel free to PM me if I can be of any assistance at all.

Charlie
Click to expand...

Let me guess. A permanent mother in law berth...or a place where I sleep when I tick off the admiral.

Actually Charlie, I'm more inclined to buy one in Florida, especially new, then begin the Loop. Why buy it in Washington and transport it across the country?

Five more winters to go.....

-Greg
 
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