Decisions decisions

W

What Shore

New member
Okay guys I need some help. I currently have a CD -25 that my two growing children my wife & myself primarily use for cruising the ICW along with weekend trips here & there . I have a trailer & tow vehicle but rarely tow it. We keep the boat in a slip near our beach house ,so really don't venture too far away,or at least not regularly. I have been contemplating buying a new boat & my brain is about to explode. I have gone to see a Tomcat which is what I said would be the next step, but unfortunately it was on the hard & couldn't get the full effect of what a Tomcat is about (ride, speed & stability). A friend of mine has a Rosborough that I've been aboard & traveled with several times. I like several things about the Rossi better (hard top ext., standing room in v berth, wider dinette, & side doors maybe). However there are several things on the Tc that's better as we all know. Now the final contender being the R-27 of course. I saw one last year @ the Miami boat show & liked all the glitz & glamour. If I would have gotten to ride on board @ that moment I probably would have bought it , but wasn't that lucky. After getting back from the show I started reading more about all the complex systems & I'm not real sure I want to jump in on that anyway. So back to the beginning tell me what sold any of you on the TomCat or if anyone out there has a Rossi or Ranger . I'd like your input as well. I have read all the past forums that I could find & know there have been several owners of CD -25s that have moved toward these 3 boats. I have & still am enjoying my 25 so not sure about doing anything but ... Any insight would be appreciated :roll:
 
We had TC24 and really liked the ride. The open v-berth is also a plus. And it's a c-dory! That being said we sold the TC and bought another boat (a Grand Banks 32). If you are willing to spend the money for a Ranger Tug 27 there are many, many nice boats out there. We can no longer trailer our boat and 8-10 knots is our top speed, but we now have the space we need for cruising with family. But again, a TC is a really nice boat and you should have someone near you give you a ride.
 
Off the top of my head...

Under certain conditions the Tom Cat can be noisy at anchor, when the waves slap the deck between the sponsons.

If you are happy with the size of the head on the 25 then you should be happy with the TC head (making the head slightly larger would be near the top of my list of things I would have done differently.)

The wider dinette on the other boats is a plus when having the family sit down together for meals.

Warren
 
The R-27 is a different type of boat then a C-Dory. My guess a well equipped on a trailer you could get close to 200k if you add A.C., composting toliet, some solar panels,windless,generator,electronics,oven and that beautiful swim platform. It can get close to 10k towing weight. Nice boat much taller and deeper it seems inside. It's finished off a lot nicer if thats what your looking for. Top speed I think around 20 mph. Ranger customer service might be without equal. Good People.
The C-Dory 25 or a 26' Venture sits much lower in the water and is much lighter,simpler and the outboard/s can tilt so you can change your draft a little not so with the R-27. They can be equipped quite nicely for considerably less $. My guess around 100k. The C-Dory can go faster than the R-25 by a good bit. The C-Dory is not a speed boat by can be powered with twin 90's or a single 150 or up to 200 hp. They have a pretty flat bottom so in rough water you have to slow down to avoid pounding. They can handle pretty rough stuff you need to slow down and they seem to like following seas which I'm not sure the Tug does so much.
Good Luck with the journey on finding the perfect boat. I like the Ranger Tugs but even with out the money thing considered it's more boat than I want. The C-Dory factory sells to dealers finding the right dealer is paramount.
D.D.
 
I agree with the points Will-C made. Having said that, one other thing I forgot to mention is that the Rangers are diesel powered, which in my mind is a huge plus, for a number of reasons. One secondary reason is a diesel can give you hot water on the hook without having to resort to a generator.

Warren
 
Once you get into any of the Ranger tugs, you are going to the much increased complexity of an inboard engine--and that is what has kept us out of them. They are beautiful, and have some very functional features--especially the 27. I just don't want to have to deal with water pumps, stuffing boxes etc which are difficult to access.

The Tom Cat has a far superior ride up to about 3 foot real chop. It is much faster than the C D 25, and the forward bunk is the largest of the bunk. (Not sure why you want to standup in a V bunk area?)--the bunks on the Rossie are one the short side--and personally I don't see the function of the side doors on that side of boat--or even up into the 30 some footers (and I have owned some which had them).
 
Gary, my TC255 is on a lift and ready to drop in. It'll be dewinterized by Mid-March, I only need a week or so after our trip out of the country. You're welcome to come up, be glad to take you for a ride/demo. We head for our place in Maine for two months mid April but you've got about a month's window. The family would be welcome.

It's not for sale but there are some that are. I grew up in Charlotte, my cousin was mayor for a few terms. We're about 5 hours from Salisbury.

Charlie
 
Charlie I really appreciate the offer & may take you up on that when you start playing for the summer as I would love to go for a ride on a TC. Bob as usual you're right on target, the tugs are more complex by far. This is something I learned alot more about after joining tugnuts. They are as you know very passionate about their boats just as we are. As for the doors on the Rossie I'm on the fence & the headroom in the v- birth just makes it feel more open. Doryman & Will-C ya'll made some good points as well. The ease of making hot water is nice ( something I haven't thought about) & Ranger does have excellent support but not sure how I would adapt to slowing down especially at that price point. I do however like that the tugs are a little taller( probably my biggest complaint w c-dory). I'm fortunate to have a good dealer not too far away in New Bern NC. Mobile East is where I bought my first C-Dory. Warren I've heard several people mention the slap while@ anchor. How bad is it. Usually I'm close to shore somewhat protected or in a marina, my hope is in these conditions it wouldn't be too bad. C-ness I have to admire you with the GB. You're boat is a work of art. An in the water boat has been thought about by me but not sure I need anything too much bigger. However it may need to be reconsidered because there is alot out there for the Ranger price. Thanks everyone for the knowledge it's helping to narrow the field.
 
What Shore":q884lmt2 said:
Warren I've heard several people mention the slap while@ anchor. How bad is it. Usually I'm close to shore somewhat protected or in a marina, my hope is in these conditions it wouldn't be too bad.
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You will rarely get slap in a marina. On the hook we are used to it but we have received complaints from guests who had a hard time sleeping through it. The boat is not really suitable for accommodating guests anyway.

You have 2 growing children, I think you said? A few years ago I met a couple with 2 kids on the ICW on our way to Applachicola who had a very nice TC, one of the most elegant TCs I have ever seen. He was an aerospace engineer and she was a doctor. Never seen them on this site so no pix, but they used aluminum tubing to set up a pipe berth above the dinette and also had a custom bimini like several 22 owners have had made, completely suspended from the cabin wall. Maybe another Brat can provide a link to one of those so you can see what I am talking about, as I disremember who had it made. I do remember, I think, that his name was Roger and he was a friend of Bob Austin's, but I may have things mixed up.

Warren
 
Thanks for the link. I like the more permanent type cockpit covers. I haven't seen this one before but looks really good. I have saw one similar before on Lady KC that I really liked as well. One of these would work good for my needs & may even get it beefy enough to hold inflatable. Speaking of dingys I noticed Discovery had a great idea as well & wondered what other ideas were floating around in brat land? I currently carry a ru260 on the cabin but was thinking of a roof mounted a/c next time. I've read some carry them upside down over the a/c but probally can't run a/c with it up there ( not really sure).
 
Well, just a few comments in reply. I spent a few years airboating all over Florida and Louisiana (what a blast and good time), but then decided to settle down to normal boating and cruising rivers.
Started with a Ranger 21' tug (pre EC) and loved the boat on the St. Johns River in Fl. but moved to the Tennessee River and wanted more speed and cruising space. Bought a 22' C-Dory ('85 Classic). It was a great boat which I loved and was up to short cruises of a day or so. Liked the simplicity and ease of an outboard. As the wife retired we wanted more and longer cruises with ammenities to stay out. We looked at C-Dory 25's which would have met most of items but with bad shoulders and pain climbing out of a V-berth standup room in a V-berth seemed to hit home. After having built a hard top for the tug, I knew the cockpit hard top on a Rosborough would be great. With these items we started looking at Rosboroughs and bought one. It fills all I could want in a cruising boat and has meets needs of simplicity, economy, and comfortable on the water.
You can not go wrong with Ranger, C-Dory, or Rosborough and just need which one boat meets your specific uses of a boat. As we gain experience our needs change and specific boats meet the needs. Am about out of money so hope my needs don't change again! Ha! stay on the water in any of them and ENJOY it.
 
Well guys my decision has been made. Last weekend I went to the Miami boat show & could no longer resist the temptation, so I ordered a new Ranger R-27. I'm gonna miss my CDory because it seems like part of the family. If anyone happens to be looking for a 25 mine will be @ Seagate Marina in Stuart Fl. as I traded it in . My plans are to take it down this week & drop it off but don't get my Ranger till June. The CDory is very well equipped with webasto reverse cycle heat/air, Garmin 740s gps & radar,tv,dvd player, micro, full camper enclosure & much more. I want her to go to a good home. I will continue to follow the brats as ya'll are a great group of very knowledgable people. I'll be looking to welcome the new owners of What Shore sometime in the future.
 
This is a little after the fact but I too was looking at Rosborough before I bought my CD25. One of the deciding factors were the side doors.
While on a sea trial we encountered a 'surprise' broadside wake that caused us to roll abt 45 degrees. The side door was open to the mate's seat and my wife almost feel out if i had not grabbed her.

Being over 6' I could spread my arms and touch the inside bulkheads in the cabin. It was not the 'high top' model that we road that day. I did a head 'bang' entering and leaving... My stupid. I did love the way the Rosi tracked and cut thru the crop and that Scotia eye appeal.

The checkbook and many other 'simplicity' features won out and I have been very happy with my CD25, my 60yr dream. I feel I got more 'bang for my buck' with the CD25.

Sorry for the "rabbit hole ' note. :roll:

Art
 
What boat to buy is an excellent topic, one sure to gather many replies. and this post is, as Art/Sea Angel said, is a little after the fact. But then that's never stopped anyone, especially me.

My comment is simple: remember why you bought the C-Dory 25 in the first place. It's simple, light, strong, comfortable and relatively cheap,

I'd love a Tomcat, but then you have 2 ea 150 HP motors. And at $4-$5 for a gallon of gas that's a lot of coin. Plus twice the maintenance. I'd love the full V-berth, the one in the C-25 is good for people under 6'. Any boat with a shorter berth would be really uncomfortable. But I want a trailerable boat, and the Tomcat is heavier. So, I settled for the C-Dory 25.

The Rosebougough is a very good boat, and I've seen a couple. But it's a heavier, fancier boat than the 25. And if indeed the v-berth is shorter, that's be a no-no for me the C-Dory 25 berth is short enough. I'd at least try sleeping in one overnight.

And finally the Ranger line of boats. Again, an inboard diesel is wonderful, and that boat is luxurious. Which is not what I'm looking for. I want a simple sturdy boat. Less to maintain and worry about.

And that's why I have a C-Dory 25. And intend to keep and use it.

Boris
 
Congrats on your new boat, What Shore :thup

journey on":2xf8mmce said:
What boat to buy is an excellent topic, one sure to gather many replies. and this post is, as Art/Sea Angel said, is a little after the fact. But then that's never stopped anyone, especially me.
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It is one of those endlessly interesting and discussable subjects, isn't it :D I find another way to think about it is to forget everything (temporarily) about specific boats and just ask myself "What do I want to do with this boat?" I think up scenarios. Then I go back to specific boats (or RV's etc.) again and see if that exercise shook loose any new and useful ideas.
 
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