Hello fellow C-Rangers. Names Ed Brady. Saw my dream boat at The Newport R.I. Boat show last September. Found a dealer in Old Lyme Ct who was taking delivery of hull #4 in early October. Boat was delivered Oct 4. Liked what I saw and committed to purchase pending a sea trial. Had trial and closed on the deal Oct 17th. Boat was put to bed for winter except for a 4 day showing at the Hartford, Ct boat show. The wraps are off now and we are prepping for launch sometime in the very near future. The boat will be called "Brady's Bunch" since my wife Alice and I have 4 children and 7 grandchildren. Like many other of you have stated it would be nice to have some operating/service manuals including wiring and plumbing schematics. Brady's Bunch came to Connecticut without any electronics. I have started the installation but would like to know if any of you have done the work yourselves and if so how have you mounted antennas and snaked cables to the console. I sure with patience I will solve the problems but any advice would be gratefully accepted. Brady's Bunch will be docked at the Housatonic Boat Club, Stratford, CT, the oldest active boat club in Connecticut, beginning its 120th season.[/list]
Brady's Bunch
- Thread starter EDBRADY
- Start date
Island Ranger
New member
Great to hear from another R-25. We just picked ours up yesterday (hull #23) and had a beautiful sunny calm day to run home (40 miles from Point Defiance to Whidbey). Now we have to go back and get the trailer...
Not sure we can be much help in outfitting - we had the Factory install all the electronics before they married the deck to the hull. I received two cases of manuals - and am still trying to figure out how everything works. So far, so good! A Great boat!
Mac & Linda
Island Ranger
Not sure we can be much help in outfitting - we had the Factory install all the electronics before they married the deck to the hull. I received two cases of manuals - and am still trying to figure out how everything works. So far, so good! A Great boat!
Mac & Linda
Island Ranger
Clever boat name - Brady Bunch - like it. Welcome aboard.
Cant' help much with the electronics installation. I had the factory install a GPS antenna and depth sounder transducer and run the cables to the console. Used a local marine electronics shop to install a C-80, depth sounder, autopilot, inverter and two additional house batteries. They did a nice job - it all works and looks good.
Other than sea trials and instrument calibration, have only put a few hours on the boat but am certainly pleased. A few weeks away from some serious boating - months away from having the boat configured the way I will eventually want it.
Enjoy.
Cant' help much with the electronics installation. I had the factory install a GPS antenna and depth sounder transducer and run the cables to the console. Used a local marine electronics shop to install a C-80, depth sounder, autopilot, inverter and two additional house batteries. They did a nice job - it all works and looks good.
Other than sea trials and instrument calibration, have only put a few hours on the boat but am certainly pleased. A few weeks away from some serious boating - months away from having the boat configured the way I will eventually want it.
Enjoy.
Congrats to all the New Ranger Folks.
I'd contact Jeff Messmer at Ranger Tug for a box of manuals...but if you had no electronics put in, the box will be smaller.
I have heard conversation of them running some type of 1 1/2 or 2" pvc tube for later than factrory installation work...and not sure today if that is happening yet, and if it is....which hull it started happening on.
When running wires and looking for a "hot" wire for power... take note and do a bit of reading of other posts on the Ranger 25 specific issues with it seems a heater power wire for a blower I think and a power wire for the turbo... neither of which should do anything but those two particular tasks...
Some of the other R25T folks will/can more than likely give a much more accurate account of these wires.....as I had just kinda sorta skimmed over the postings...not having one myself.
They should be a great boat for hours and years of enjoyment.
Safe travels!!
Byrdman
I'd contact Jeff Messmer at Ranger Tug for a box of manuals...but if you had no electronics put in, the box will be smaller.
I have heard conversation of them running some type of 1 1/2 or 2" pvc tube for later than factrory installation work...and not sure today if that is happening yet, and if it is....which hull it started happening on.
When running wires and looking for a "hot" wire for power... take note and do a bit of reading of other posts on the Ranger 25 specific issues with it seems a heater power wire for a blower I think and a power wire for the turbo... neither of which should do anything but those two particular tasks...
Some of the other R25T folks will/can more than likely give a much more accurate account of these wires.....as I had just kinda sorta skimmed over the postings...not having one myself.
They should be a great boat for hours and years of enjoyment.
Safe travels!!
Byrdman
In searching the "Rangers only" site I find Very few recent posts. Guess I am starving for tips and comments about the Ranger Tugs. We always got a lot of posts on C-Dorys. I suppose it will take time to get enough owners out there to make this an active site. I know one owner in Florida with a Ranger Tug and he has done a lot of things to his tug that would be of interest to others. Bob Guth are you reading this? Bob had a 21 ft tug and now has the 25 Ranger. He has changed the helm seat and put on a tug whistle. He has plans for storage in the cave. He has sealed the teak deck in the cabin, plus lots of things he has not mention to anyone. He has sent me pictures, I would ask him to post them on this site. I would post them but that would be like stealing his ideas. We can not have this site peter out for lack of postings. 
CaptD
CaptD
You are right! We need more posts. We are "patiently" waiting for our R25 to be made in August. The posts so far have been invaluable to us. We were able to make some changes to our order and I am making a list of things to double check when our boat gets delivered. I know this is the season when everyone is enjoying being on the water, but PLEASE keep those posts coming.
Hi Everyone, last Friday we moved from the "waiting list" to the "owner's list" with the delivery of hull 36, the "Laurie Ann." For those of you in Puget Sound, we have ours on its trailer at our home in Marysville and trailer it to the Everett boat launch. You will recognize us because we have the hull that is a deep Hunter Green color and it is striking! We are totally thrilled with the design and the great folks at the factory.
We also love these posts and as we learn things of value, we will share them. One of our first moves was to remove the cushions in the under berth area, like other owners, and converted to storage. The farthest area, under the table, takes a small "roughneck" storage box perfectly which is now the home for the tools and supplies to fix things. We also found a three-drawer, plastic, snap together as a unit with holes for ventilation that we intend for food and stuff and that fits perfectly in the stoage area.
Took the boat our for its first cruise and it turned a lot of heads.
We also love these posts and as we learn things of value, we will share them. One of our first moves was to remove the cushions in the under berth area, like other owners, and converted to storage. The farthest area, under the table, takes a small "roughneck" storage box perfectly which is now the home for the tools and supplies to fix things. We also found a three-drawer, plastic, snap together as a unit with holes for ventilation that we intend for food and stuff and that fits perfectly in the stoage area.
Took the boat our for its first cruise and it turned a lot of heads.
Pat Anderson
New member
You bet, the R25 is a head-turner for sure! I will be very interested to see how folks rate this boat on the water over time - will you be happy with the most comfortable and economical cruise speed? We had a 2006 SBS order down at the $95K base price when the boat was just a hull and a drawing, and let it go because the originally advertised 16 knot cruise with the 80 hp Yanmar at 4 gallons per hour was not - and probably never could be - realized, plus it would have meant a new tow vehicle for sure, the Expedition just could not handle this boat. Still, this boat is a beauty, and as I told Jeff, as far as I am concerned, we are not totally out of the hunt yet and will no doubt live to regret letting the $95K R25 (I think it added up to $115K with trailer and options) go...
Pat Anderson
New member
Warren, you just bought the TC255 - and you are scoping out your next boat?? What are you looking for that you don't already have? :lol: If the CD29 shows up at Bellingham, I will of course look, but I doubt seriously that we are customers for this or any other C-Dory now . Our CD25 is nearly ideal for our cruising style for the time being and foreseeable future. And my views about C-Dory turning its back on direct factory customer service are fairly well known. When we have more time for cruising, i.e., no need to be able to go fairly fast, a tug is what appeals most to us. And if it needs to be trailerable, to us that means Ranger, pure and simple. Getting the great personal attention Ranger owners get from Jeff, Andrew and the Livingstons is just an added bonus - but an important factor to us.
Lori Ann":1p8fk6h2 said:
Pat Anderson":x0hcrstw said:
I am quite happy with my TC255 and may never get another boat. OTOH, I am always in information-gathering mode for data that I may not use for years, if ever. I was looking at C-Dories for at least 10 years before I bought one, even before I bought my Hewescraft. I actually visited the C-Dory factory when they were located in the two shop bays (forget the town, this was before I was more familiar with the PNW.)
The TC255 is a great boat for two people. However, it would be nice to be able to sleep 4 and seat them at the same dinette. But the tradeoffs (trailering, for example) may well not be worth it.
Warren
Well congrats on your purchases! Ed just to let you know we have a full electrical schematic finished for the 25 and are very close to the plumbing schematic being finished. Please shoot me an email at anytime and let me know any questions you may have. I can email them to you and keep you informed of the latest and greatest. andrewcustis@rangertugs.com