C-Ranger R25 tug - In the water

As a perspective.... most mornings I eat breakfast and coffee at a tiny little cafe in the small town near my farm. Most of those ppl have known each other since they were children, but when you hear them roast each other with horrible insults, etc, you'd think they all hate one another. After about 4 years now, I have been accepted to the point of being on the receiving end of some taunts that would normally make your hair curl. But that is just how they all operate. They will make fun of your pickup, your car, your hat, your tractor, whatever as standard fare and entertainment. However, when the chips are down, those ppl all chip in to help one another, whether late at nite, in storms, failed equipment, clearing a field of bales before the rain (without anyone asking for help), etc..

I guess we all don't know one another well enough to throw around insults like that, but I am betting some of you all are just like those great old guys and gals at that smalltown cafe. I am glad to be a part of the action, and am not usually politically correct, so here's my apology in advance for future fauxpas!
JOhn
 
Target on with this boat not being finished... they just wanted to get it out for a run "put together"....and... as has been provided by this group on our site.... they now have several opinions and points of view from the folks who brought our gang to the dance. Those of us who had the opportunity to see the TC255 on DAY ONE... of the sea trail for the boat (Very ....brave for a factory to do)... also had the opportunity to see the guys in the shop who had busted their body parts of late just to allow us an opportunity to see their work. That was cool. It was cool to see that many grown "adults".... standing around just plum giddy with joy to be around a new boat. Now we have YEARS and MANY HULLS of experience putting this vessel together. Flip back thru your history files...and take a look at some of the Livingston's work. They know functionality, they know lines. They will have this boat beautiful by anyone standards I am sure. I know ...as well as most of us here know...that photo was a "hurry job" as to get the boat in the parade... They are doing something right... I think they are booked up for over a years production... and they have not even hit the water "finished" yet.

As for the Angler idea, myself and the father David or Dav?? Livingston spent about 30 minutes on the hull at the 06 SBS. Some hulls that I can see in the near future (1-3 years), is an "angler type" version, a "scaled up" version of the CR-21-EC,....and flip thru some old brochures...and take a look at that 21 Martini that the Livingstons put together... Can you say CR-25-M.... picture a 25' version of that. AWESOME.... particuarly if you can obtain the 15knot cruise speed....and power it correctly as to be able to run "displacement" speeds (6-9 knots) and not harm the diesel motor. Have some very wide option packages..... like a "winter kit" that allows you to install some insulated walls with windows for cold weather boating with the wallas and/or a Dickinson heater going (I like Robbi's set up to be able to watch the little flames), and/or with the same set up and a genset... a nice AC unit for those of us in the SE with real high humidity, real high temps, and real aggressive insects that no screen or chemical can stop....ya just gotta button down the hatches and cool the air ya have inside for a good nights sleep. OK.. I am a dreamer. Ya know that by the pics of my retro AC work on FreeByrd, but I did have a nice AC unit that had zero holes drilled in the boat, could be mounted and dismounted in about 15 minutes, and cost less than $125. Yes, another $100 would have went a long way to make the cabinet/stand pretty and hide the unit when not in use, and allow me to store my 2nd smallest Big Green Egg smoker/grill.....but I never got there..... I always was drown out of the slip and out into the water to enjoy the boat..... Gosh I love these boats.

Byrdman....just a dreaming....and loving the progress on this vessel.
 
Humm.... how about a C-Ranger Gathering?? Once they get'er back in the plant and tricked out a bit... stick'er in a marina somewhere for the weekend and let's just gather and enjoy the boat....and each other... and food.... :smiled :smile :teeth :thup :beer

OK... Dusty man.... we will allow you a speedo to go along with your olive leaf crown.... :mrgreen: ....but just because you are over 30...and your years of service to our Country. :beer

Target on with folks not making fun of you and your stuff...if you are not catching heat....something is wrong.

???
 
OK Pat, Since we are just dreamin. I really like the idea of takin the 25' hull and putting a cabin from the CR-21-EC. IE just long enough to provide a galley and a place for a standup head. But make it so that we retain as much cockpit space as possible. You would then have one killer fishing boat! Oh and no ups and downs with the floor please! Just one level from front to back. Having a low floor with the engine house in the middle like the 21 would be just fine by me. If it is of appropriate height it gives you a good working area and/or seating area. Rather than putting a pad on it I would put a good servicable surface on it like one big cutting board :) If you want to sit on it you can put a boat cushion down.

I wonder how the above boat would work with the 4.3l V6 for power instead of the diesel. You would probably save $10K over the cost of the Diesel and get a few mph on the top end... Hmmm... :)
 
Not to prolong the controversy, but about two pages of posts ago, I tried to post the drawings of the New C-Ranger Tug alongside the picture at the start of this column so that folks couid see the differences.

I'm going to try again, since so many posts refer to the differences, and not all of us may know where to go to get the photos and compare them side-by-side.

I kinda think they showed their new debutante daughter off on the way home from soccer practice instead of taking her home and dressing her up first!

Note how much better the drawing looks than the boat with all the "stuff" on it and all the changes! Note that the WWW.c-ranger.com sign is wrapped all around the front of the cabin trunk, obscuring more than just the sheer line along the gunnel. See how many differences you can find. Enjoy!


r-25-ill-main.gif

PICT0218.JPG
 
Thanks Joe!! I also noticed right away with the drawing/pic right next to each other the beaded board plank paneling above the gunnels is missing. Do not look for them to attempt working that look into the fiberglass...but for sure may give some indication of just how long and hard Mr. Livingston has been thinking about this boat. Yes, I think the removal of the advertisement sign, and some stripes can and will do a lot for this boat. Yes, the little brass round port hole windows look pretty on the drawing...but give me a nice size window that I can really get some air flow with anytime.

Well...we have been batting this ball around a day or two...and nothing yet from Jeff or Scott or the Livingstons... Hummm they must be building boats.
 
Patrick-

Been kind of busy getting my tail in and out of the wringer here the last day or so!!!

Don't really know if I have powerpoint on this new IMac GS-5. Will PM you back within 1/2 hour!!! Thanks, Joe.

On Edit: Yes, I do have PP. Send me the design drawings!
 
I think it's a really nice looking boat. The forward visability is great. I agree that a blue trimmed brow would improve the look of the boat. But it appears the factory doesn't want the brow. If the factory wanted a colored brow they would have to do that when the hull was still in the mold.
 
Just for a quality input, we got our first R21-EC Ranger Tug and couldn't be more impressed with the fit and finish. The boat came exactly as ordered (you'd be surprised at how that is not always the case), and absolutely CLEAN. No wonder it sold in 3 days. We and the new owners were VERY pleased with the whole Ranger organization. It maxes out at 12.5 MPH and we're adding some slick bottom wax to see if we can improve on that.
I'm sure there are valuable inputs to be made with any new product and I'll bet some senior eyes have viewed these and other comments made about the 25TUG. We're all here to help, so keep those comments going. There has never been a perfect boat but I'm sure the reviews provided here are a great starting point for any positive changes.
Go BRATS!
John
Y-Landing
 
Regarding that exhaust pipe out of the stack, I just cannot imagine how difficlut it would be to route that big of a pipe thru the under dinette opening and back up and out of the roof. Any knowledgable thoughts about that? Also, I think I can see a bit of bubbles out the aft quarter, but maybe just wake.

I was sorry to hear about the radar problem, but not surprised considering how spindly the little mast seems. It looks like smaller tubing than the siderails. Also, maybe good, looks like a large rail next to the cockpit entrance step area. Is that what that is? John
 
drjohn71a":hakas47r said:
As a perspective.... most mornings I eat breakfast and coffee at a tiny little cafe in the small town near my farm. Most of those ppl have known each other since they were children, but when you hear them roast each other with horrible insults, etc, you'd think they all hate one another. After about 4 years now, I have been accepted to the point of being on the receiving end of some taunts that would normally make your hair curl. But that is just how they all operate. They will make fun of your pickup, your car, your hat, your tractor, whatever as standard fare and entertainment. However, when the chips are down, those ppl all chip in to help one another, whether late at nite, in storms, failed equipment, clearing a field of bales before the rain (without anyone asking for help), etc..
JOhn
Click to expand...

John, what you've said above is much the same as we experience at the fire hall. I've spent more time with some of my partners over the years than I have with my family. We have our disagreements, are relentless with our comments to each other, but we truly respect each other, work and socialize well together and we know that when the brown stuff is nearing the fan, we'll be there in a heartbeat for each other! (When you are being "chipped on", you know that you've been accepted).
(The fella that I am usually partnered with has been my partner for the majority of the past 20 years).
 
Great input on the new R-25. I think it looks awesome! It even rides as good as it looks :D I also believe that it should have a matching brow. We wanted to try it in white thinking that there may be too much blue with the full hull side. I think the blue brow really sets it off. The first boat is the proto boat. We will try a few different tweaks now that we have a working boat. Keep em coming.

Jeff
 
John - when I edited the picture, I was going to put your boat name on it because I knew you had ordered one. However, I do not know what you are going to name your boat so I figured I would show Pat & Patty what their boat would look like, when they order it.

It does not take much to dress up the boat. The more I look at it the more I like it.

Joe – you have to admit it makes the boat look much better.

Jeff – I think you have a winner here. Kinda like the C-Dory. It gives the purchaser the option of personalizing it.
 
Dave-

I know and agree it makes the boat look much better, a whole lot!

Now if we could just put the skeleton in the coffin cabin, remove the shrunken head or dead grouse from the bow, get rid of the twelve pair of vice grips hanging off the brow, take the big Jolly Roger Pennant off, and then add a really beautiful and functional mast out of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2" stainless steel, and ????

On the other hand...

Do you suppose if the mast was made with a large enough central shaft or two parallel shafts, the exhaust pipe could be hidden inside one?

Joe.
 
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