C-Ranger R25 tug - In the water

Seaboldski

New member
Since Pat (I think) said that the R25 made an appearance at the Seattle Yacht Club Opening Day parade through the Montlake Cut, I thought I'd take a look at the web site. What do you all think?

PICT0218.JPG
 
It's a little hard to see the whole package with the pennants, signs, palm tree, etc., but here are a few thoughts.

Generally it looks well done, if a bit blunt, blocky, and compressed.

Looks like they have thought out the placement of the radar, navigation lights, tower, stack, etc nicely, but it will take some real time running to see if it all works together.

Looks like it has outstanding visibility forward and to the side from the helm. Are those posts between the windows actually heavy enough to support the front of the cabin roof?

Generally very nice, but wish they wouldn't have so many vertical window and cabin lines, like the Nordic Tugs. Gently sweeping rocker curves of the sheer and gunnels should be reflected in the roof, windows, and bow pulpit. Too many straight up lines look crude and look like it was designed by someone with a T-Square and no French Curve or artistic sense.*

That lack of side doors at the helm is going to make for akward docking moments, even with thrusters.

*My late great friend, sculptor, and art teacher said that most in the artistic community feel that only 10% of the architects are artistically competent to design something that is really beautiful. The other 90% are trained as structural engineers, but lack artistic talent. Only the top 1% can really create a masterpiece that will withstand the test of time. I think the same applies to naval architecture.

Joe.
 
Joe - I couldn't disagree with you more! If you want curves and sweeping lines, get a Meridian Yacht. This is a tug, and it is supposed to look like this. The lack of a helm side door will not make this any harder to dock than a CD25 - it is pretty much identical size, same distance from helm seat to aft cabin door to gunwale - nobody complains about the lack of a side door on the CD25, now do they? Ironically, radar was NOT well thought out, at least that was one of the comments from Les - the fake mast can't support a Raymarine raydome. Les has already made a number of comments about functionality, which I trust C-Ranger will take seriously.
 
I L I K E I T !!! :!: :!:

To comment on Joe's perspectives:

It's a little hard to see the whole package with the pennants, signs, palm tree, etc., but here are a few thoughts. Yes, but ain't she pretty all dressed up!!

Generally it looks well done, if a bit blunt, blocky, and compressed. Yes, like a tuff-a$$ bull dog....just looken for bad weather...and with plenty of room in the corners inside.


Looks like they have thought out the placement of the radar, navigation lights, tower, stack, etc nicely, but it will take some real time running to see if it all works together. Yes....but I really can't see what all is going on with the "smoke stack"...does look as if they have routed a "muffler" thru it for the exhaust??? So much for that area making for a great roof cooler.

Looks like it has outstanding visibility forward and to the side from the helm. Are those posts between the windows actually heavy enough to support the front of the cabin roof? Humm... not sure.... but do the window open?


Generally very nice, but wish they wouldn't have so many vertical window and cabin lines, like the Nordic Tugs. Gently sweeping rocker curves of the sheer and gunnels should be reflected in the roof, windows, and bow pulpit. Too many straight up lines look crude and look like it was designed by someone with a T-Square and no French Curve or artistic sense.* Yes, I like the look. I like the straight ups...and the ease of cleaning flat surfaces too. I like the room gained on the inside by not having a bunch of ice-cream bowl turns.... (french vanilla) that have zero purpose other than just to look pretty.... the palm tree accomplishes that.

That lack of side doors at the helm is going to make for awkward docking moments, even with thrusters. Yes I agree 100% here.... Looks like maybe a smaller forward window, drop the little port window, and use a sliding door on both sides of the vessel. ....maybe... I simply can not recall what was on the inside of the boat at these "entry/exit" locations. Even if you could not get on and off...just being able to open her up wide and hand stuff thru from the dock when loading and unloading would help.

*My late great friend. sculptor, and art teacher said that most in the artistic community feel that only 10% of the architects are artistically competent to design something that is really beautiful. The other 90% are trained as structural engineers, but lack artistic talent. Only the top 1% can really create a masterpiece that will withstand the test of time. I think the same applies to naval architecture.
Some pretty good touchy feely stuff here Joe...but looks to be very accurate. I am truly sorry you lost your friend. It does look as if your life has been enriched by being a part of his or her life. We do need pretty things to look at. But for me and boats, we need the designers that listen to feedback and make our boats "USABLE AND PRACTICAL...." We do not need to put things on, or shape things on a boat because they are pretty....we need to do it as to make them beautiful to operate, own, maintain, and enjoy the life and freedoms we have been blessed with here in America. If it is on a boat ...it needs to have one or more purpose(s). If it does not...sit it out on the dock...and enjoy a nice sundowner looking at it...and thank God for putting those minute percentage of folks on this earth that can make things that are pretty...and are fun to just look at.... unless of course you were lucky enough to have married that wonderful item....but then..it would have a purpose on the boat...so the circle starts over.

These are thought and ideas..brought to you on this day by Joe & Byrdman... C-Dory loven' folks.
 
Seaboldski: I am sorry for not putting this right up front of my 1st post... but I was overwhelmed by the beauty.....

Many thanks for finding and posting this photo. Over here on the east side... we gotta wait a bit to see things from our factory. You will for sure love this boat.

Byrdman
 
Guys-

Thanks for all the comments!

Sorry about the critique, but I was just trying to objective (for me) about how I felt about the lines, etc., of the new tug from C-Ranger. Guess I upset some folks by not being PC and totally positive.

I'm as blindly loyal as any of the rest of you to our C-Dory concept, and really think the curved lines of the C-Dorys look a lot more classic than the other straight-up approach.

Apparently there are a lot of folks who like that look, as evidenced by the popularity of the Nordic Tugs.

I've seen the Nordic Tugs along side a Lord Nelson Victory Tug, though, and the later was my choice for artistic merit:

lordnelson37photo.jpg


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3tugs.jpg
Nordic Tugs

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Good looking Nordic Tug- the larger boats have better lines-the smaller ones are probably squarer to generate more interior volume.

One of the driving forces in these design decisions is the need to build the plugs then manufacture the boat out of fiberglass in molds, which favor the simpler lines. The same is true of the interior, tons of wood cabinetry being abandoned in favor of a molded fiberglass interior with small teak inserts to dress it up. Labor costs. Economics, again!

Joe.
 
Great looking boat. A couple of comments:

1. They could have made a really distictive look by simply tilting the upper edge of the front windows outwards a bit ala the Nordhavens.

2. That anchor pulpit doesn't fit the boat...should be moulded in. And that long direct drop line of the anchor.....when retrieving the anchor could swing and bang the hull.

3. I'll join the gang that wished they had made a starboard side exit for docking.
 
I'm with you Joe! The windsheild looks awful! With a little more work and three or more windows curved out like the Victory Tug this could have been a beautiful boat! I think they missed big time on that.
 
Patty here. Well, this is the first time since its introduction at the SBS that I have read anything negative about the tug. Most of you know how uncertain I am about buying this boat, but I have to say that the look of her in the water vis-a-vis the above posted picture puts a big check in the plus column. I just love the boxy look and the straight windows. It's hard to believe it's trailerable, she looks so big. Looking forward to my sea trial (in choppy waters) and getting inside.
 
I kinda like the two windows...if they open...and yes, a tilt would have been nice too. That is for sure why there are so many boats...and designs... one size does not fit all. But....this is hull #1... and like all into hulls... I look for about a year of real water time by real boat using folks...and we will see the 2nd generation... Great start... and I like the boxy look....but then....it could simply be that ol 244 GLA Volvo that I drove for 18+ years... I like practical. I like...naww.... I love all the wood too.....to look at...but owning it and keeping it up is another story all together... Being able to hose it out better fits my uses, lifestyle...and friends.
 
Patty-

Glad you like the boat! We'll look forward to seeing you and Pat in a new C-Ranger 25 in the near future!

(We weren't trying to influence your decisions, just do some armchair quarterbacking on the design choices and express some personal preferences.)

Joe.
 
As one who has done plunked the cash down, I have to vote for a big plus on this design. I think the detractors forget how difficult it is to put such features in such a small craft. Much of the 'blockiness' is due to allowing the headroom in the fore bunk and the extra vertical height for an under table 'coffin cabin' / storage space and forward placed engine.

I think the banner covers some of the neat angle/curve that we saw on the gunwale in the SBSC hull.

I would like to see the possiblity of bottom opening/tilt front windows just to let more air in for our hot climate here.

BUT I hope those who have worked so hard on this exquisite craft understand the very deep appreciation I hold for their talent and work.

John
 
More.... well, Joe, I too like the look of the Lord Nelson tug you picture, but that boat is about 30 plus feet long! and a beam over 8 foot is my guess. Lots of unusable hull space. Beautiful shapes, though, but too much boat for me.

I have had lots of boats with curves and slanted windshields and most were a pain to keep clean and keep equipment, knick knacks, etc. around. One reason I like the C-Dory design was the pilot house, vertical windows.

I like the looks of the boats you like, but I am going to be very proud and happy when I get behind the helm of this little 'nitch-designed' boat! John
 
More more.....sorry.... As for the helm door, for 12 years I operated a 29 foot boat with only aft deck access. There is a short learning curve, but good seamanship and some appropriately pre-docking layout of lines solves the docking access problem. Even tho most large charters have quick deck access, they usually have a calm, well-planned approach of either backing or pulling forward on the appropriate spring line. No door is no problem. John
 
So each to his own! I like the looks of the C-Ranger 25. Form follows function, eh? The hull entry is fine and she should slice through heavy head seas with ease. As for side doors - hmmm - just another place to leak IMO. With thrusters and a little crew prep - or even single-handed - she should be an easy boat to maneuver around a dock.

My 24' Pierson Rampage fishing machine, with a single inboard engine and no thruster, is an easy one-man operation around a dock. The C-Ranger 25 should be much easier to handle.

Dave Livingston probably has more hulls around than any Naval Architect and his fine hand is obvious in this design. A beautifully shaped hull, and maximum interior utilization in a small 25 foot, very economical, pocket cruiser. Well done!!

Dusty
 
John, Dusty, et al:

I appreciate and respect your opinion fully. No doubt this will turn out to be a succssful design, and many will enjoy it immensely.

In my opinion, it's the attention to detail and agreement between lines and overall composition that has made the C-Dory such a successful design and creates so many questions from strangers.

My remarks about artistic competency were meant to reflect my own preferences within design limits, and the story about my friends's remarks rings true over and over again in boats, bridges, public and commercial buildings, monuments, cars, and just about anything that requires design by man. :idea

Thanks for your comments! :rainbow

Joe
 
Hey Joe..... I have enjoyed your thoughtful and knowledgeable posts on this site for years and want to thank you for so quickly posting all the extra info, such as all those tug photos, in whatever thread is hot and active. Keep up the good work! John
 
I like it! Of course, I'm a "squared away kinda guy" (flat top haircut, down to skin on the sides). I really like the palm tree effect in the cockpit...makes me think I'm in Florida.
 
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