What did you see at the boat show?

DaveS, talking about the FLIR:

"Harvey, about 3 weeks ago I had the pleasure to depart (before daylight) from a slip in Everett on board a 27' vessel that was equipped with a FLIR unit that was hard mounted on the top of the cabin. This unit had the capability of "locking" in on a target so that it could follow it."
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Dave, What a great feature, especially for use in a SAR arena. That is a lot of jewelry, for a 27, unless it is designed for that or LE service.

The hand held is still 3K and does have some advantages for the "hobby" boater.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
I didn't get to the Seattle show, and the Stuart show I went to was disappointing.

The Arrow Cat--really looks nice. Construction lay up sounds good--made in China, so there are going to be shipping and import fees. I didn't see a price for the US boat--but I figure it at least $200,000, (based on the price on one in Australia. It would be fairly easy to trailer at 10 feet (many this size are 12 foot beam--and there it gets difficult). Also the tunnel is higher than the Tom Cat--a real plus and will give a better ride.

I understand that the aft bulkhead is an option--and necessary for most of the US boats. There is no opening front window--but overhead small hatches should help with ventillation (in the South, the thru ventillation is almost necessary). I didn't see a generator option, but I would like to see that and an air conditioning option. Of course the Admiral says the galley is too small; but...that is what it is.

The Aspen, I would want to take a ride in heavy weather. My concern is the asymetical hulls in beam or following seas, and possiblity of broaching. I think it will be a tough sell in this market.

The FLIR--fantastic--it is on my "to buy" list for this year. It is possible that the higher end models (better resolution) will come down i price.

Another item not listed, and not entirely new, but is the Lowrance side scan and down scan sonar--it is fantastic, but there has been a bit of a problem reported with Lowrance servcie. This is also on my "To by list".
 
Regarding the Aspen -

thataway":33pnoot1 said:
The Aspen, I would want to take a ride in heavy weather. My concern is the asymetical hulls in beam or following seas, and possiblity of broaching. .
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Exactly the question I put to the sales rep standing next to the boat. The answer I got was nothing more specific than that the boat handles well in all conditions. I was going to press on with questions about just how the trim tabs worked on two different hull sizes and shapes at the same time, but saw I was getting nowhere fast. I'd also love to know how the thing handles in reverse, and near the dock.

I have been intrigued by this boat ever since I read about the design several months ago. It does look like a nicely built and laid out boat, and I tend to believe the efficiency claims, but like Bob, I'd definitely want to see the thing put through its paces.
 
Bill,
Very good point about reverse. The cats track very straight because of their narrow hulls and moderately hard chines. My Caracal is a single engine cat--and is more difficult to back than the twin engine Tom Cat. With an inboard, and rudder, it would be more like an offset prop in a sailboat--probably the most difficult vessel to back reliably. The Aspen seems to have a "sail drive" type of lower unit fin, which does not rotate, and a rudder aft. I would think that a bow thruster would almost be essential--and for good maneuvering a stern thruster.

Also in the 29, the single berth is only 26" wide--great in heavy seas, but this is in the hull, and only a small standing area at the head--sort of like putting the boat "on" as you slide into the bunk--much more clostophobic than the the Ranger 25's berth.
 
thataway":e7qdwfsz said:
Bill,
I would think that a bow thruster would almost be essential--and for good maneuvering a stern thruster.
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Bob,
I noticed thruster controls at the helm - I believe both bow and stern. I don't know if that's standard equipment.

Also, good point about the mini-berth. I'm not claustrophobic, but I am fairly tall, was never very flexible, and am now enjoying all the pleasures of arthritic joints. I don't think I'd enjoy sleeping in that thing. It looks perfect for one of my grandkids, though.
 
The Aspen at the SBS had bow and stern thrusters. The bow thruster was in the Starboard sponson and was no larger than 4"! The stern thruster wasn't much bigger. I'd need many demo hours on that boat before making any big cash commitment. OTOH, it was extremely well finished and thought out.
 
Yes, I agree 100% on the Aspen and/or any other boat... as we have stated before, any boat can just about handle great on the hard at a show with bright lights on them or on flat waters.... but time will tell.

Yes, I think the thrusters are standard....but, the child and dog in the photos may or may not be options. :mrgreen:

Looks like the maiden voage for the C90 was on 25Jan10. Sort of a photo shoot maiden voage type of a trip...much like when Jeff brought out the TC255 for the Blakley Island gathering a few years back... Here are some notes/photos I received from Larry: Now...readers be for warned....this is not about a C-Dory...but, a boat that drew interest from the Seattle Boat show.... and it was a rainbow day so that should be a sign of good things to come...maybe??

Here is the line I liked after taking a nice trawler speed trip in a wonderful boat that I could never afford..."At trawler speeds of 8-9 mph, the economy was 1.3 gph."... and, that is not cruise loaded nor has the boat been tweeked out as Larry points out....but great for first splash...IMHO :thup :smiled And on the large trawler, we could not kick'r up to about 10-15 knots if we needed to for an hour or two...

Weight and Balance - She sits right on her design water lines - port to starboard is within 3/8th inch, bow to stern 1/2 inch in 28' - Very Close!
Handling - in a turn - she cuts a smooth arc; no lean, very similar to the L90 so the extra equipment deep in the hull and careful management of weight in the deck and hard top delivered as hoped.
Tracking - The Launch was very good, the Cruiser is even better with the new larger rudder (20% extra surface). The larger rudder also allows straight line backing without using the thrusters. It's a hands free drive, very nice.
Top Speed - Green Motor - 90% throttle pull (still need to adjust) 22.4 up wind/20.4 down wind. Average 21.4 mph (18.2 kts) with 5 people on board and 1/2 tanks, 3800 rpm, (recommended max is 4050 rpm). This speed is Exactly as we had tested with the proto type. Yet, we still have more throttle adjustment to go and possibly some prop work. I hope to push this up 1 to 2 mph with tuning.
Cruise Economy - Again these are very preliminary and were done while waiting for the chopper to arrive; but right now at 8,400 pounds, boat, fuel, people, and gear. Seventeen mph was 4.4 gallons per hour or 3.9 mpg. A little less than I hoped for, but still over twice or 100% farther per gallon than any production 28' cruiser in the world. At trawler speeds of 8-9 mph, the economy was 1.3 gph.
Noise Level - This was our first run with the Cummins 150 common rail motor and as hoped it's silky smooth and the noise levels are exceptionally low. Talking on the radio or listening to the stereo are comparable to a modern diesel truck cab with common rail technology. Acceleration is brisk and there is no turbo whine or lag; starting was instantaneous.
Sea Handling - Seas were limited to 1-2 foot chop and boat wake, but the ride was very similar to the Launch. I did note at 4-5 mph in 1-2 ft chop some noise from the tunnel areas wave breaker, picking up or slowing the speed 2-3 mph eliminated this minor noise.

Yes, we did have a wonderful rainbow!! Cruising at 16 kts - 3,200 rpm. Note: Minimal WakeSo in summary, I'm delighted. There were many firsts in this new model, we still have adjustments, but for it to be this right, right out of the box is very special.
C90_CRUISER.jpg
C90_CRUISER_RAINBOW.jpg

Looks good to me for day one.

Byrdman
 
I did not "see" the boat but heard about it from Jeff Messmer. It is the Ranger 27, with the cabin of the R29 but the cockpit of the R25. It will have a 180 hp diesel and apparently is not all that far out from the first one being done. Any other details on this boat? What you know for sure is that with Jeff, Andrew and the Livingstons, you are getting the best customer support in any industry, not just the boat business. Not going to cash the house in for one, but it sure is an intriguing idea.
 
Pat,

I thought I saw you mention the "Ranger 27" in a different thread but I understood you to be merely stating this wistfully. I did not realize that your comments were based on actual plans by the Ranger folks to produce such a boat.

The pairing of the larger "Ranger 29 cabin" and the "Ranger 25 cockpit" to produce a Ranger 27 would indeed be an interesting creation. Especially, to those of us who do not fish but would really benefit from the larger interior space for cruising. Thanks for reiterating this concept.

As you also commented, chances are - based on how great the Ranger folks are - that if the boat measured up to the other Ranger offerings it would be pretty impressive.

BTW, it was great seeing you and everybody else at the C-Brats SBS gathering!

Take care,
Dan and Tanya
 
A quick comment on the Aspen quarter berth.

It was small and tight. I have 2 little skinny boys (4 and 8 ) and only one of them could get into it at a time and it wasn't exactly easy access.

The other thing that got me thinking was that it was directly under the stove. On the Ranger Tugs the quarter berths are under the dinette. Maybe it's just me, but having a loved one sleeping in a tight space under the stove has me a little nervous.

The ArrowCat has a quarter berth under the stove also, but WAY under the stove...like 3-4' under with a bunch of drawers and cabinets in between. It also has a very straightforward access point. I didn't crawl into the Aspen quarter berth, (it didn't appear to be easy to get into) but it was directly under the stove...like you could almost touch the bottom of the stove while inside the berth. I'm sure there is something separating the two, but it can't be much.

Just my observation.
 
Okay, I have followed this site for several years and was happily reading this thread about the SBS. Must have been that extra glass of wine and then I saw the posts about a wooden boat by the name of Nutmeg. WOW, I don't remember my boat being in the show again this year, but wait, these posts started last year!
I have admired C-Dory for several years, but decided to go with wood after much research and deliberation. The fact that I have built a couple of small wooden boats in my garage might have had something to do with it. I thank you for your positive comments about Nutmeg and also wish to give an update.
So far, two years in the water at the Port of Everett Marina. I keep a full cover on it and all wood, painted or otherwise, looks like new. Otherwise does mean no varnish, only Cetol. Performance is a lot like what I read about here as the hull design is somewhat similar I suppose. We have had one big trip from Everett up to Sucia Island and back. The rest has been just around the Everett area.
Look forward to learning more.
Green
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