dammy09
08.05.2021 18:59:05
by WDTHOMAS on Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:16 pm
See full version: Ranger r29 good in rough seas
by WDTHOMAS on Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:16 pm
by Hydraulicjump on Sun Mar 01, 2015 11:26 pm more
by CAPTCRUNCH on Mon Mar 02, 2015 9:27 am [links]
Having the 10 foot width helped with handling rough conditions, I think.
We emphasize all the things you can do with this boat because the small-scale tugboat styling, while attractive and full of personality, might leave you thinking that this isn't really a serious cruising boat. But, it is. [links]
When it comes time to call it quits for the day, the forward stateroom provides the comfort of a double island bed, overhead screened hatch, standing headroom and a door for privacy. here
The test conditions didn't really challenge the Ranger Tugs sea-keeping abilities, but the boat rode smoothly, handled in a predictable fashion and inspired confidence in every maneuver.
For some people, it would be a pleasure to own a boat with a salty traditional look and a carbon footprint that respects nature. A Ranger Tug might just be the perfect expression of that pleasure. here
Other nifty features revealed themselves as I continued my tour, among them: “gull-wing-type” seats in the cockpit inwales that cantilever outboard, thereby matching the cockpit’s roominess to its sociability factor; a starboard-side pilothouse door that facilitates single-handed tie-ups; stair-tread access to the flying bridge instead of a ladder; a rather slow, hydraulically actuated engine-room hatch in the cockpit that can be lifted more speedily by hand in emergencies; and a veritable array of folding, sliding, and rotating wooden surfaces in the interior, particularly in the galley area, that boost food-prep space when necessary.
Open-water handling was spirited. Hard-over, full-throttle turning circles were tight (I figured the diameter of most of ’em was about two boat lengths) with a slight outboard lean, which is not atypical of a vessel with a significant keel, a power-nozzling tunnel, and a single, grounding-shoe-protected prop. Running attitudes (topping out at 4.5 degrees) were optimum. And while the boat tipped forward slightly (about half of a degree) at idle, most likely due to a bit of prop-generated lift at the stern, I noted no tendency to bow-steer at any rpm. here
Tracking was straightforward (no doubt in part due to the aforementioned keel), sightlines from both upper and lower helm stations were excellent, sound levels were very civilized at the lower helm, and the U-Flex hydraulic steering was buttery smooth. [links]
I used to work on one of the prettiest oceangoing tugs in the world—at least that was my take on the M/V Sara Hayes back in the day. The Hayes had a black hull with a monster bow, a towering buff superstructure, red-lead-hued decks, and a sheerline that was a piece of pure seafaring poetry. She was an ancient specimen, too—no question. But we mostly kept her lookin’ like a yacht and, as if to proudly compensate for her old-fashioned appearance, she carried more modern paraphernalia onboard than tugs half her age, including the very latest in marine electronics.
Ease of operation dockside? At the end of the sea trial I got to park our 31 alongside another brand-new Ranger and lemme tell ya—idling into the little cove and then simply sidling sideways was, as my French Canadian relatives used to say, a piece de gateau. Split-second-actuating electronic engine controls, bow and stern thrusters from Side-Power (standard issue on every 31), and a big, four-bladed wheel with lots of torquey diesel power—the whole shebang made the process as effortless as it was fun. [links]
All this cleverness was cool, of course, but it also generated my one and only complaint: While there are many innovative details incorporated into the 31’s overall design, traditionalists like myself may be put off by a few of the incompatibilities that seemingly arise. Plastic name boards (red to port, green to starboard) are a good example of what I’m getting at here, and another is the use of bronze portlights in the superstructure, despite the fact that the rest of the exterior hardware is stainless steel.
We came to Burrard Yacht Club’s outstation at Pender before 1pm; just as the front rolled in and it started to rain. The outstation was crowded with boats which meant there was no empty spaces at the dock. We rafted up to a beautiful wooden Monk McQueen built boat named Banook. here
Two hundred engine hours. For the uninitiated, the wear on a boat’s engine is not measured by the distance covered but rather by the hours put on the engine. Every 100 hours, that engine is due for a maintenance check. We hit the 200 hour mark at the one year anniversary of owning Dauntless.
What does 200 hours represent? Hugo usually aims to cruise at our engine’s sweet spot of about 2280 rpm. Depending on winds and currents that means our speed is anywhere from 8 to 11 knots and at a diesel consumption rate of 4 to 5 gallons an hour. Back of the napkin calculations, we travelled 1600 to 2000 nautical miles and burned in the neighbourhood of 1000 gallons of diesel. Our boat’s log puts us at 35 separate trips, some short – to Granville Island or Bedwell Bay and some long – to Silva Bay or Pender Harbour. Because Hugo is still a couple of years from retirement, these trips were all taken over two or three day weekends except for one time. To sum it all up, we have spent a lot of time getting to know our boat in the local waters around Vancouver. For example, I could write an entire post about the great restaurants on the waterfront at Gibsons. We know them well.
Sambuca was the lead; a bit bigger and longer. If they could do it, we could do it. This time the wind was in our face, so the motion was better. The south east swells were noticeable and we were pounding along with constant spray over the bow and roof of Dauntless. The trip from Pender Harbour to Gibsons is about 26 miles and usually takes under three hours. This time it took four and half. Our convoy of smallish cruisers grew larger as we passed Merry Island. It wasn’t just us who found comfort in numbers.
It was another mixed weather bag with winds from the south east, clouds and some rain. The Environment Canada Marine forecast predicted regional wind warnings for the north half of the Strait of Georgia but not the south. Howe Sound was an orderly inflow for the most part and English Bay looked manageable. Because of guests and obligations, Hugo and I had not been out on the water for the proceeding few weekends and we had an itch to go somewhere.