Top 10 Ranger Tugs R-29 features to consider

[@stewartmacpherson8286]

My wife and I just took delivery of a 2023 R-29 and found this video to be very informative and much appreciated in helping me set up our new Ranger Tug. Also your Unofficial R-29 Manual is outstanding. Keep up the good work and happy boating.

[@mvemerson]

Glad it was helpful and congratulations on your new boat!

[@Shane_Little]

Been drooling over these boats for some time. Gotta find a way to get one.

[@happychildhood591]

Thank you for this outstanding video and wishing you great times on Emerson! After the untimely passing of my beloved wife/first mate, I needed to downsize from my much larger 43' trawler to something smaller and easier to manage. After extensive research and countless boat shows, I purchased a new Ranger Tug R-31 Command Bridge in 2021 from Winter Island Yachts in Salem MA. Like you, I absolutely love my tug. It has all the amenities and than some of my larger vessel. The clever use of space is incredible. As you do with Emerson, I often cruise at displacement speeds of 7-9 knots but am thankful that I can fast-cruise at 16+ knots if necessary. These Ranger Tugs offer a lot for the money. They come standard with features that are costly options on similar boats. As I boat in the NY, CT, and RI region, I opted for the northeast edition with air conditioning and a generator as it gets very hot here in the summer. My vessel JACKPOT II with is claret red hull attracts tons of attention wherever I go, and when those unfamiliar with Ranger Tugs board her they are amazed by all the features and the coziness of the teak adorned cabin. I have upgraded her with interior sliding hatch shades and screens, Bimini top, as well as a rollup canvas Eisenglass enclosure for the cockpit area. All the best to you and your beautiful tug Emeson!

[@mvemerson]

Thank so much for your kind message and sorry for your loss. You are reminding us of an important lesson. We often contemplate getting a larger boat and we see/hear stories about folks downsizing due to circumstances or age. It might be best for us to check our urge to upsize (38-43’) and enjoy what we have. The future is not guaranteed to anyone. Thanks again for sharing your story and all the best to you and Jackpot II.

[@pworker8124]

Beautiful! Nice nod to Fleming Yachts also. Thank you for the excellent video.

[@rangertruth4776]

Ranger does know how to add unique features !

[@jeffmatthews9283]

You gave credit to Tony Fleming. Respect

[@BostonClipper]

I have owned a sailboat so I get the journey versus destination appreciation. I have owned a jet boat. There is no doubt that part of the calculation is safety. The jet boat was safer. Faster to outrun weather and faster get an injured passenger to next-tier medical help. It is easy to go slow and appreciate things in a fast boat... we often did, but you can not go fast in a slow boat. Off-topic: Ranger Tugs are fantastic. There is one weird feature they overlook in a boat that is extremely, extremely well thought out. Screens. Why do they not have rolling flyscreen/blackout blind hatch covers? When both the flyscreen and blackout blind are retracted you have easy access to the latches without the hassle of stowing the loose screens.

[@mvemerson]

Agreed on all points. I have heard of some folks retrofitting the hatch covers. A possible (minor) modification in our future. Should be easy, ...I think.

[@BostonClipper]

@@mvemerson That would be cool. Love the fact the R-29 is more than 5 tons for documentation purposes. Do you see Channel Surfing?

[@mikemoren532]

Nice video about the R29 NW CB! We have the same version, a 2020, and love it. Regarding your toilet tank vent filter, do you find that it does a good job of keeping the odors at bay after a toilet flush? Cheers from Bellingham!

[@mvemerson]

Thank you Mike. In one of our videos, I am referring to the Rudder Position Sensor as the "second best money spent". The vent filter was the BEST MONEY SPENT. Just to make sure we are on the same page, ... when flushing, as a volume of water and else enters the tank, an equal amount of air is pushed out of the vent on the starboard side of the boat. Is that what you are referring to? Regardless of what we tried, it always smelled. The decaying biologicals normally found in ocean water alone caused that. Add to that whatever else might be in the tank. It was terrible. We have not had any odors since installing the filter. I highly recommend it.

[@mikemoren532]

@@mvemerson , Yes, we are on the same page:) The exhausted odor from the toilet tank, is horrendous!😝. That's great to hear that the carbon vent filter works! That's enough affirmation for me, I'll be adding that within two weeks! Oh, and the rudder position sensor sounds like a great mod., too! Thanks much for the reply, and hope to run into MV Emerson out on the Salish Sea!

[@mvemerson]

@@mikemoren532 Yes Sir, see you on the water. We are planning to get good use out of Emerson this spring and summer. 🙂

[@alexandrefbastos]

sorry for hijacking the thread@@mvemerson . I will start the purchase process next Spring and right now checking all the details. Do you consider the vent filter installation was even better than the fresh water conversion? Freshwater conversion fix the odor problem 100% **but** it costs the limited supply of freshwater, which is bad, but I was convinced I would change as soon as I buy the boat. It seems you are 100% satisfied with the current vent filter. I think I will change my plan for first project after getting the boat.

[@mvemerson]

@@alexandrefbastos for the moment I am satisfied with the filter. I am contemplating adding a Commoderizer, which “injects” a small dose of Chlorine into each flush. When I park the boat for a while, I am also careful to not have standing salt water in the bowl and the line and strainer. A lot of effort. I would not discount the freshwater conversion, but I really don’t know enough about it.

[@alexandrefbastos]

Hi MV Emerson Crew :) I am a fan of your videos. Keep doing it. One question. At 2'48" you mention 64A at idle regime from 150A alternator. It seems very powerful. Do you know if you can charge your batteries at 60A (or higher) or the battery charger support less amps? My point is, lets say you have used 120Ah from your house bank, if you run your engines for 2 hours in idle regime, can I assume you recharged your batteries in 120ah? The alternator output is the same of the battery charger input? Thanks!

[@mvemerson]

Thanks for your kind words. In regards to the charging, no. Sorry. Since making this video I have seen charging currents of more than 100A. However, the more my batteries get charged, the slower they charge. With AGM, which is what I have, you get fairly quickly to 80% of capacity. Things really slow down then. You could set something “very nice” up with a LiFePO4 conversion.

[@alexandrefbastos]

Thank you. One of my first projects when I get the new boat is to convert to LiFePO4 batteries. I am considering something like 2 Lithionics 320Ah to give me 640Ah total and around 500Ah usable. My concern is: will the boat alternator be able to give me a good amount of amps if I ride for 3-4 hours at 2500rpm regime. But good too see you observed more than 100A! It seems the alternator does a great job

[@mvemerson]

@@alexandrefbastos that will be a sweet setup!!

[@johnkroetch4559]

She is a beauty!

[@mvemerson]

Thanks John. Yes, she is. 😊

[@AndresSoliven]

Is it trailable

[@mvemerson]

@@AndresSoliven it is.

[@dougsrepair1060]

There is definitely some truth about debris floating about in the waters of the PNW area. Travelling at high speed is simply a matter of “when”you hit a log or other not “if”. And they’re not all sticks.

[@garyyoung4074]

My favorite model of the Ranger Tugs. Others are either a bit small to vacation on for more than just a few days, or....too big (43) to trailer w/ too many fiddly folding contraptions. 31 not worth xtra money over the 29. Interior liveable space exactly the same.... I think a 32' (waterline) model that has a longer enclosed interior and same aftdeck as 29 is the sweet spot. Put in a full size fridge/freezer to starboard and a coat/wet gear locker or small day head/ guest head to port as you enter is the ticket. Use exsisting 1/2 fridge space for dry goods stores or something else. Not everyone cares about boating down south. Great lakes/pacific NW/ ST. Lawrence/coast of Maine are beautiful but cooler. Hence MORE interior space and room for a dingy. (NO outboards)....

[@mvemerson]

That sounds great. We would love something slightly larger and in the style of the 29. It will be interesting to see if RT ever launches such a boat.

[@garyyoung4074]

Yeah, thanks. I've put these suggestions out there before. Maybe Ranger will look into them. Yes, a 3' plug in the molds amidship just forward of the 29's center of lift would be required. The added weight forward of the engine might help reduce bow lift at say 20 mph cruise speed. If you could still trailor and keep it at your house during the winter would be a great money saver. I imagine cruising the 1000 Islands area of the st. Lawrence or E. Shore of lake Superior in October. How beautiful but, you'll want more interior heated liveable space for those 35° nights.

[@adf286]

ok im getting this in 10 years when i semi-retire. consider it done

[@mvemerson]

Glad the video was of use to you.