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Just the information I was looking for, thank you

For those of us who store our boats in rack storage and then have the boat splashed or moved to a work rack by a boat lift, we need to verify there is no interference with either racks or the forks on the boat lift. And clearance with one boat lift or rack may not guarantee clearance with all of them.

Thank God I don't have to trailer my boat.

Thank for the video, I enjoyed it. We are retired Sailors and are currently Trailer Campers living in Cincinnati Ohio and are considering purchasing a Ranger Tug type boat to doing exactly what you are doing. A friend of our has shown us his new R23, which we were impressed with. We anticipate our usage as being 50% - Docked at a Marina on the Ohio River, 25% on the Great Lakes and other small Lakes and the balance being visiting the Gulf States during the winter months. Hence, the ability to have a trailerable boat is essential! Help me understand some terminology. What are the main differences between a Trawler/Cabin Cruiser/Tug as Ranger using it. Another friend has a Nordic Tug 32, which is closer to a Tug, IMO than a Ranger R23/R25. Is this simply a Marketing Term? I think Ranger would be more accurate using the name Cruiser, ILO Tug. BTW we also like the older R25/R25SC for several reasons. First, is the Inboard Diesel Engine, which in my estimation has a much "Stronger Outward Appearance," which is more suggestive of a Commercial Vessel. Second, with the Inboard Engine the rear end is clear to accept a Dingy hanging off the back! Lastly, "Fuel Economy" isn't a big deal because of our limited usage. The other concern is Budget, we can buy an older boat to get the Inboard. Ideally, we would love a R25/R25SC with AC and a Generator. What are your THOUGHTS?

Did you put the uncrimped cable through the saw? It would have been nice to see that as the control.

Great video. We have a R25 OB and wanted to upgrade the head unit but like you trying to find the correct size was an issue. Well you found one and figured it out. Our install measurements are very similar so this will work perfectly. Thank You!

Having inverter issues on my 2023 R23. Remote switch beeping when turned on. No power at the panel. Batteries are all good. Plugged in to shore power and ran battery charger over night. Still same issue with inverter. Flip the switch, you hear a fan running then beeping. Would this be a tripped gfi on inverter.

You need to come down to St Simons Island Georgia. It’s a beautiful place to visit and boat around. I just call it home.

Thank you so much. You are an excellent teacher. After watching your videos I have a strong understanding of what you've explained.

Thank you for the video. How/where did you attach the new bow roller to the old one at the front of the bow roller? I can't see any attachments in the video.

Thanx for sharing. First video i found where this is installed on a boat.

Hi Dave - another great Video - thank you! I also use Navionics on my Android phone for navigating shallow areas of the CT River. My R23 can get into some nice remote areas, but I have to be wary and Navionics depth charts are VERY helpful. I would like to display my Phone Navionics on the Garmin Chart Plotter or install Navionics on the Garmin Chartplotter. Have you been able to do that? If so, could you do a YT Video on that subject? Thanks again!

Dave - thanks for this video. I still have the factory anchor & bow roller on my 2018 R23, but am annoyed that it won't self deploy. I'm often solo and have to go out on the bow just to give the anchor a nudge over the roller. Is the final result of your new bow roller & anchor that it will self deploy from the helm now? Also, does the original factory windlass have any issue raising the heavier anchor? I'm thinking of shamelessly copying your entire Mantus upgrade - bow roller, anchor, swivel - what supplier did you use for parts and do you recommend them? Thanks!

I’d be very interested to see your 50 item checklist. Any chance you could post it shoot us an email?

Great idea!

What platform is your NEBO app on? Apple or Google?

Thanks! I’m looking at purchasing a Ranger Tug 23, so this was great to see.

Thanks, Dave. I like this as a way to avoid that 'bear on a bicycle' feeling while balancing on that tiny side deck holding the hose. But in our (sorta sistership) Cutwater 24, our water tank vents inside, up near the fill. I'd get distracted enough with chores I'd surely dump water in the forward bilge. Not the end of the world but not desirable, either.

Great video! Always great for local videos.

Dave. I have a similar setup with my R-27 OB. I use a slightly different strategy to minimize use of the bow thruster. As I approach my slip I turn to starboard for a few seconds, then soon the helm hard left and hit idle reverse. Slides right in.

What did you use to cut and create the snap tee?

The most helpful aspect of this video - for me, at least - was seeing the locations of the NMEA network. A lot of work lies ahead for me, so very useful info. Dave, you made me appreciate our stereo on the Cutwater 248 - it does exactly what you two wanted from yours, I find the sound quality excellent AND now I know there's a job I don't have to do. 😎

Interesting. We're new to our 2022 Cutwater 248, with essentially the same forward cabin arrangement as your R-23. We want/need to rely on the storage areas under the V-berth to keep cabin clutter to a minimum. Don't you find a day cover to be inconvenient for that reason?

Nice boat, great video, thank you for posting your journey.

Haven’t had an issue yet, but am new to my 2022 Cutwater 248. I have 3 x 15 amp “household” outlets plus 120V systems (A/C, microwave, galley burner, etc) and a 2000W inverter with the 6 x Lithium house bank package. So I’m assuming that - sooner or later - one of us might have several systems running and unintentionally ask more of the inverter than it’s rating warrants. Is the protection for the inverter provided onboard the inverter itself, would you think, requiring that reset you mentioned? Or on the AC panel, at the inverter activation switch or inverter breaker?

On my boat, the inverter is a 2000W inverter. It is connected to the panel with a standard 15A plug. The outlet on the panel is just like the GFCI outlet you would have in a kitchen or bathroom. The breaker on the AC panel should trip before you do anything to the inverter, but I have had one instance where I had to reset the outlet on the inverter because the GFCI tripped. Hope that helps! If you get a blue light on the inverter switch and don’t get a green light on the power breaker on the panel, it’s probably the GFCI. is that what you are seeing?

Thanks, Dave. Should I assume if one accidentally asks for more power from the inverter than it is capable of providing, that trips the inverter itself and requires fishing for the reset button you mention? I'm assuming the inverter breaker on the AC panel does not trip, is that correct? BTW the PVC bimini 'fix' worked nicely. Thank you.

Thanks but you said you ordered it, from who? Ranger tug doesn't list it on there site, OR maybe you got it somewhere else?

I just bought a 2018 R23 and would like to know where you got thisr sunshade? You didn't say anything about where it came from that I could see and Ranger Tug doesn't show it on their site! thanks, Dennis

The bow thruster makes it a snap . The thruster is small and will get overpowered with wind gusts .

You turned the wheel so many different directions so many times it shows you don't know how to back a boat up so why did you think you could show anyone how to do it?

I enjoyed your video. Having spent some years with 80s trawlers, I'm thinking of downsizing to 24-to 30-foot tug types like yours. I'm in NC so wanting to spend more time on the Intracoastal.

Good idea

Ironically Dave, you presented this thorough discussion on your evolving anchoring system without ever discussing your anchor choice. A stock Lewmar claw held on Lake Normal, a Danforth held at Holden Beach, and then Voila! there's a 2nd gen Mantis on the bow. Not a Vulcan nor other Rocna nor earlier gen Mantis. Felt like a missing important step. I only mention this as I'm now facing a similar choice for a Cutwater 248, a kissing cousin of your R23 but with an anchor platform that won't accept a roll bar. Bet you weighed the anchor choice thoroughly before deciding.

Love Nebo! We have used it for 4800 miles.

Great video Dave! As someone who also always backs into a slip with our R-23, I appreciate this. It looks very similar to what I do, although my success varies a bit when the wind and current are up! Not sure I'm ready to do it solo yet.

Very much appreciated, Dave. I'll have to be doing the same thing, for the first time, in a similar Cutwater 248 soon. Looks like that wheel knob comes in very handy. I'm not familiar with that software, don't know how its spelled, and so couldn't find it using google. Can you spell if for us? Thanks (yet again) for another video, Dave.

normal

We carried one of these as a 3rd anchor (but we will cruising internationally in remote areas). For Dave's boating uses as I understand them, I'd say the utility comes from the (dis)assembly option vs. needing it to handle serious storm conditions. I would probably take Ranger's stock anchor rode gear, and bag the whole thing as the back-up system.

I had no idea... Getting to the Caribbean from Annapolis MD with no GPS didn't seem all that hard at the time. Now...what a wonderful thing to benefit from the crowd sourcing, daily updates, etc. Dave, as you can see in your viewer comments, much of the value comes in introducing the complexities but also benefits of these new systems to us.

Would very much like to see the 60 amp upgrade, Dave. And thanks for the NT tool reference. In the past, I used the West Marine crimper one could check out....but WM isn't all that close any more.

Excellent overview, making the complicated a bit simpler. Dave, a Q for you: Do you know the wiring pathway that leads your solar panel wiring to the solar controller you mention being in the port lazaret? A solar panel is 'on the list', along with that 712BV. Thanks once again.

Dave, I can't see the downside of leaving these PVC pipes in place while underway. What do you think, now that you've used them for a while?

The frig removal aside, this is an excellent tutorial on the troubleshooting process we all must wrestle with on boats. Congrats on "solving" the trim tabs issue, Dave...but wonder if the problem ever resurfaced? Zip tying the cables is an excellent idea, given the intermittent nature of the fault.

VERY helpful, Dave - thank you! We plan this to be our first owner mod with a 2022 C248. Question: I installed this system in our trailer and, with a LOT of effort, mounted the display so it could easily be seen. Then I later installed a Victron solar controller (no display) and solar panel, which forced me to use my phone via BT. That left me wishing I would have simply mounted the display where it was easy and use my phone for everything! In retrospect, especially given your 712 display's location down in the 'cave', what would you be losing if not mounting the display where you can access it visually? Any thoughts about where the display might be mounted that's easier than where you did? And that's a very clever idea to mount a spare phone adjacent to the helm. Exactly where I would put the 712 except it would be hard to locate there.

Dave, this video was great news! We're in SW Florida and are hoping to purchase a Cutwater 248, a kissing cousin to your R23. Sun protection is critical down here and we've wondered how to address it without custom canvas & frame work. If this sun shade (or similar from FM) fits our C248, it will solve the problem. Thank you!

Well done approach. Carolina currents must be experienced to be appreciated. In that scenario - but not knowing how your tug behaves - I might have had a short mid-ships line cleated off and ready, the idea being to first get the midships line to an adjacent dock cleat so the boat couldn't really go anywhere. (I'm single handing). Would that have worked?

Yikes!!! i would have held onto the lug with vice grips.

Music is really unnecessary

did you bother to read the instructions?