Delivery and Shakedown of my new Ranger Tug!

Monday, February 29, I took delivery of my new R-27.

They spent a good part of the day going thru the systems with me and how to drive the boat.  Considering the challenges of the shallow waters around Charleston, SC, I'm kind of amazed I hadn't run aground.  The Garmin 7612 is a pretty impressive system and was very intimidating at first - trying to use the features and watching for depth and the crab pots that seem to be everywhere.   By the end of the day, I was exhausted and brain dead.    Captain Tom really put me thru the paces, but he's a great teacher.   I didn't collide with anything, including the dock, so I call that a success.

Everything appears to be working on the boat.   The Mercury RIB they found for me (to replace the factory RIB) seems pretty nice.  They had the weaver davit system installed and showed me how to hoist it.   It appears that my Newport 55 lb thrust trolling motor is adequate to push it along at a good pace (but it won't plane of course) and the Smart Battery LiFEPO4 deep cycle I had (26 lbs) still showed full charge after an hour of putting around the marina and down the waterway.  So I'm happy with that.

Two disappointments though - first, the port side eyebrow had some minor chips in it.  Looks like the shipper might have hit a tree limb.  Dealer is going to touch it up for me.   The second, and more serious issue, is that Ranger decided to stop installing the seachllght on the 27 and a couple other models.   Considering no one mentioned this (and my dealer didn't know), nor is it even an optional feature you can buy if you want it, and it still appears in the sales pictures, I'm pretty upset about it.    My dealer said he'll find out about ordering one and split the cost with me.   Problem is it's a 200 mile one-way trip to bring the boat to him to install it.  So I'll have to make a decision when he comes back with a price.  But I'm sure I'll want it.

I've found out how to get an MMSI number for the AIS 600 and the VHF.  The instructions for each appear pretty clear to me, but oddly, it warns you must have an FCC license to enter it in the AIS.  But anybody can enter it into the VHF.  Go figure.
Also in the AIS instructions, it says you can enter vessel name, call sign and vessel type.  

I ordered the Garmin Weather SirriusXM antenna ($800+).  No instruction manual.  When you tap the media source on the 7612 and select SirriusXM, you just get a message to call the 800 number and subscribe and get a turner.  On the back of the Fusion stereo, there is a wire marked Sirrius Tuner that ends in an empty connector.    If I understand correctly, there should be weather information from Sirrius as an overlay on the 7612?   If the weather info a different tuner from the entertainment radio?   I'm completely confused about this whole thing and the dealer doesn't know anything about it. I also am getting sound on the Fusion stereo on Aux1 that sounds like the preview station on SirriusXM.  So there is that. (Later I found manuals online, and it looks like everything is there to get going without needing any additional tuners.  The XM52 is an all-in-one device.  The cables to the stereo's AUX 1 input are from the XM52 for the audio portion.  In the Settings menu (on the chartplotter) you can find the audio tuner ID# and the weather tuner ID# so you can purchase a subscription for one, or both devices.)

On the 120v panel, there are 3 breakers marked accessory that appear to do nothing.  Considering I got every option except the Webasto deisel heater, I'm perplexed as to what these breakers could be for.  Are they just spares?  Funny I also have a DC breaker marked Seach Light, yet I don't have a  Search Light!

Tuesday, I took the boat out by myself and got to go at my own pace.  I'm feeling pretty solid on the chartplotter and customized a few of the combo views.  I got the autopilot remote working and pretty much piloted around all day on the autopilot.  Really a fun thing to have!   I went all the way out to Fort Sumter, back up the Cooper River and all around the shipyards.   The sweet spot seems to be around 1800 rpms.  Not fast at 7 knots, but a smooth ride and 1.5 gal/hr burn rate, which is amazing.   Tomorrow we tidy up a few things and load up on the trailer and head home.

Not sure if this has been discussed, but my boat had this on each side:

My dealer says they just started putting these on.  Gives alot more room to step.

Today they plucked me out of the water with an enormous forklift and put me on a trailer. 

Then they got me cleaned up, loaded on my new triple axle and adjusted it to fit.  Also got my gel-coat touched up on the brow.   Looks good.  They also deflated my RIB, put it in the bag and loaded that as well.

I heard back on my search light.   Ranger also won't sell one to my dealer.  So he found one direct or from another supplier I guess.  $1300, so my end will be $650.   Oh well, that's to worry about another day.

The drive home was a bear at first - 20-25 mph headwinds, it was really blowing.  By the time I got to Columbia, it had settled down and it was easy going from there.  9.3 mpg was all I could manage in my 2500 Duramax.   I am really glad I didn't get a bigger boat.   This 27 is the maximum I ever want to tow.   Any wider would have been a problem on some of the streets I must traverse to get to my storage.

Here we are tucked in at my shop.  Snug as a bug.  At 12'3" on the trailer, she just slid inside my roll-up door.