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Model profile · for Great Loop buyers

Ranger Tug R-29

The published record on this model and what owners report, with the questions worth asking while a boat is still a listing. This page covers the model. Every boat still needs its own homework.

A trailerable single-diesel pocket trawler well-suited to the Loop for air draft and economy, but engine era (Yanmar vs Volvo D4) drives the risk picture.

The Ranger Tug R-29 is a single-engine, sub-10-foot-air-draft pocket cruiser popular with Great Loopers for its shoal draft, economical displacement-speed burn, and hinged mast/rails that clear low fixed bridges. Two distinct engine eras exist: earlier "Classic" hulls with a BMW-based Yanmar 6BY, and later S/CB hulls with the Volvo Penta D4. Each engine family carries its own documented concerns, and as a single-screw boat there is no second engine to get you home. Confirm which engine and rig your specific hull carries before making an offer.

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How to read the tags on this page. CONTEXTbackground on how this model is built or used Sources are linked where published.

Systems

CONTEXT
Single screw: plan get-home around fuel/impeller readiness and towing The R-29 is a single-engine boat, so there is no second engine to limp home on. Experienced owners cite fuel and raw-water impeller problems as the two most common on-water failures, and many rely on a TowBoatUS/SeaTow membership rather than a kicker. src: Tugnuts, "Reliability and get you home options"
Your move: Fit or confirm a dual Racor setup with a vacuum/pressure gauge, carry a spare impeller and know the change procedure, and budget for a towing-service membership.

Air draft

CONTEXT
9'11" with the mast down on the current S and CB Ranger's current spec sheets give 9'11" of bridge clearance with the mast down and 12'10" with it up, for both the S and the CB. We found no builder figure for the 2009 to 2016 Classic. Antennas, radar and anything added on top change the number. src: Ranger Tugs R-29 S and CB spec sheets (current); Power & Motoryacht boat test
Your move: Measure the actual air draft on your candidate hull and identify exactly what mast, antenna, radome and rails can be lowered.
CONTEXT
Command bridge and mast sit well aft in the sightline The rooftop command bridge sits notably farther aft than typical, with the mast and radome in the forward sightline from the bridge. Reviewers found sightlines acceptable once acclimated, but it is a layout characteristic to try before buying. src: Power & Motoryacht

Range & fuel

CONTEXT
Two happy speeds: run the economical low-speed setting on the Loop Owners consistently report roughly 1–2 GPH at displacement speeds (~6 kt / ~8 mph) giving a very comfortable multi-hundred-mile range, dropping sharply to ~1.2–1.5 mpg once up on plane at 13–15 kt. With ~145 US gallons capacity, the boat has ample range for Loop day-hops at the low-speed setting. src: Tugnuts, "R29 performance" and "New prospective tug owner questions"; andiamo-ranger29.com
CONTEXT
Weight-sensitive above displacement speed When run above displacement speed the R-29 is very sensitive to load. One owner lost about a knot and a half when fully provisioned for a two-week trip, and a fouled bottom compounds it. This matters mainly if you plan to cruise on plane; at Loop displacement speeds it is far less of an issue. src: Tugnuts owner reports

Handling

CONTEXT
Shoal draft suits Loop anchorages and thin water Draft is roughly 2'6" (about 30 inches), which is friendly for the shallow anchorages and skinny water found on parts of the Loop. src: Power & Motoryacht / dealer spec
Your move: Confirm the loaded draft with typical fuel, water and gear aboard on your specific hull.

Engines

The engines research is part of the full profile inside the product. It covers factory options, tested performance and the engine-specific questions in our members' dossiers, and it travels with every dossier and survey brief built on this model.

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