We have purchased two Ranger Tugs. Couldn’t be happier.  The process from initial contact to being handed the keys is a most wonderful experience! The factory support is legendary, and we are proud to call the Ranger Tug team friends.  Attending some of the factory functions is tons of fun and a great way to meet folks that share enthusiasm for a quality-built boat!

After moving to Seattle from Michigan we spent long hours trying to decide what boat to buy.  I like to fish, and my wife wanted a boat that featured more comfort than that offered standard fishing boats.  We also wanted a boat that could be used for overnight and extended trips, and was economical to operate and maintain.

After hearing about the Ranger Tug brand from a neighbor we went to the Seattle boat show to see them.  There we boarded our first Ranger Tug.  We were immediately impressed with the craftsmanship, quality, and feeling of comfort they offered.  We found value in all the standard options that were included in the base price. We knew right away that this was the brand for us. 

Also impressive was that the folks at Ranger Tug showed commitment to me having a great experience with their boat.  It was clear that they believed in and were committed to a great customer experience with their line of boats. Andrew from Ranger Tug detailed all of the options and we were sold on the R23 and we put down a deposit. 

A week later, the reality of having our youngest son attending an out of state college hit us.  We called Andrew and told him that we were just not quite ready for the boat.  He gave us our deposit back and professionally asked us to come back and see him when we thought the timing was right. 

In the following year with our son graduating, we went to Anacortes boat show.   Upon arriving we soon found the fleet of Ranger Tugs.  We walked onto the R23 and my wife turns and gives me a look.  It is the look that I know all too well.  It was the look of “we are buying this boat today”. Andrew again helped us and we were lucky that a boat with all the options we wanted was already built. We were going to be Ranger Tug owners and we had to pinch ourselves as we were so happy. 

Later as promised, Andrew took us out for a sea trial on a R-23 and it performance was beyond our expectations.  We were impressed with the on the water comfort, handling, ride, and the fuel economy while on plane. 

A month later we took delivery of our new Ranger Tug.  We had purchased factory experience and we’re glad that we did.  Kenny, Ivan and Tim at Ranger Tug were all great.  They were especially good at answering our questions and making us feel comfortable with the new boat.  We came out of this training feeling confident about our boat.  When our training was done, I took the boat over to our slip and backed it in with confidence and ease.

Soon after taking delivery I began getting this feeling that I can only describe as the “Ranger Tug Thing”.  This thing is the feeling that you get every time you board your boat and smile. It is that feeling that you want to treat your tug like one of your children.  It is hearing my wife saying “Hi Honey” when she sees the boat as we walk down the dock.  It is my wife actually asking me to go out fishing. Fifteen years of fishing in an aluminum boat and that never happened. The “Ranger Tug Thing” also happens when I pull in and out of port.  It is the reaction from the people I pass.  They smile, they wave, they give me a thumbs up, and they say, “nice boat”.  

The “Ranger Tug Thing” was so overwhelmingly present when we entered Roache Harbor for our first Ranger Tug Rendezvous.  Ranger Tugs of all sizes were zooming in from all different directions at all different speeds. Over 200 Tugs.  All with owners that we were soon to learn are some of the nicest people that you will ever meet.  Jeff Messmer and his team really know how to put together a fun filled event and we found great value in the educational sessions and interaction with vendors that were there. 

Last year we repeated our initial experience. At the Seattle boat show we boarded the R27 and my wife turned and gave me that look again.  I said to myself here I go again.   We were very impressed with Ranger Tug’s approach to upgrading which helped make the upgrade feasible.  We are now new owners of a R27 which has allowed us to expand our cruising.  

We have nothing but praise for the people at Ranger Tug.  It is rare in today’s fast paced world to have a company wants to build a long-term relationship with you. They offer continued support for their boat owners in a variety of ways, such as hosting the Tug Nuts forum where volumes of information is shared, online training seminars, organizing cruises, and hosting the annual Ranger Tug Rendezvous. If you have an issue, you can call one of the guys on their cell and they will talk you through it. They even look out for you while on the water.  One day I was leaving port and had mistakenly left our kicker motor down. I get a call from Andrew, “hey you should raise your kicker”. 

I’m sure my fellow Ranger Tug owners have their own “Ranger Tug Thing” experiences and can surely add to my list. 

All that I can say is.  “No Andrew I will not be letting my wife board the new R29 or R31. At least not for a couple of years!  

Leon M, R-27 MOORETIME

Thank you, Fluid Motion and Ranger Tugs.  You have changed the trajectory of fun in our lives!  First, let’s start with the boats.  The design, fit and finish, ease of handling, and comfort when aboard—in all kinds of weather—distinguishes them from all others in their class.  And it never hurts that they are distinctive and good-looking conversation starters, both the cute classics and the modern designs.  But really, it is all about the Ranger Tug “ecosystem” built by Jeff Messmer and Andrew Custis—the Pied Pipers of Ranger Tugs.  They and their staff are natural problem solvers, not just people who sell boats.  And the quality and support from the factory translates to fiercely loyal owners who help each other out wherever they go and, like us, stick to the brand.  Again, thanks Ranger Tugs.  We are having way too much fun in your boats!

For anyone contemplating whether the factory delivery experience is worth it or not, let me tell you it is TOTALLY worth it! We got SO much out of the 2 days with Tim Bates and Kenny Marrs. Their patience and attention to detail was awesome! Don't skip out on this experience!

We have been serious cruisers since 2005 when we sold our house to move onto our 40-foot boat as we started our first Great Loop adventure (a circumnavigation of the Eastern United States from the Heartland Rivers to the North Atlantic Seaboard, Canada and the Great Lakes). After completing the Great Loop almost twice, we researched another type of boating – trailering, a smaller boat longer distances across country. During our search we looked for several things, a solid trailerable boat with most of the amenities on our 40-foot boat; factory support and community.

Ranger Tugs, as a manufacturer, caught our interest from the start of our search for a trailerable trawler because we heard from several owners about the company’s support system, one that went beyond the initial sale. Yes, they had the style and high-quality tug we were looking for. Yes, it met our trailerable and options requirements, and as a bonus, it’s a great-looking boat. We wanted a boat, made in America, with great customer support.

Our experience with Ranger Tugs is unequaled to any relationship we’ve ever had when buying boats. From the factory support to the many rendezvous and cruises in the Pacific Northwest, and many other owner-driven rendezvous on the East Coast, Florida and the Great Lakes, the community is growing like wildfire. Unlike many other similar models, when you buy into a Ranger Tug or Cutwater Boat, you become a member of a friendly community of boaters all over the USA and Canada. We see boating as a lifestyle choice more than a recreational activity. Ranger Tugs appealed to us because overall; being a member of the Ranger Tug family provides us with a community, wherever we go, while doing what we love to do. Boat!

July of this year, 2020, began our 10th year as part of the Ranger Tug family; having bought our first Ranger Tug R27, Kismet, in 2011 and another slightly bigger, but still trailerable, R29 in 2017. After downsizing to our shiny red tugs, we never felt we compromised our adventurous natures at all. In fact, we feel we have expanded our cruising horizons by being able to trailer our boat all over the USA and CANADA to places harder, or impossible, to get to with a bigger boat.

We have embraced the Ranger Tug community, fostered by the factory. Their dedication to sponsoring owner Rendezvous and group cruises shows their desire to not only make and sell a quality product but also help get their owners out on the water to boat. Our recent trip to the Pacific Northwest confirmed our belief that they are doing just that. There are tugs around every corner of land and every dock with happy boaters learning about the joys of cruising on the water. Since the community is so strong, there are many social opportunities to engage with other “Tug Nuts.”

We feel that the flexibility we now enjoy means we can leave our home in northern Michigan, trailer our boat south in the fall, and be cruising on the Tennessee River in a matter of two days. To escape the brutal winters in Michigan, we just trailer Kismet to Florida and soak up the sun for a few months. Being able to trailer our boat across country, using it as an RV on the way, gives us the mobility we didn’t have with our 40-foot trawler. We can explore places we couldn’t easily get to with the larger boat. From an adventurer’s standpoint, we feel we have more freedom, not less. We can continue exploring not only more of the waters we’ve cruised for the last fifteen years, but inland lakes close to home and areas new to us, such as Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge Reservoir; British Columbia’s Desolation Sound and the Broughton Islands; also the historic canals in Ontario and Québec, Canada. We can spend summers in our home waters of the Great Lakes and head south, to Florida, for winter cruising. The time savings are enormous and the money that stays in our pockets, by trailering our boat to Florida most winters, is far less than renting a condo or house for a few months.

The economics of owning a smaller, trailerable boat also spoke loud and clear to us. How could we not heed the call? Less boat storage and maintenance costs alone made the scenario attractive. The economy of a owning a trailerable trawler would provide huge savings to our cruising kitty.

It was Ranger Tugs reputation and drive, to take care of their customers after the sale, that galvanized us into taking part in one of the best ownership experiences we’ve ever encountered. As an example of the company’s commitment to their owners, they have their entire service and support staff on the docks at their factory rendezvous. They’re there, at the ready, to assist owners with boating operation questions or service-related issues during the three-day event. Although it’s a given that any mechanical system will experience hiccups in its lifetime, it’s more about how the factory takes care of these situations that matter. They aim to please. This makes the difference between an average company and a great one, like Ranger Tugs.