Many Thanks!

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Trailer Tales – Overland Boating

Jim and I have been trailering our boat, Kismet (we are on our third Ranger Tug, an R25) to cruising areas around the United States and Canada, ever since we completed our second Great Loop adventure in 2010 (we did those two Loops on two 40-foot boats). After experiencing the joys of Looping, many boaters gain a thirst to explore new cruising territory. That’s what happened to us. Once we took to the road, trailering our boat, there was no going back.

Early on, we coined the term “boaterhoming” for this type of land/water recreation. If we head out to explore on the other side of the country, we use our boat as an RV, staying at campgrounds as we trailer it across the country. We took this photo (above) of our first Ranger Tug (an R27) in Zion National Park. We had stayed at a campground just outside the park for one night, then drove through the park the next day. It was a shortcut to our destination of Lake Powell, otherwise, we would have had to go a couple of hundred miles out of our way.

The opportunity to take part in an interview with POWER & MOTORYACHT magazine (May 2025 issue) was exciting for us. Any chance to share a different way of boating with others has been our goal since we realized how much fun trailerable boating is.

Trailerable boats are lower on maintenance and ongoing expenses, due to their size.
They are more affordable and lower cost on, storage, dockage, and insurance.

Our trailerable boats may not be big and roomy, like most that cruise on America’s waterways, but in our way of thinking, they are big on possibilities for exploration and ease of use. There is a growing community of boaters who have discovered the benefits of this type of overland boating, we have met many on our travels. Jim and I feel that we have not compromised our thirst for adventure by owning a smaller, trailerable boat. In fact, we have taken that enthusiasm to another level to expand our cruising horizons.

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Many Thanks!

Jared Dunning (above and below), a customer Service Field Technician from Ranger Tugs, brought us all up to date on new things happening at Ranger Tugs.

Ben Belyea, from Global Marine Insurance, gave a presentation on the current state of boat insurance.

Mark Derene, from Reed Yacht Sales gave a presentation and answered questions on the first day.

On the second night, we always play “Last Person Standing” a card game to win boating-related prizes. The last person standing got a $250 logo wear apparel from Fluid Motion. Pam Stave (below-left), on “Shenanigans” won that prize this time.

Lisa & Gary Vidor of America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA) gave an informative presentation about the Great Loop Adventure.

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Blackfin Resort and Marina, Marathon, Florida, is an island paradise and a welcome slice of old Florida. Jim and I have been wintering at this marina since 2013. Because of its old Florida character and its relaxed atmosphere, we keep coming back. In our minds, when we leave Traverse City, Michigan, for Florida, after the holidays each year, we head to a warm, friendly place where our friends are also returning. We look forward to soaking up the sun and ending each day with beautiful daily sunsets over Florida Bay. Blackfin is not a high-end, fancy place, and that’s what we love most about it. The energy and friendliness of everyone, staff, and boaters are palpable. Many of the same boaters come back every winter, making it a home away from home for most of us.

From the perspective of being trailerable boaters, we find Blackfin satisfies all our winter, boating needs. We switched to a trailerable boat 13 years ago. One of our objectives was to lengthen our boating season and get more use out of our boats (we’ve had three trailerable boats since 2011), by towing them south, to escape Michigan’s harsh winters. At best, we might get only 4-5 months of boating in the Great Lakes.

For the first few years, as trailerable boaters,
we explored both coasts of Florida, especially the Gulf Coast.
It is a little less built up and we feel it has more natural areas to enjoy. So, after driving south, for 3-4 days, we typically would launch the boat in Tarpon Springs and spend a few weeks cruising down the Intracoastal Waterway. We would anchor or stay at little marinas along the way. It was fun to explore the little towns we could walk to, stroll the beaches, and talk with other boaters along the way. From Tarpon Springs, we would cruise down to Fort Myers, to our other favorite marina in Florida, Legacy Harbor Marina. We might stay there a few weeks, or a month before we continued on to the Florida Keys. Our route would take us around the Everglades in Florida Bay, or by crossing the state on the Caloosahatchee River. Either way, we would cruise south to the Keys. After a while, we switched that route around by launching in Marathon and cruising north, the same route but south to north, to Fort Myers. Our thinking is that it is a little warmer in the Keys, in January. So why not start there?

At the beginning of our Florida cruising, we stayed on Stock Island (one island up from Key West) at Key West Marina. We had docked there before, while doing the Great Loop, in our bigger boats. When dockage anywhere near Key West became almost prohibitive, we looked for other options and landed at Blackfin Resort & Marina. Key West is only an hour’s drive from Marathon. Since we towed the boat with our truck, we had transportation to drive down to Key West when desired. Occasionally, we’d cruise the boat down to Key West for a few days of fun.

The last few years we have spent most of our time between Fort Myers and Marathon, with shorter side trips, away from the marina, during those stays, and one to two weeks in between marinas to anchor our way to the next.

Since we tow our boat around the country, and it is only a 25-footer, we don’t have room to host visitors overnight. Another thing we like about Blackfin Resort and Marina is that it has a motel as well. We like to take advantage of the proximity of the motel to the marina when friends come to visit. They can rent a room, but hang out with us on the dock, join us for a day trip, on the boat, around the islands, or a drive to Key West, or the point where everyone gathers at night, to watch the sunset.

We like to be outside!
Blackfin encourages people to not only make their boat and dock their home but the surrounding area as well. All the boats have a picnic table at the end of the dock. Boaters encourage each other to top their nautical, beachy-themed outdoor decor. Competition is fierce! Socialization is key to a great marina stay. If Chris, the manager, does not make a special main dish for an occasional potluck, plenty of food, shared musical talents, fun, and conversations occur around our picnic tables. Plenty of walkable access to nearby grocery stores, a drug store, Home Depot, and many outstanding restaurants.

Blackfin’s boat ramp offers guests easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Boat slips can accommodate vessels up to 40 feet. Slips are available on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Electric (30 amp), water, wireless internet, and pump-out service included. Fishing, swimming, throwing cast nets, etc., are all allowed and encouraged on the lighthouse side of the beach area. Call for current rates and availability.

BLACKFIN RESORT AND MARINA
(305)-743-2393

As we left, in March, spring flowers were popping up all over the island resort.

Lots of dedicated places to grill and have a meal in the shade.

This fella (above) jumped into the pool while were there. In January, the iguanas are still used to roaming around the resort, but as it gets busy, they are hard to find.

Lighthouse Point (above and below). A relaxing spot to have happy hour, a meal, or to watch the sunset over Florida Bay.

There’s Kismet (above, on the right).

Blackfin is a small marina channel cut out of the coral the island is made of, when that was allowed many years ago.

The is the owner of the beautiful blue boat, Fishtales (above and below). We asked how many fish he caught that day. We ended up with several bags of freshly caught Spanish Mackerel and a lesson on how to easily clean and cut up fish. We don’t fish — so, it is a very interesting process for us.

Our family Scott and Denna came to visit us at Blackfin. They rented a room at the motel and we got to watch many sunsets together.

A typical evening at Blackfin Marina and Resort. Drinks, music, lots of food, and fun!

This year Kismet was joined by seven other trailerable trawlers. The photos (above and below) show three of them, our Ranger Tug, a C-Dory, and a Rosborough.

One of the many potlucks we enjoyed at the resort. The manager, Chris, and his wife, Ruthie, can sure cook up a storm.

Potlucks we attended included beef brisket, roasted pig, BBQ chicken and fish boil.

Chris is at it again, a fish boil this time.

Our friends, from Traverse City, Lisa, and Fred are staying on their sailboat at a nearby marina. They were headed to the Bahamas after we saw them.

Meals are often a group effort at Blackfin, shared onshore near our boats.

Manatees frequent the marina. We had many delightful encounters with these gentle giants.

We also had two Nimble Nomads with us at the marina. They each pulled their boats out by the ramp at the marina.

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The Big Chute Marine Railway—One of the unique locks on the Trent Severn Waterway —

Last leg of the Grandkids Cruise on the Trent Severn Waterway. Shortly after we pulled the boat out of the water and left Orillia, we arrived at the Big Chute Marine Railway, in Coldwater, Ontario. Had we stayed with our initial PLAN A, we would have started our trip in Severn, Ontario. The Big Chute would have been the first lock on our trip with that plan. However, in the summer of 2022, this lock was closed on and off all summer. The day before we would have arrived in Severn, we heard it was closed. So, with the help of our friend, Mark, we came up with PLAN B.

We continued to drive south to the end of our originally planned destination and worked our way from Peterborough, northwest, to Orillia. One way or the other, we wanted the kids to at least see the Big Chute in operation. We figured our chances would be better if we waited to see it at the end of our trip. We were right in that thinking, but we did not have time left on our trip to continue by boat, from Orillia to Severn. After we pulled the boat out, in Orillia, we soon arrived in Coldwater. The rain stopped and the sun broke out of the clouds. Within a few minutes, the operations for the day began with a few boats being carried over the railway.

The red line on the map (below) shows the portion of the TSW we traveled to this year with the grandkids.

Big Chute—Constructed: 1917; 1923; 1978
“In 1914, contracts were awarded to build locks to connect the Severn River to Georgian Bay, with one lock being #44. Wartime shortages stalled the start of construction, but they built the first marine railway in 1917 and then replaced it in 1923. The current marine railway opened to the public in 1978 and has helped to halt the spread of sea lamprey to inland lakes.” —Parks Canada

Big Chute Marine Railway is a patent slip at Lock 44. It works on an inclined plane to carry boats in individual cradles over land and a change of height of about 60 feet.

A few takeaways from doing this trip, with grandkids
To have a more enjoyable experience, try to get to your destination on the first day, or at the very least, the first part of the next day. We found ourselves in the truck with the kids for two and a half days, five days total. Too much! As I noted a few posts ago, kids need to burn off all their excess energy. On the trip back to Michigan, we fired up the iPad, where I had loaded a bunch of kid’s movies the day before. The kids were tired, and the movies helped them relax. Next time we will plan better on that, but we are all happy we did the trip. It was very successful and will be something we will all remember.

Before we left home, we got written permission from the parents to let us take the kids out of the country to Canada. They did not have passports, so we took copies of their birth certificates with us. Jim filed those documents along with our paperwork and passports in a binder, kept in the truck.

We asked the parents to pack one bag each with enough clothes to wear for two weeks. They wore most for two days. We did not want to find or use laundry facilities while on the trip. Jim and I followed suit.

One of the first things we did when we got settled in Peterborough was to sit down with the kids and talk about safety on and around boats. We wanted to make sure they knew who was in charge — the captain of the boat, always. We discussed when they would wear lifejackets and what to do, and not do while underway and going through locks. During this talk, Jim also shared an overview of the history and why the Trent Severn Waterway was created.

Take lots of games, drawing materials, and activity starters. We did not allow any tablets, except for the one we always carry to watch movies while anchored out.

Before the trip, ask the kids and their parents what their current food preferences are. Then, come up with a provisioning plan that works for everyone. We took a case of flavored soda water, ones which the kids love, but we limited it to one each, per day. We discussed this ahead of time, so they knew this was part of conserving resources while cruising.

The kids learned what it’s like to go through USA/CANADIAN Customs.

First through customs and soon after, we cross the Mackinac Bridge.

Closer to home and the end of a successful trip with the grandkids.

Grandkids Cruise-Big Chute

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The Stretch from Fenelon Falls to Orillia Was the Last Leg of Our Boat Trip.

Grandkids Cruise-Orillia. We will pull the boat out here to drive to the Big Chute to see the boats being carried over land. If we had gone with PLAN A, the Big Chute would have been our first lock, instead of our last.

On this day we had fun taking the Kirkfield Lift Lock (below). This lock is similar to the one in Peterborough.

Look what we spotted today (above).

We immediately stocked up on Butter Tarts, while exploring downtown and the big park by the marina. We also managed a visit with friends, Mark and Jodi on our last night on the boat, in the water.

Another Ranger Tug at the marina.

We talked about these butter tarts the whole trip. The kids were pretty excited to finally get some. We’ve had a lot of butter tarts when in Canada, but the ones in Orillia are by far the best! We never miss a trip to Wilkie’s Bakery to buy at least a dozen tarts.

Another Ranger Tug at the marina (above).

Another beautiful park is right by the marina. Canadians know how to create spaces for family recreation.

Our friends, Mark and Jodi, were instrumental in helping us position our truck and trailer, at the beginning of our trip.

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Something for Everyone! Fenelon Falls, Ontario —

Grandkids Cruise-Fenelon Falls. We have another fun stop today. Fenelon Falls has it all. The lock is right downtown and there is a magnificent park available within a short walking distance of the lock where we usually try to dock. We remembered from the last time we were here that there is a museum next to the park and they have lots of activities for kids.

Grabbing a spot on the lock wall in Fenelon Falls means a chance to have water and electricity access. Sometimes Wi-Fi access is available at the park. Today we were lucky. We got the last spot on the wall, near the park. We had access to not only water and electricity but also a picnic table.

Heading to see the lock well and the rapids. The view from both is very striking.

Maryboro Lodge Museum is a volunteer-managed community museum, offering programs for all ages, hosting special events, Teas, summer school, community events, concerts in the park, open mics, daily activities, play space, and a family program each Saturday in July, and August. They also maintain a local history archive. They had some amazing activities around the museum for kids to pass away the time.

This activity was our favorite. Kids can crank the water pump to create a working lock system.

As the day ended, we liked to just sit in the boat’s cockpit and review how our day went and to plan the next.

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Bobcaygeon Is A Popular Town on the Trent Severn Waterway —

Grandkids Cruise-Bobcaygeon. One of our favorite places on the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) is the charming town of Bobcaygeon. A popular stop for Loopers, Bobcaygeon has many things boaters are looking for while cruising the TSW. We looked forward to visiting this town with the kids.

The last time we were in Bobcaygeon was when we cruised from Orillia, Ontario, on the TSW to Montreal, on the Rideau Canal.

After we went through the lock wall, we secured a spot on the park side of the lock.

I tried to do some girly stuff with Hadley during our trip, so the morning after we arrived, we took a few moments to attend to our nails.

We gave the kids specific daily chores. Silas’s task was to clean the floor, and Hadley’s was getting the garbage ready to take out.

We had a few meals on this picnic table during our 3-day stay in Bobcaygeon. It’s incredible how, when boating, things become very simplistic. Without the multiple distractions of everyday life, the ones we find on land. When boating, we have to focus on following a lifestyle and routine that concentrates on the immediate tasks at hand to get through our cruise on the TSW canal system.

After A While, the Routine Becomes Very Obvious.
Getting up in the morning, we rearrange the boat back to daytime configurations. We must put all the bedding away and reposition the table so meals and activities can begin. Personal hygiene and clothes management can be a struggle, but we usually sorted that out before or just after breakfast. Provisioning, preparations, and clean-up for meals, for four, alone take up much of my day. Thankfully, Jim would keep the kids off the boat and busy on shore while I prepared meals in the cabin.

Exercise and Activity…
I would also count exercise right up there with the other big daily regimens. Jim and I need a walk every day to keep us mobile. The kids need to run around and work off excess energy several times a day. Can’t imagine them being cooped up on a boat all day without somewhere to run around. This is one reason we chose the TSW for our grandkid’s trip. We knew firsthand that almost all the locks have park areas at or nearby the locks.

Thanks to the local grocery store, cupcakes were a special treat, especially for Hadley, she got to pick them out during our walk through town.

One thing we like about Bobcaygeon is the musical events they host in the park regularly. On one of our nights there, they had a special musical event for kids.

Good thing we brought some games. They were a good night-time activity, to wind down and end the day, for all of us.

Grandkids Cruise-Bobcaygeon

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Grandkids Cruise-Buckhorn, On the Trent Severn Waterway —
After leaving Peterborough, we made our way along the waterway to Buckhorn, stopping at Stoney Lake to anchor for one night. On the first two days of cruising the Trent Severn Waterway, we traversed 12 locks. That’s a lot!!!

Safety First!
Jim and I discussed how best to manage the kids while locking through. For safety reasons, we decided they had to sit still, inside or on the “Queen Seat,” while Jim and I handled the mechanics of catching lock wall ropes and securing the boat in the lock. While launching the boat, we had a minor incident where Silas, always wanting to step in to help, impeded us from securing the boat safely. I was afraid he was going to end up in the water. It was a big safety concern for us. So, we had rules about when and where to wear life jackets, and where to sit while underway (always inside). Lots of windows on the Ranger Tug for a full view around the boat. We talked to the kids often about how to keep safe when boating, while explaining why we take precautions.

While safety was a top concern during this trip, we also wanted the kids to get a good idea of what the boating lifestyle entailed. So, we either talked through the life-onboard aspects of boating, or we showed and involved them in the everyday chores. Basically, when boating for long periods, we have to do all the things to maintain our health and welfare, as we would do at home. We have to provision, prepare, cook, eat, clean up, bathe, manage our clothing, and do chores.

Silas was very interested in following our movement on the chart book for the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW).

As you can see, the kids didn’t waste any time drawing and writing in their journals.

Hadley immediately wrote (above) about the time we went through a lock and the crew on the small boat in front of us lost their hold on the lock wall rope. While trying to recapture the rope, with the vessel free floating in the well, the woman passenger on the boat slipped and fell into the water, without a lifejacket. This was quite a dramatic scene, not only for the kids but also for ourselves. In all our travels, we had never seen an accident like that. All turned out well. There were only two boats in the lock, and with help from her captain, the woman was safely back on their boat. A little shaken, but happy to be out of the water.

Silas wrote about our PLAN B (below). We made a PLAN B because the Big Chute was closed. Instead of starting at the beginning, The Big Chute, we started at our previously planned end of the trip, Peterborough. It all worked out, and the kids loved the idea of having and instituting a PLAN B. He also included a nice drawing of the canoe he bought at the Canoe Museum in Peterborough.

The kids sit in the “Queen’s Seat” (above) while locking through. Since I usually man the back of the boat when going through locks, after we got situated, I would let Silas grab a line to help. Otherwise, they had to stay inside the cabin or sit on the Queen Seat.

Canada has a great Xplorers program for kids on the Trent Severn Waterway. At the first lock we went through we picked upEvery lock we went through, Silas and Hadley picked up a new colored tag to add to their collection.

They mostly sat together in the cabin while traveling, and although they love to tussle and argue and would never admit it themselves, we have good reason to believe that they love each other very much.

We brought a few of their favorite games, plus a few new ones to try.

But mostly they loved to be outside if they could. While anchored out, they always played on our inflatable floor (to our dinghy) in the surrounding water. Kids need to spend their pent-up energy throughout the day. When anchored, it was playing on the inflatable and swimming. When tied up to a lock wall, they got to run around on the grassy park near the lock, do somersaults, tag, and hide-and-go-seek. So, we developed a rhythm for our planned stops. There are many lakes in-between locks. So, before a planned stop at a lock wall, we would anchor one night so the kids could swim.

Our first over-night anchorage was at Stoney Lake.

Some nights, we would turn up the music up and Hadley and I would dance on the back deck.

Anchoring Between Towns
Anchoring out for the night also gave us an opportunity to take fresh-water baths without using our reserves. Water capacity was a genuine concern, especially with four people on board. On our Ranger Tugs R25, the water tank is only 38 gallons. When installing our composting toilet, Jim created another 14 gallons by turning the, never used, black water tank into a spare fresh water tank. It was his first project on the R25. On long trips, we also carry four 5-gallon containers to see us through to the next water hose.

We brought lots of drawing paper and pencils, kids love to draw!

Silas liked to help Papa retrieve the anchor. Sometimes Hadley would help too.

Buckhorn was a fun stop for the kids. Lots of room to run around, right by the boat. The boat traffic coming through the lock was fun to watch. We positioned Kismet to go into the lock when we leave Buckhorn.

I tried my hand at pancakes with shapes for breakfast.

After getting settled along the lock wall, we all headed into town.

Lots of smiles when we can find ice cream nearby.

After ice cream, the kids met up with some other kids on this big rock. They certainly spent some of that excess energy while we were in town.

Most locks on the TSW have picnic areas close to where people tie up their boats on either side of the lock. We really liked this spot in Buckhorn. Since the town was close by, we opted to pick up pizza for dinner.

Hadley sometimes liked to play by herself in the v-berth.

Grandkids Cruise-Buckhorn

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Grandkid’s Cruise To Peterborough—First Leg of a 12-day Adventure

The idea for the “Grandkid’s Cruise” came almost a year before we actually set out on the road trip to Ontario, Canada with the boat in tow. We wanted the cruise to be educational by visiting somewhere, by boat, which had some historical content and some boating features. The Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) immediately came to mind. The kids would learn about how early commerce transportation came to be in Canada and the historical significance of traveling a waterway with a lock system in place.

PROVISIONING AND PLANNING
Our oldest grandson, Silas, has always been interested in how mechanical things work. We knew this trip would pique his interest—all the different types of locks we would encounter. Our granddaughter, Hadley, at six years old, was a little young to know exactly what she’d be experiencing. However, she does love to go on an adventure and was a good sport at finding ways to amuse herself. Jim and I planned by making sure we had activities for them. We took games, drawing paper and pencils, snacks, and food they love. We had to plan a little differently for this cruise than our normal provisioning and packing procedure.

We also had to address the sleeping arrangements. Last summer, we took many overnight trips with the kids, and we came up with a workable sleeping solution to accommodate all four of us on the boat. Silas would sleep on the table, which turns into a bed when we lower the table and add a middle cushion. For the trip, we had to remove some of the stuff we usually store in the “cave” so that Hadley could fit at one end of it. We made a cushion out of foam to make it a little more comfortable.

Other than that, the trip was easy to plan.

Here we are at the start of our two-and-a-half-day road trip to Peterborough.

From Traverse City, it is about an hour’s drive to the Mackinac Bridge. The kids had never been across it.

Soon we were on the International Bridge, between Sault Ste. Marie, USA, and Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. Once over the bridge, we had the pleasure of going through customs. This is the first time the kids have been out of the United States. Also, their first time going through customs. We had an overview of the customs process with Silas and Hadley, emphasizing the importance and the seriousness of crossing into another country.

Jim thoroughly prepared for the trip with copies of the kids’ birth certificates and authorization letters from the parents. It always helps to have your information organized when going through customs.

We spent our first night boaterhoming, just southwest of Sudbury, Ontario. We found a great campground by a small lake. There was enough time before dark for the kids to run around and explore while I warmed up the goulash.

Jim and Hadley share breakfast in the cockpit of the boat before we take off on the second day on the road.

SLIGHT CHANGE OF PLANS!
We wanted to launch the boat in Severn, Ontario, at the northern end of the TSW, near Georgian Bay. That way we would start with the Big Chute Marine Railway, one of the most interesting locks on the TSW. However, the Big Chute closed down several times that summer, and as we got close, we found out it would be closed when we got there. What to do?

PLAN–B – Grandkid’s Cruise to Peterborough
With the kids involved in the discussion, we all came up with a PLAN–B. We still wanted to ride the Big Chute, so we decided to drive to the end of where we were to originally go (Peterborough) and go NW instead of SE. After picking up our friend, Mark (below-another Ranger Tug owner), in Orillia, we drove to Peterborough and launched the boat. Mark then drove our truck and trailer to Orillia, which would be closer to our departure point. Two-and-a-half days after we left home, we were finally on the water.

The blue line represents the Trent Severn Waterway route. The red line represents the portion we cruised with the kids this year. With Plan B, we drove to Peterborough and cruised northwest to Orillia and by car to the Big Chute. Our original plan would have had us starting in Orillia and cruising southeast to Peterborough.

Things We Wanted the Kids to Learn During the Trip
We were hoping for them to learn all aspects of adventure cruising, not only navigation and reading charts, but safety, and general life onboard, such as cleaning, maintenance, and individual chores. We are lucky! Our grandkids always like to take part in activities, especially ones that involve water. On the flip side, we try to get their needs met with lots of special treats like ice cream and cupcakes.

The boat is all clean, and we are ready to roll!

Meal planning was a lot different from what we would plan for ourselves. I cooked a couple of meals in advance. Goulash, a one-pot dish for the first night, with leftovers for lunch the next day. I also made two batches of meatballs that I froze ahead of the trip. It would be easy to add to some pre-made sauce during the trip and cook a batch of noodles (their favorite). Other than that, we had some frozen hamburger patties, chicken, and hot dogs on hand. We brought two big boxes of Cheerios and some milk. We told the kids that they could each have one soda a day (a flavored club soda they like).

While I organized the boat so we could take off the next day with everything in order, Jim took the kids to the Canadian Canoe Museum. It is in Peterborough, within easy walking distance from the boat.

During our first night in the water, we presented the kids with a special gift, one that they could work on during the trip. They each received a journal, pencils, and stick glue. We wanted them to have a self-made memento of their trip.

Every day we moved, we went over the charts with the kids and tried to include them in the process

We were all very excited to leave Peterborough after a two-night stay.

Heading over to the Peterborough Lock almost immediately after leaving the dock.

The last time we took the bucket ride at the Peterborough Lift Lock was in 2018 when we cruised from Orillia, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec, in Canada.

More information about the Peterborough Lift Lock.

One of our safety measures was that the kids had to wear their lifejackets when outside of the cabin of the boat while we were cruising.

Grandkid’s Cruise to Peterborough

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Traverse City has never seen so many Ranger Tugs. All Saturday and Sunday, the boats slowly rolled in for the 2022 Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats Great Lakes Area Rendezvous. With 25 boats on the docks, and a total of 56 attendees, some arriving by car, this was the largest event we have hosted to date.

A Big Thank-You to Our Sponsors …

Fluid Motion, Volvo Penta, Garmin, Reed Yacht Sales, Global Marine Insurance, and Chesapeake Jewelers. This event would not have been a reality without their support. Also, a big thank-you to Kim Russo, America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA) for coming to speak and share information about cruising the Great Loop boating adventure.

It was fun to hang out with Brian Dickhault and Tim Bates, from Ranger Tugs, and Andrew Sweet, from Volvo Penta on Kismet during the rendezvous.

This rendezvous marked a first-ever, and very special event for us, as our son, Skyler, and his wife, Meghan, along with their son, Declan, joined us for their first rendezvous. They became Cutwater Boat owners last year.

These two (above) surprised us during the rendezvous. We normally see friends Bruce and Vicki Moore when we are in the Pacific Northwest, They have family ties in the Traverse City area and were visiting during the rendezvous. We were lucky to share a little time with them during their visit. Many know Bruce as the guy who oversees the TugNuts Forum.

Day One started with many introductions and reunions of past attendees. The day ended with a potluck with an abundance of yummy food.

Day Two began with an Ask the Factory Q&A, from Tim Bates, Ranger Tugs Customer Service Rep and
Volvo Certified Technician.

Ben Belyea, of Global Marine Insurance, presented a Marine Insurance Industry Review.

Presentations were followed by a boat crawl.

Our son, Skyler, took the Ranger Tugs crew out on West Bay to get some drone footage.

Garmin Reps, John Suleski, Garmin Field Service Manager, and Greg Richmond, Regional Sales Manager shared information on Garmin products.(Above.)

Day three of the rendezvous, Kim Russo of America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, gave a presentation on the highlights of boating the great loop followed by a Q&A.

Volvo Penta Rep, Andrew Sweet (above), gave a presentation on Volvo Penta engines.

Winners of the Last Man Standing drawing — David Kanzler (above) won first place with a Ranger Tugs Parts Package. Second place winner, Kathy Murphy (below), won a tug pendant donated by Chesapeake Jewelers.

The post More Photos From the 2022 Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats Great Lakes Area Rendezvous appeared first on Trailer Trawler Life Blog – Cruising USA & Canada.

Last Week was the Sixth Great Lakes Area Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats Rendezvous —

Our last rendezvous was in Charlevoix in 2019, Covid prevented the possibility of a get-together for some time. Thank goodness we could organize the event this year as pent-up demand showed in the number of interested attendees to be overwhelming. With limited space, we had to turn many away.

It’s called the Great Lakes Area Rendezvous because we like to host it in many locations around the Great Lakes. This gives attendees an opportunity to cruise or trailer their boats to explore different ports. So far, we have had events in Little Current, Ontario Canada (2), Charlevoix, Michigan (2), Orillia, Ontario, Canada (1), and now our hometown of Traverse City, Michigan.

Fluid Motion is integral in making this rendezvous happen along with many sponsors, who also come to talk to attendees during the three days and make presentations on subjects relevant to our Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats. Sponsors for this year’s Great Lakes Area Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats Rendezvous included — Fluid Motion, Volvo Penta, Garmin, Reed Yacht Sales, and Global Marine Insurance.

So many hero red boats this year!

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Silas was born in Portland, Oregon (his family now lives in our hometown of Traverse City. In fact, all our sons have returned to our hometown over the last few years. Since we became Ranger Tug owners in 2011, we were fortunate to travel to the Pacific Northwest many times by either driving out to buy a new tug (we’ve had three) or returning by towing our tugs westward several times. We always made sure we were available during the birth of both grandkids in Portland by staying at a marina on the Columbia River. By doing that, we could include Silas on several overnight trips and one week-long trip to South Sound (Puget Sound), when he was four years old. Hadley just recently began her boating with us. Both took their very first cruise in Portland within days of their birth. Our most recent grandson, Declan, has been with us on West Bay, in Traverse City, a few times this summer. His parents are also boaters and he is getting plenty of time on the water this summer.

As I write this, we are planning a trip, with the two oldest grandkids, in August 2022 to Canada’s historic Trent Severn Waterway.
Silas and Hadley are both old enough now to appreciate an adventure and follow instructions needed when four people occupy a limited space. We hope the trip will give them an appreciation of the cruising lifestyle and the thrill of adventure while learning the ins and outs of boating. We will frame their trip to be educational. The Trent Severn Waterway will be an interesting trip through canals, lakes, and rivers with plenty of locks. It should hold their attention as they explore the locks and learn how they work. We’ll be mostly camping before or after some locks, other times anchoring in a lake, with only a few nights in marinas.

Kids (above), on the boat in our driveway, several weeks before leaving on our trip.

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This was not the first time we have cruised the St. Johns River. We were living on our Fathom 40, finishing up our second Great Loop boat trip, when Kismet left Key West, Florida, heading north to the Solomon Islands. It was June 2009. Our goal was to spend the summer in the Chesapeake Bay area. That was a fun thing to do. Spending the entire summer in Maryland gave us more of an in-depth experience of another part of the country we knew little about. We made lots of side trips during our stay in the Solomon Islands, either by car or boat. We cruised up the Potomac to Washington, DC, we visited St. Michaels, Annapolis, Tangier Island, Smith Island, and many of the great anchorages close to the Solomons. When the time came to head south again, in October, we had our sights on cruising the St. Johns River. Having heard such great things from other boaters about this lazy southern river; we had to go.

Cruising With Friends —
We hooked up with our friends Louis and Diane Wade near their home, in Morehead City, North Carolina, and cruised with them down the ICW to Jacksonville, Florida. However, just days before arriving there, we received news of Jim’s father’s passing, so we flew to Ohio for the funeral. When we returned to the marina, it was Thanksgiving Day. Louis and Diane, and a few other boating friends surprised us with a very memorable dinner on one of their boats when our hearts were still so tender from our loss. It’s moments like these that define the highlights of our boating adventures.

A few days after we arrived back in Jacksonville, Kismet headed out with Bella Luna to explore the St. Johns River. We traveled from Jacksonville to Sanford, Florida. We tried to hit all the highlights small, sleepy river towns, a few natural, freshwater springs, and a few free docks. Jim and I were a little concerned about the time of year we planned to take this trip. It was the end of November, but we had good luck with the weather and during our three-day stay in Silver Glen Springs, we had to remind ourselves it was December, especially when we went swimming every day in the 72-degree crystal clear water. To two Michiganders, this seemed a miracle for this time of year. However, in December, we didn’t see many alligators moving around, although the river is home to many.

Fast forward to early spring 2022, after our two-month winter stay in Fort Myers, we pulled the boat out of the water and towed it to Deland, Florida. This time we would start our trip from the more southern end of the St. Johns River. Then we planned to explore the narrower section of the river, from Deland to Silver Glen Springs and back to Deland. We heard that section included a beautiful wildlife sanctuary we were eager to spend time in. It was a trip well-planned, as always, by Jim. We saw many alligators while cruising the off-shoots of the river. One must have been nesting and as we moved closer for a better look, she lunged off her perch and headed toward us. While anchoring overnight in the wildlife sanctuary, we saw a lot of wildlife. Alligators, manatee families, eagles, and many birds. The most beautiful thing was the wide assortment of bird songs we woke up to every morning in the wild. Occasionally, a small fishing boat would pass us. But, other than that, during our time in the sanctuary, we felt like part of the wilderness of the St Johns River.

After almost three weeks, we were ready to go home. We’d been away since last Thanksgiving this year—driving to Seattle to get our new Ranger Tug and then driving to Florida. So, we spent a little more time on the river than expected, watching for the weather to ease up a little. There were several blizzards still blowing through where we needed to drive. Not fun while towing a big boat.

Deland Marina, St. Johns River, Florida (above-below)

Two-night stay in Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge (above and below). The best!

Hontoon Island State Park (above).

Silver Glen Springs (above and below), is a favorite of ours. We found it much busier this visit, but still enjoyable.

Fellow Trailer Trawler (Facebook Group) members (above and below), found us at Silver Glen Springs. There was a C-Dory rendezvous happening, at Hontoon Landing, while we were on the river.

One of the many alligators (above) we saw while on the river.

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Women On Ranger Tugs

Women Ranger Tugs Owners Discover Boating As A Rewarding Lifestyle Choice

Way back, in the early 2000s, a boater inspired my husband, Jim, and me, to give adventure boating a try. Later, there were boaters who inspired us to push the veil even further, our gratitude to those individuals is endless. This book is another effort to pass that gift along to others by writing about our adventures.

During our trailering boat trips, over the last 11 years, along with many owner rendezvous’ on the West Coast, the Great Lakes, and Florida, I have met a lot of women Ranger Tugs owners. There are a lot of them.

I have never seen this phenomenon in the boating community. So many women owners cruising with partners, or solo on Ranger Tugs. I think it has something to do with the well-thought-out design, by Dave Livingston, founder of Fluid Motion. Women like the fit and finish of the Ranger Tugs. They have the attributes of having a pleasant ride while giving the necessary amenities to provide comfort and shelter while out exploring. They are easy to handle, maintain, fix, and captain.

In addition, there is a growing community of Ranger Tugs owners. We can interact with each other on the water, on the active owner’s forum, TugNuts website, and Facebook group, and on a private Facebook group, Ranger Tugettes. After we bought our first tug, we realized that not only are Ranger Tugs well-made, but the community that comes with that boat purchase is invaluable to a boater. This boating community is a big plus for women boaters.

Sharing my knowledge of boating has been enjoyable; however, I have always thought multiple perspectives are better than one. I hope our efforts to share will inspire more women to try boating. It really is something not to be missed.

Select the file type you would like to download.

EPUBPaperback edition is not available at this time.

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Time for a bottom job, boat bottom that is! —

Because of limited time in our schedule, when we took delivery of Kismet, we did not address scheduling the boat’s bottom paint until our after arrival in Florida. A couple of weeks after our Florida launch, I made arrangements to have our new boat travel lifted, power washed, and set up on jack stands at the DIY Glades Boatyard on the Caloosahatchee River. A day’s cruise from the marina. I did the research for the proper bottom paint. We use our boat in both salt and fresh water and for trailering, so I needed paint to cover all those usages. We choose Seahawk Cukote.

La Belle is A Great Stop On The Caloosahatchee River
A couple of weeks after we settled into our slip at Legacy Harbour Marina, we headed west on the river, stopping at the La Belle town dock for one night. We arrived at Glades on a Wednesday, late morning, and had to be finished by Friday afternoon. Otherwise, we’d have to stay over until Monday as they don’t operate the travel lift on weekends.

After we secured the boat on stands, I went to work prepping the hull for the “job.” After tapping off the paint line, I started de-waxing the surface by applying acetone to the entire hull. I did this for better adhesion of the Cukote. Next up was to lightly sand the cleaned hull for more adhesive abilities, followed by another acetone wipe.

With the hull prepped, I started rolling the first coat of Cukote, brushing in the areas where a short-nap roller would not reach. I applied a second coat the next day along with tape removal and cleanup. The last of the details were to paint under the jack stand pads and keel supports after the team at Glades moved the stands and lifted the boat.

Two days of crawling around on my hands and knees was a sufficient amount of time to feel that this could be the last time I’ll attempt this job on my own. We were lucky to have excellent weather, beautiful, not windy, and cool enough to get the job done quickly. We were in and out according to our schedule. A real big thanks to the team at Glades Boatyard for delivering, as promised, on the haul-out, launch. We splashed in a timely and cost-effective manner.

In addition to their boatyard, they have a huge storage lot for boats.

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We Have Been Going to Legacy Harbour Marina Since 2012 —

The Legacy Harbour Marina staff, Harbor Master, Eric, and Office Manager, Sheila, are accommodating, professional and friendly. Over time, we have docked all three of our tugs there for at least a one, or two-month stay. While it’s nice to try out fresh places, and marinas, it’s also fun to go back to familiar marinas, where you’ve made friendships and feel at home. We like a combination of the two when we go cruising, we enjoy finding a balance in life and everything we do.

We have not been to Florida for two winters, mostly because of Covid. It’s great to “come home.”

Our first dock party, was on “C” dock. Just around the corner from our favorite spot to tie up, C dock is pretty much a party dock. We can join in whenever we like, or have a more laid-back experience in our cockpit. Over the years, we have made friendships with many other boaters who come back, as we do, year after year.

Jim and I organized a reunion of several couples we did our second within 2007-2008, along with several people we met while doing that Loop, Fred and Joan Myers and Kim Russo.

We enjoy Legacy’s proximity to the grocery store (two blocks away), and downtown Fort Myers (also two blocks away).

Fort Myers’ nightlife is full of events, festivals, and so many restaurants to enjoy. We walked down to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve (below).

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Des Moines, Washington for Ten Days —

When you buy a Ranger Tugs boat, Des Moines is one place you would take delivery. It is a great location to become familiar with your new boat and load your belongings. Outfitting the boat is easy, being close to shopping, motels, restaurants, etc. Ranger Tugs is generous with its dock space during this process.

We took advantage of the proximity to shopping to outfit the boat with items such as storage containers, bedding, and miscellaneous items we could not plan for until we took possession of the boat. Many items needed to be measured and used before we could shop for them.

Jim and I stayed at the marina in Des Moines for about ten days. Before we knew it, we were driving the boat over to the boat lift to haul it out and load it onto the trailer. This is the second time we’ve taken delivery of a tug in Des Moines, so the process was familiar to us. (They did not have this set-up when we bought our Ranger Tugs R27, in 2011.)

We had spent the last day or two provisioning for our trip to Florida. We will be boaterhoming once we are on the road and are in warmer weather, using the boat as an RV, while towing, first south, to get to warmer weather, then east to our winter home-port of Fort Myers, Florida.

Kismet is snug in her trailer and raring to go, we are too. One more time we say goodbye to the Pacific Northwest.

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Gig Harbor for a Pre-Christmas Cruise –

The weather was iffy most days during our stay at the marina in Des Moines. However, we found a nice weather window to cruise to one of our favorite spots in South Sound, Gig Harbor.

We took a three-day excursion to test out the boat and relax a little in Gig Harbor’s scenic location. We stayed at the town’s public dock, a magnificent spot, down from a city park. Downtown, restaurants, and shopping were all just a short walk from our boat. Arriving before the Christmas holiday, we were fortunate to be there the day of their Christmas tree lighting festivities, located right up from our slip. We could watch the crowd and tree lighting right from our boat.

We had hoped to spend more time cruising in Puget Sound, but it was just not to be this time around. After an entire year of waiting for our new Ranger Tug, we don’t care where we cruise. So, after our brief trip to Gig Harbor, we have our sights on a little more stable weather, winter cruising in Florida. It was a quick trip, but we were happy to get at least one in before we loaded the boat onto the trailer for our next cross-country trek.

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Gaining Capacity in Our Fresh Water Tank –

We just downsized to a Ranger Tugs R25OB from a Ranger Tugs R29S. We plan on keeping this boat for a long time, not our typical four to five-year history. Lisa and I are preparing for another stage in our boating adventures, one where trailering and maintenance are less of a chore. So, as we age, trailering will be easier because the boat is shorter, narrower (not requiring permits), and lighter than our prior two Ranger Tugs (an R27, and R29S).

We found several advantages in the new R25OB:
• Easier to Load onto a Trailer and Tow
• Less Expensive to Insure, Store, and Dock
• The R25OB is Faster Than All Our Other Boats

With a smaller boat comes some challenges, though.
The freshwater tank capacity on our new R25 is 38 gallons, black water capacity is 14 gallons. This was our first and main concern when ordering our new tug. With these smaller tanks, we would have to change how we boat, having to return to a marina every few days, to fill up our water tank and pump out our holding tank. Not a fun activity, if you’d rather be communing with nature, miles into the wilderness.

If you have been reading our blog for some time, you know how much we like to go off the grid for extended periods of time. We have devised a few ways of coping with water storage and holding tank capacity issues. Even with bigger tanks on the R29S, it was a challenge to conserve and manage (R29S freshwater capacity is 45 gallons, and blackwater capacity is 40 gallons).

The size of the boat was never a concern. We don’t mind a smaller space and all the tug models offer such amazing features in the standard packages. Always the Luxury Package for us, because it includes air conditioning. Those few gallons less, of tank storage, however, will hurt on long trips. We needed to address this problem with a workable solution before we ordered the boat.

Lisa and I brainstormed ideas.
The freshwater tank would be doable, but not ideal, by carrying extra 5-gallon jugs of water with us. However, we could not come up with another solution for the holding tank without changing the source of the problem, which, in turn, helped to solve our freshwater situation. We solved our holding tank problem by exchanging the factory-installed electric toilet for a composting Airhead toilet. (See a link to the post below on the installation of the composting toilet.)

The number one benefit of a composting toilet is that we would never have to visit a pump-out again. The second advantage is, that by switching out the factory-installed toilet for the new compostable Airhead, we increased our freshwater capacity by 14 gallons. We would do this by converting the NEVER BEEN USED black tank to a freshwater tank before we contaminated the tank with waste. This turned out to be the perfect answer to our tank issues. It was easy to do since the boat is new and the factory-installed black water tank was never used.

We did the composting toilet conversion within days of taking possession of our R25 (it needed to be done immediately so that we could use it), however, we waited a bit before converting the black tank to fresh water.

See our previous post on the installation of the composting toilet:

Black and Freshwater Tank Solution on a Small Boat

More water, please!
With the toilet installation completed, we turned our attention to marrying the black water tank to the freshwater tank. This increased our freshwater supply by 36%. Mike Rizzo, a boating friend who had done the same thing when he had his Ranger Tug, coached me through the project.

With the purchase of $100 worth of fittings, clamps, a diverter valve, a water hose, and a PVC board. I was ready to start the project. The large hose connected to the macerator pump feeds to the bottom of the black water tank. I disconnected it at the pump. I masterminded a reducer to take the hose from 1 1/2 inches down to the 1/2 inch water hose and connected it to one of three fittings on the diverter valve and capped the macerator. Next, I took the water line from the water pump, added some hose, and ran it to another diverter fitting. Then I installed a new water hose to the water pump and ran that to the center fitting of the new valve.

With everything in place, I secured the diverter assembly to the cabinet wall and crossed my fingers in anticipation that everything would work as planned. After a short time, with the water lines getting primed, we had success and 14 gallons more in our tanks to boot. One more thing we did was to name both tanks, MAIN, and RESERVE, and write them near the switch with a Magic Market. We decided that we would always start with the RESERVE tank and move on to the MAIN tank next. The water gauge only works on the MAIN tank, so that way when we are on the last tank we will have a reading of where we stand on water.

The extra capacity we gained by switching toilets increases our freshwater capacity to 52 gallons. This would be an increase over the capacity of our last Ranger Tugs R29 (45 gallons). Installing a diverter valve in the water lines between the water pump and the two tanks would give us access to that converted tank. By turning the valve to the tank of choice, you’ve just increased capacity.

On to the next project… having fun cruising on our new RT25OB.

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Kismet Gets a Shining With A Ceramic Coating

If you own a boat, you understand there is a great deal of time, effort, and ongoing expense associated with keeping a boat’s finish like new. Even when washed and waxed regularly, gel coat finishes need constant attention, with detailing needing to be done at least once a year. After a few years, oxidation will creep in. The need for compounding the finish comes into play, requiring more time, effort, and expense. A good-looking boat takes effort!

With the above statement in mind, I wanted to look into the pros and cons of ceramic coating and how it might benefit, or affect, our new Ranger Tugs R25OB over the long term. As in our prior two Ranger Tugs, this one also has a bright red hull. Dark colors are notorious for becoming oxidized after several years and therefore require more and more attention. During my research on ceramic coatings, I found out that a boat will have protection against salt, hard water spotting, bird droppings, and those nasty UV rays when properly prepared and coated. This will make the gel coat have a deeper gloss and mirror-like finish.

This new technology comes at a cost.
I found out it is more expensive to prepare and install than traditional wax detailing. In the end, I thought it was worth the price. We wouldn’t have to detail our new boat once a year. Once the ceramic coating is applied properly, the boat should maintain its shiny glow as long as I wash the boat regularly and maintain the finish by applying a Hydroserum spray every 6 to 12 months.

I wanted to have our new boat coated before we took delivery, so my research led me to Premier Ceramic Coating, outside of Seattle, owned by Kevin and Carol, fellow Ranger Tug owners. I found out this company has quite a reputation for being thorough. That was clear in my discussion with him prior to, during, and after he completed the job. Kevin explained, “How the hull is prepared is the key determining factor for the best-finished product.” In our case, because our boat was new, there wasn’t any oxidation to be addressed. All of the boat’s graphics were installed ahead of the ceramic coating.

Kevin explained, “Ceramic coating is a liquid polymer applied by hand to the exterior of a boat. It chemically bonds with the boat’s gel coat and, when cured, it transforms into a rigid, super slick shield. Ceramic coating is easiest to understand if you think of it as a second layer of skin that is transparent.”

Kevin also stated, “Surface prep and cleaning is critical to how long the ceramic will last. So, we have developed a process that we believe is unmatched in the industry for prepping the boat for coating.”

The process after the surface prep and cleaning:

• Clean & decontaminate the entire exterior of the boat.
• Buff & polish all exterior surfaces before coating.
• Apply the first coat of ceramic, then hand polish off the solvent flash with a microfiber towel, then wipe a second time with a fresh towel.
• A second coat is applied and finished the same way, a few hours later.

Kevin’s philosophy is, “We believe in ‘detail!’ Every surface on the exterior above the waterline is coated. The gel coat, windows, stainless, and even the radar dome are coated. Keep in mind that glass and stainless steel are not porous enough to hold any material for very long. So it will need regular upkeep with the Hydroserum.

Our boat took approximately 48 hours.

To find out more visit: premierceramiccoating.com

Or call Kevin direct:  360-471-5882

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Above-Left:  Interior of the hull, behind the refrigerator. Here you’ll see I installed the fitting to the hull that houses the 12V fan, to exhaust the Airhead solids tank.
Above-Right:  The grey hose is the vent hose. It runs from the solids tank through the hull interior to the vent exhaust. 

Lisa and I plan on keeping our new boat for a long time, not our typical four to five-year history. We still want to trailer Kismet to distant cruising grounds and inland lakes. We also want to be home with our boat, in the Great Lakes, most summers, and down to Florida with winter getaways. Trailering the new Kismet will be easier as we age because it is shorter, narrower, and lighter than our prior two Ranger Tugs. However, we needed a black and fresh water tank solution.

The new R25OB has many advantages. It’s faster, easier to maintain, and less expensive to insure, store and dock.
Owning a smaller boat comes with some challenges though, as it relates to black water capacity (14 gallons capacity. We’d be looking for a pump-out every five days, not a good use of our time) and freshwater capacity (38 gallons capacity). We wanted to address those two issues immediately.

We enjoy spending copious amounts of time in remote waters communing with nature. That means, we not only need food and various provisions to tide us over for a week or two at a time, sometimes without ever getting off the boat, we dinghy to shore for a walk in the woods or through a small town. But, we need to have more control over the waste situation and we need to store enough water to keep us hydrated and clean during long trips anchored out between marina visits. I love a challenge!

I did extensive research while we waited for our boat to be built, mostly on the black water solutions available.
In this scenario, taking care of the black water limitations will lead to help solve the water limitations on the new boat. So, we will increase our black water capacity by exchanging the factory-installed toilet for a composting Airhead Toilet. This will solve our freshwater storage because we plan to put into service the UNUSED, black water tank for more freshwater capacity. This, of course, would not be possible with an older boat, where the tank had already stored black water. Besides enlarging our fresh water tank and extending our need to visit marinas, we were looking forward to a more odorless head situation.

After a lot of research, online, and consulting with other cruisers with experience, we bought the Airhead composting toilet. My research, with friends, who have composting toilets, told us one can go up to three to four weeks, versus the five-day limit, on the solids. The liquid, which flows into its own container which attaches to the toilet, needs to be emptied more often. The factory does not install compostable toilets, so I knew I would install them myself. I had most of the process figured out and materials bought before we took possession of our new tug.

Right after we received our Ranger Tugs Factory Delivery Experience, a two-day orientation of boat systems and operations, I began our first renovation, to make our new boat work how we needed it to work for us; it was a four-step process.

  
Above-Left:  The grey hose is attached to the solids tank, in the rear. Notice the crank handle, used to stir up the solids tank to foster the composting

Above-Right:  This is the completed installation of the Airhead Composting Toilet. I mounted the unit to a piece of starboard to give the overhang support. The solids tank is towards the back, while the liquid tank is in the front.

First, I removed the factory toilet and then mounted the Airhead on the same base as the other. Next, I connected the vent hose to the toilet tank and ran it inside the wall cavity (had to take the refrigerator out for access). Then, I cut a hole in the hull’s side (that was fun!) and mounted it to the interior of the hull. I mounted a clamshell at a 45-degree angle on the exterior to keep water out and exhaust for the vent line. The last step was to electrify the 12V fan that will keep air flowing from the airhead tank.

Above:  Here is the clam-shell cover. It will protect the exhaust fan from moisture. I measured for the hole about six times to assure my one-shot at cutting a hole in our new boat would be done right. Only get one chance at this!

The entire process, which sounds easy, but because of working in such tight spaces, and having to move the refrigerator in and out a few times, took parts of three days to complete. In the end, we’ve increased our freshwater capacity, won’t be time-constrained in finding a pump-out station every five days, plus we’ll have an odorless result.

Not a suitable solution for everybody, but it helps us stay out on the water for longer periods of time without having to go into a marina or fuel dock for a pump out. That’s a big plus for us!

For more information on composting toilets, go to Air Head Composting Toilet

We later converted the black tank to a freshwater tank, read about the process here…

Fresh Water Tank Capacity Dilemma & Solution

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Ranger Tugs Offers A Two-Day Factory Delivery Experience

We arrived in Des Moines, Washington for our Factory Delivery Experience, (formally known as Factory Orientation) late Sunday, but it was still light out. Jim had booked a room at a motel just up from the marina. First things first. Before we even checked into the motel, down to the boat to get our first look at our new Ranger Tugs R25. Because of Jim’s forward planning, the new Kismet already had her decal on the bow and stern of the boat. We had her hull ceramic coated, and the decal had to go on first, before the coating. We wanted it all to be completed before we arrived and took possession. (More on the ceramic coating coming in a post soon.)

Monday morning, we up early and down at the marina to meet Ivan Guzman for our first day of Ranger Tug’s two-day Factory Delivery Experience.
Ivan would go over the overall operation of the boat. The next day, Tim Bates would spend the day with us. He would provide a more in-depth review of electronics and engine maintenance. As Ivan went through a list of systems with us, we wondered how many other boat builders provide this kind of owner education. The factory helped us to get out onto the water faster and safer, because of the knowledge we gained during the review.

We have owned three Ranger Tugs in the last 11 years (an R27, R29, and now the R25), you would think we would pass on the orientation of our new boat’s systems. Not true! Technology changes so fast. There is always something new to learn and we welcome an effort to get a quick start and a chance to ask questions, etc. Over the years, we have bought five new boats during our marriage. Ranger Tugs is the only builder to provide us with any help in this area. We have never had an outboard engine before, so we had lots of questions about that. The review of systems provides an opportunity for new owners to ask questions about areas of concern they have.

During our last two Ranger Tugs orientations, I tried to film most of the important instructions.
There is a lot to absorb during these reviews. By the end of the two days, our heads are about to explode with helpful information. The videos will serve us as we need to go back to review what they said during a review and what we forgot or wanted to double-check before using something. It’s just another way that Ranger Tugs goes far beyond the sale of their boats to help their owners get up to speed and get out on the water with confidence.

This time out, we are going from an inboard engine to an outboard. Because of the Lithium Iron house batteries, we opted not to get a generator on this boat. We anchor out a lot and have always had a generator. It will be interesting to see a real-time comparison. (We will cover more on these batteries in a future post after we’ve used them for a while). We got a careful review by both Ivan and Tim on docking with the outboard engine. The new Kismet still has a bow thruster. Now we will use the engine itself instead of a stern thruster to aid in docking our 2022 R25.

I have put together a little video. This will help to give you an idea of how professional and informative our Factory Delivery Experience was. Enjoy!

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Our Truck Was Packed to the Gills For The Road Trip West.

While the factory was building our new Ranger Tugs R25, Jim and I started packing the truck. Quite a feat, considering the circumstances. We sold our Ranger Tugs R29 about a year ago, in Anacortes, Washington. We packed up our boating stuff, all but a few things that were specific to the boat itself, or that we had promised the new owner we would include in the sale. That meant we packed up all our clothes, most of the linens, all the galley pots and pans, dishes, utensils, spice jars, quite a large assortment of personal items, and a small grill. We work a lot while we are boating, so we have work equipment; computers, photography equipment, printer, and office supplies. We packed up all Jim’s tools, air compressor, oil changer, inflatable life jackets, cleaning equipment, and buffer. Our truck was quite full as we made the five-day trek back to Michigan. We had to store everything in our basement until we could take delivery of our new Ranger Tugs R25. We are in Des Moines, Washington, doing just that right now.

The real chore of preparing for our trip west began last spring as we anticipated all the items we would need for the new boat. We discussed each item before ordering and buying. When they arrived, Jim put them into the “boat pile” in a corner of our basement. Some of the bigger items we added were a composting head (to replace the electric macerator head, an electric cooler, an Instant Pot, and an electric pan. Having these items on-hand before we arrived at the boat made it so much easier to settle in once we took possession of the new “Kismet.”

The Process…

Three weeks prior to our road trip to Seattle, Washington, the packing began. Jim, an organizer, made the process go smoothly. He went through all his tools and equipment and set them out in the garage. He then set all the kitchen gear on two tables in the basement and had me go through them. We are downsizing again, so I had to narrow things down and try to only include only the essentials. I tried to leave anything I had used little on the boat before.

About two weeks before our trip, I started putting all my photography paraphernalia, office equipment and supplies, linens, and a few more kitchen items in a corner of our dining room. Later that week, I started another pile in our bedroom. More bags would need to be packed at the very last minute. They contained items we would need to access during our road trip.

One week before we left, I started packing clothes, cleaning the house, wrapping up appointments, and cramming in a few social activities with family and friends. It’s a process, that’s for sure. We have done this so many times, I guess we have it down. Packing is a much different experience if you already have the boat loaded with most of the everyday stuff needed to live on a boat. In that scenario, we only have to pack our clothes, a few personal items, things we always took off the boat, such as our work equipment and clothes, because we needed them in the house. Beginning and ending a trip was so much easier when you have an existing boat.

I usually take cleaning supplies and food items, canned and dry goods we are using at home. However, we left those items behind this time. We would just buy them when we stock the boat in Washington.

Two or three days before we left home, Jim methodically packed the truck.

Remember the famous story that asks: Is the jar full?

A philosophy professor once stood up before his class with a large empty mayonnaise jar. He filled the jar to the top with large rocks and asked his students if the jar was full. The students said that yes, the jar was indeed full. He then added small pebbles to the jar and gave the jar a bit of a shake so the pebbles could disperse themselves among the larger rocks. Then he asked again, “Is the jar full now?” The students agreed the jar was full, so the professor then poured sand into the jar to fill up any remaining space. The students agreed again that the jar was now full. He may have also added water before using the demonstration to form an analogy for managing a meaningful life. I give this example here to give you an idea of how fully packed our truck was when we left home for the six-day road trip to Des Moines, Washington.

Here’s an idea of what our truck looked like. In the rush to pack and leave home, we forgot to take pics at the beginning of the trip, so these photos show after we already began to unpack. So try to imagine all those nooks and crannies filled with little items.

Jim packed our truck just like the story about the jar.

Big items first, some of the purchased items are still in their original boxes to protect them from vibration. When the initial layer (rocks) was packed, in went the smaller items (pebbles), stuffed in between the larger objects. He came in and said, “The truck is full!” I laughed, I know his game.

I continued with my last-minute packing and cleaning. He would go through my pile in the dining room and pick things out that could fit between the “rocks and pebbles.” Each time he came back into the house, he said he didn’t know how we would get all that stuff into the truck. He saved the cab of the truck for anything that we didn’t want to freeze or items that we needed to access during our road trip. We used the electric cooler for jugs of cold water and snacks we would need for the trip.

The whole time he was packing, I was too busy to even look at his progress. I just knew he would get it all in. He’s that good. He added the final pile (sand) hours before we left, followed by the remaining miscellaneous things (water) which were haphazardly thrown into the front of the cab, literally around my feet.

We did it! What a great feeling it was to say goodbye to our home and head out on another boating adventure.

Heading south to Ohio, we visited Jim’s mom for a few days and left from there the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. My concerns for later November weather difficulties and holiday traffic never materialized. We had the best weather the whole way, with the worst being the last few hours traveling through the Snoqualmie Pass. It was raining profusely. The only accident we saw the whole trip was in the pass, just before Seattle. A 7-car pileup in the eastbound lane of I-90. Until the pass, we never had more than a sprinkle of rain and did not see any snow, except far-off in the mountains. Even though it was a Sunday after the holiday weekend, traffic was minimal.

We didn’t make many stops, but we drove by the Corn Palace, in Mitchell, South Dakota, and we spent about an hour visiting the Crazy Horse Monument in Black Hills, South Dakota.

We were lucky to find a place open, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to grab a yummy Thanksgiving dinner.

Jim made one very interesting hotel reservation ahead of time, it was in Livingston, Montana. The historic Murray Hotel is unique in how they have decorated its rooms, each with a different theme. Everything in our room was decor and memorabilia from the fifties.

We arrived in Des Moines late afternoon, seven days after we left home. First stop, down to the marina, to visit the new Kismet, of course.

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