Ranger Tugs R25OB – Are We There Yet?

Waiting to Take Delivery of our New Ranger Tugs R25OB

I recall going to the lake with my parents when I was a child. A distinct memory of mine was asking my parents, “Are we there yet?” I asked every 15 minutes, after we got out of the City, thinking the lake was just around the corner. My two sisters and I were eager to get there in order to go swimming and boating. I loved being out on the water then, as much as I do today.

Fast forward from the late 1950s to 2020
In the fall of 2020, we sold our Ranger Tugs R29S. A few months later, we ordered a 2022 Ranger Tugs R25OB. The great news for us is that we take delivery in late November 2021. As I look back on the last 14 months, and our time without a boat, I am over the top excited to be getting back onto a boat. Over that 14-month span, I found myself chanting a familiar refrain, “Are we there yet?” Feeling somewhat helpless, as it relates to knowing there was nothing I could do to speed up the process.

Because we were boatless, and dealing with Covid constraints, Lisa and I immersed ourselves in other, more cerebral activities, still centered on boating. Lisa organized a new book by women, Ranger Tug owners (Lisa will announce it soon, stay tuned), while I worked on a book about trailering ins and outs (further down the pike, but it was a good project for me). I also concentrated on remodeling/updating projects on our house. We took time to purchase items we knew we’d need for the new boat. All of this helped occupy our time and in the end, it was all good. Lisa and I got a lot done, stuff we rarely have time for because we are off boating.

We asked the Ranger Tugs Factory if they would photograph the boat as it was being built, so we could share them with our readers. We have had construction photos taken on all of our new boats. The photos help us see what the guts of the boat look like; where the wires run, etc.

As we post the construction photos of our new Kismet, I’m happy to say to the 1950s Jim, the kid in me, that we indeed are almost there!

Integrated swim platform built into the hull.

This will be our first outboard engine!

Stateroom bulkhead looking into the salon.

Eight batteries; one start, one thruster, and six house lithium iron in lieu of a generator.

Topdeck is ready to marry with the hull.

Cockpit with fold-up seats.

Lots of storage space under the bed in the stateroom.

The new Kismet, Ranger Tugs R25OB, is almost ready for a sea trial, graphics, and detailing.