Trailer Trawler Life Kismet Slider

Kismet Slider

FLORIDA BAY

FLORIDA BAY

Marathon, Florida

Kismet Slider

EVERGLADES

EVERGLADES

Shark River

Kismet Slider

RENDEZVOUS

RENDEZVOUS

Palm Island, Florida

Kismet Slider

LOVERS LEAP

LOVERS LEAP

San Juan Islands – Stewart Island, WA

Kismet Slider

SOUTH SOUND

SOUTH SOUND

Tacoma, Washington

Kismet Slider

BLAKE ISLAND

BLAKE ISLAND

Puget Sound, Washington

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FLORIDA BAY

FLORIDA BAY

Marathon, Florida

Cap Sante Marina – The Anacortes Connection

There were several Ranger Tug owners we wanted to connect with while we were at Cap Sante Marina. We'd been to Anacortes, Washington, the gateway to the San Juans Islands, several times in the past 15 years so it felt a little like a home away from home for us. After launching the boat and stowing the trailer and truck it was time to get organized for some serious PNW cruising. We needed to stock up and collect our thoughts a little. Guess the week we spent on the road took its toll. Lisa kept saying maybe we need another day…

Family Time… In A Family Way

July 16, 2013
Jim Favors
•BOATERHOMING

Family Time in Portland, Oregon After dropping our boat off at the Ranger Tug factory in Kent Washington for an autopilot install we drove to Portland, Oregon. We were excited to spend time with our son Ross, his partner Sarah and our soon-to-be grandchild, due date of early October. Lisa and I were able to spend the afternoon with Sarah while Ross was working. Lunch over Thai food got us caught up on all the pending baby plans. We couldn't be more excited for them and proud to see our family grow in yet another way. When Ross arrived home from his job the family reunion continued…

Boaterhoming in Fruitland, Idaho

Seeking shade in Fruitland, Idaho after a hot day on the road. Our last two road days included a stop in Fruitland, Idaho where we selected a shady site at an RV park for the night. Still hot but bearable with the shade of the overhead trees filtering the intense heat from the sun making it comfortable sleeping in the boat. We are excited that the road trip part of the trip is just about behind us. We can't wait to get the boat back in the water. The next day Seattle was in our sights. It was a long…

Flaming Gorge Dam And Back To Carter Creek

July 12, 2013
Lisa Favors
CRUISING, Flaming Gorge, INLAND LAKES-West

We cruised the length of the gorge all the way down to the Flaming Gorge Dam and checked out Cedar Springs Marina. The canyons are not as prominent in this area, mostly lowlands and scrubby brush. Then we headed back to the canyons to a spot we scouted out earlier in the day for our second night anchored in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Our second night at anchor was in Carter Creek. A busy little creek but other than a boat that beach anchored and camped on shore by the creek, we were the only ones anchoring in Carter Creek…

Family Cruise – Flaming Gorge Reservoir

July 12, 2013
Lisa Favors
CRUISING, Flaming Gorge, INLAND LAKES-West

Family Cruise – Flaming Gorge Reservoir A year ago we promised our nephew and his new wife Heather that we'd rendezvous with them during our Flaming Gorge trip, it would also be the first opportunity we've had to meet their young son, West. Even though there were a few glitches in the plan just before the appointed time, it worked out and mid-Saturday morning we met them as they made their way down the dock to our boat. We had been out in the gorge for a couple of days and returned to the marina to meet them. Even though…

Simply Gorgeous – Flaming Gorge Reservoir

July 11, 2013
Jim Favors
CRUISING, Flaming Gorge, INLAND LAKES-West

"If you liked Lake Powell, you should consider cruising the Flaming Gorge Reservoir." Shortly after we cruised Lake Powell in 2011, we started to hear about a place called the Flaming Gorge Reservoir from other boaters. They said, "If you liked Lake Powell, you should consider cruising the Flaming Gorge." With a little research, we found out that the reservoir was formed upon the completion of the Flaming Gorge Dam, in 1964. That was the year the Beatles first toured the U.S. Flaming Gorge Reservoir is located in southern Wyoming and northeast Utah on 91 miles of the 730-mile-long Green…

Arriving at Lucerne Valley Marine – Flaming Gorge Reservoir

We couldn't help but notice the desert-like environment we found ourselves in as we approached Lucerne Valley Marina on the edge of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. After three full days of driving across the country and camping at RV parks along the way, we arrived at Lucerne Valley Marina early afternoon on the fourth day. We were more than ready to test out the waters of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. As we drove from Green River, in Wyoming, south along the western side of the Gorge we couldn't help but notice the desert-like environment. After making the turn and driving…

Cross-Country Trek – Kismet is Boaterhoming Her Way West

Our boating exploration hiatus is over. Time to head west! Two years ago we set our sights to trailer Kismet west this summer for four months, mainly to cruise Puget Sound up into British Columbia's Desolation Sound, and maybe even the Broughtons, time permitting. On our way, we'll put the boat into the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Utah. It's been nine months since we had a cruise of any significance – the Tennessee River from Grand Rivers, Kentucky down to Rogersville, Alabama. We are happy to say that the planning is over, the boat is prepared, goodbyes to family and friends…

Preparing, Packing and Planning for Our Trip West

June 17, 2013
Lisa Favors
•USA-WEST, CANADA-EAST, CRUISING, Desolation Sound, Flaming Gorge, Gulf Islands, INLAND LAKES-West, OREGON, Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Seattle

Planning for the trip west! After spending this past winter holed up at home in northern Michigan remodeling our kitchen, we feel we're more than ready for some new cruising adventure. We are preparing, planning, and packing to head west soon to begin another fun boating season. First, we'll visit the Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Green River in Northeast Utah/Southern Wyoming. Then we'll continue on to Puget Sound in Washington State, there we'll put in at Anacortes and cruise north into Canada's Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound, and more. Check back often, the fun is soon to start.

Installing Boat Graphics to Our Ranger Tug Kismet

Boat Graphics are Finally Applied! After designing, measuring, and visually laying out the boat graphics on the back of the boat, we were ready to order the vinyl from a sign company located just a block away from the marina. Jim has done this before so he was familiar with the process. First, thoroughly clean the back of the boat (above). Second, measure and block off the area, then tape the double-layer vinyl to the clean surface (below). Third, drop the vinyl down and peel off the protective paper layer (above). Four, tape it back up (above) and start burnishing the…

2012 America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Fall Rendezvous

Arriving at Joe Wheeler for the 2012 America's Great Loop Cruisers' Fall Rendezvous is the endpoint to our 2012 Tennessee River cruise. Our trip's mission was to spend some time on the Tennessee River, traveling its length along with this year's crop of Loopers, and commence the cruise by attending AGLCA's (America's Great Loop Cruisiers' Association) 2012 Fall Rendezvous held at Joe Wheeler State Park and Marina. To get to Joe Wheeler we had to lock through the Wheeler Lock and Dam, the last lock for us on this trip. We always try to get this spot at the Joe Wheeler Marina…

McKernan Creek Anchor Before Joe Wheeler State Park

We like anchoring in McKernan Creek! After leaving Grand Harbor Marina, we made two anchorage stops before we got to Joe Wheeler State Park. The first, Little Bear Creek (above and below), was a new spot for us while our stay at McKernan Creek was our third time at anchor there. Both anchorages met with our satisfaction and provided a colorful and comfortable night on the hook. On the move again early the next morning we passed the bridge at Florence, Alabama (below). To get to McKernan Creek we had to lock through the Wilson Lock and Dam. At 110…

Time To Disembark at Grand Harbor Resort Marina

End of the line, Grand Harbor Resort Marina. After being on the hook a lot lately, a visit to Grand Harbor Resort Marina, located where the Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama borders come together (we're officially down south at this point), hit the spot. It has all the amenities a long-distance boater appreciates including a well-stocked ship's store, an elegant boater's lounge, laundry facilities located right on the dock where you can sit by the water as you wash and dry your clothes, they also have several loaner vehicles and they almost beg you to use one to explore the nearby…

Returning to Diamond Island to Anchor

Diamond Island welcomes Kismet back to its beautiful anchorage. A beautiful fall day presented itself to us as we headed out, from Clifton Marina early the next morning, with a plan to anchor out at Diamond Island. With bright blue skies and a pleasantly warm day, we basked in the scenic beauty along the Tennessee River during our cruise. Lots to see with many boats on the water, some Loopers passing us, and people fishing or relaxing along the sandy shoreline of the river. The houses along the river are interesting to look at and we enjoyed seeing this herd…

A Little Piece of Paradise in Clifton, Tennessee

Clifton Marina exemplifies southern hospitality! When we're cruising day after day and anchoring out overnight, we get to a point where we'd like to take in the creature comforts a marina will afford. Most marinas offer the essentials of power, water, fuel, laundry, and showers, but every once in a while we are "wowed" – our second stay (the first visit was during our second Loop trip in 2008) at Clifton Marina in Clifton, Tennessee was exactly that. The welcoming reception and unique experience we received while in Clifton could just well be this part of the country's well-known southern…

Trying to Stay Dry in Lick Creek

Kismet says "Hi" to 0 Regrets in Lick Creek! Staying in the travel mode of leaving late and quitting early we only cruised 15 miles today, stopping to anchor out in Lick Creek. This was our first time in Lick Creek, a new experience in a natural setting. We worked our way into the unmarked serpentine channel with the aid of our GPS, and traveled past a few deadheads and very shallow water to an area with 5 to 9-foot depths. It was well away from the river barge traffic, so we settled in for a cozy afternoon warm and…

Blue Creek Anchorage By Cuba Landing Marina

Blue Creek anchorage is just past Cuba Landing Marina. Leaving Pebble Isle Marina we had our sights set on an anchorage we'd never been to before. Twenty miles upriver at MM116 of the Tennessee River is Blue Creek, Cuba Landing Marina is located there. (The photo above, and below, shows the entrance to the marina and the cove we anchored in.) Having just left a marina we inched our way past Cuba Landing to a shallow, relatively open cove. We found a few more boats anchored there for the night in 5 to 8 feet of water. We've never anchored…

Pebble Isle Marina – Known For Their Southern Hospitality & Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Pebble Isle Marina owners Randy and Tami are well known for their infectious southern personalities. On our way to Pebble Isle Marina today, At MM-78.2, we passed the Louisville and Nashville RR Bridge (above). It is a non-functioning bridge at this time, probably only used for fishing now. Shortly after the bridge, we passed an abandoned, partly submerged, building (photo below). The Tennessee Valley Authority purchased many acres of land in preparation to create Kentucky Lake. The Kentucky Dam was completed in 1944, when the area was flooded and many towns below the new water level disappeared. Lake Barkley was created in the early 1960’s…

Cypress Creek Anchorage – Tennessee River

We left Duncan Bay knowing we'd travel south on the Tennessee River for only 4 hours, so it wasn't going to be a long day. Twenty-nine miles later, at mile marker 62.6, we made a starboard turn into Cypress Creek, then another right into the first cove. What we found was an anchorage that provided us with calm waters in very protective, natural surroundings. Because of our short cruise day, I took advantage of the calm water by continuing my work on the dinghy davit bracket installation (see next post). I like to maximize my downtime by having a few…

Installing Our New Hurley Davit System

October 8, 2012
Jim Favors
•KISMET UPGRADES

Hurley Davit System Worked for Kismet! We had been towing our dinghy for over a year when we finally decided to get serious about finding a davit system. Towing is easy and inexpensive, however towing can also become problematic in rough seas or at higher speeds, so we wanted to find a solution, a viable launch and retrieve system where the dinghy would rest upright while overhanging the swim platform slightly. We thought it should be lightweight and detachable when needed, We also needed it to be somewhat flexible, so we could still use our swim platform without completely…

Landing in Duncan Bay – Tennessee River

Duncan Bay was our choice for a peaceful night on the hook! Our three-week goal was to travel 250 miles on the Tennessee River while meeting Loopers on their southern migration and concluding our trip after attending an AGLCA Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park Marina in Rogersville, Alabama. With three weeks to enjoy this famous heartland river, it felt good knowing we could really take our time leaving a spot late in the morning or deciding to stop early in the day to relax and familiarize ourselves with a new anchorage. With that said, we left Green Turtle Marina,…

Third Time’s a Charm – Tennessee River Cruise

Kismet will be cruising the Tennessee River for four weeks! For die-hard boaters, like us, there's no better feeling than heading out on the road (for trailerable boaters) on the cusp of an adventure, we were just itching to do a little river cruising. We took our Kismet on a 680-mile road trip, from Traverse City, Michigan, before we floated her off of the trailer today into Lake Barkley at Green Turtle Marina, in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. Our intention is to cruise the Tennessee River for the next four weeks. We had spent a couple of days at home, prior to departure, rigging…

The Little Red Tug Is On the Move Again – Cloverdale RV Park

Cloverdale RV Park made us think we should do more RVing! The little red tug, Kismet, is on the move again, we're headed south this fall to cruise the Tennessee River; a 220-mile trip (approx.) from Grand Rivers, Kentucky to Rogersville, Alabama. The first stop was Cloverdale RV Park in Cloverdale, Indiana. Not a lot going on here but it was a very friendly stop for the night and very quiet with a tranquil setting. It had wide open grassy sites that were mostly empty and the park was surrounded by trees dressed in their fall colors. There is a…

Mackinac Island – The Path Less Taken

September 9, 2012
Lisa Favors
CRUISING, GREAT LAKES

Mackinac Island is our FAVORITE Michigan cruising destination! Mackinac Island is a very busy tourist destination during the day. So when visiting the island, Jim and I try to focus our daytime activities on walking in less congested areas. Our favorite route starts by walking up the steps leading to the steep bluff just across the road from the marina. Most daytime visitors to the island walk or ride bikes along the path at the bottom perimeter of the island. It's fairly busy there at the bottom; that's why we chose to climb to the top of the island. The view…

Launching in Mackinaw City – Post Wedding Trip to Mackinac Island

Mackinaw City seemed to be the logical choice to launch Kismet for our trip to Mackinac Island. Our son, Skyler, got married to, Sarah, on Labor Day Weekend. Most of our summer was focused on this big event; except for a few boat trips, we stayed close to home preparing and enjoying all the activities. I have to confess it took quite a toll on our blogging ability. After it was over, we needed to decompress and Mackinac Island came first to mind. This island is unique in its ability to transport a visitor back in time, one of our…

Women On Ranger Tugs —Women Ranger Tugs Owners Discover Boating As A Rewarding Lifestyle Choice.
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Upside Of Downsizing To A Trailerable Trawler —Learn about the inherent benefits of owning a trailerable trawler.
Flexibility, Mobility & Affordability!
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Women On Board Cruising – Want to inspire your wife, girlfriend or partner to do the Loop with you? Have them read this book. Twenty-five veteran women boaters share the trials, tribulations, helpful tips and humor about their long-distance cruising adventures. SEE MORE!

When the Water Calls… We Follow – Reflections On the Great Loop Adventure. Read how these “Loopers” prepared for the trip, overcame obstacles, also see what they enjoyed and learned while undertaking their Great Loop adventures.
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