Testimonials

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

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

My wife and I purchased a 2010 R25 SC from its original owner in June 2020 and have been enjoying the boat ever since. We are days away from completing our 'maiden" voyage in the Gulf Islands (8 days total) and I don't understand why we didn't get a Tug earlier.  We've experienced all types of weather from the sea state 0 (glass looking waters) and clear skies to 25 knots winds and 6-7 feet swells with water going over the boat, and never felt unsafe.  Our boat turns heads no matter where we go and I often can't get my maintenance done because everyone wants to ask questions about the boat and it's capabilities.  You guys know how to build seaworthy boats, kudos to you and your team.

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

I have read in published literature and FB post on how reactive Ranger is to customer service. Yesterday I spent maybe 10 minutes on the phone and Ken Marrs, and my Garmin issue was fixed. Sure wish I had called 5 hours earlier. I was thinking I was going to the shop about 2hrs away. Thank you Ken and Ranger. Lots of companies have customer service departments, but Ranger delivers!

"To Andrew, Sam & Everyone at Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats,

We want to thank you very much for the beautiful few days that we spent with you at the Rendezvous. Even though our R-31S is our second Ranger Tug, this was the first time we were able to make it to the Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats Rendezvous at Roche Harbor. You are all 1st Class when it comes to caring about and taking care of your customers. SECOND TO NONE!!! With you, we always feel as if we’re being cared for by family.

We also loved meeting other Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boaters. It is truly a special group of people. Never before have we felt such an immediate friendship with strangers that we meet, than with this group of people. It’s plain to see that your customer base feels the same way we do about your company, your boats, your employees, and your service.

Thank you very much. We look forward to a long relationship with all of you."

Best Always,

Greg & Cathy

"Andrew, Ivan, and Tim,

Karen and I are more than thrilled with our new baby and want to thank each of you for your separate and collective efforts to make the delivery and orientation a great and memorable experience.

Andrew: Thanks for a simple and straight forward deal and for the “factory tour” that allows us to picture where our baby was born.

Ivan: Thanks for your expertise in training and orientation. We appreciate your style.

Tim: Thanks for a thorough course on the operation of the vessel. Now we also know we can operate in freezing weather with no heat. Just kidding; it was an awesome day with you.

We have now towed nearly 2000 miles through mountains, snow, wind, and rain heading for warmer water and are truly impressed with how this boat tows. I have towed many thousands of miles over the years and have never had better set up. The trailer is perfectly set up for this boat and the weight distribution and braking are perfect.

Thanks again to each of you for making this a great experience!"

Bob E.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Good morning Andrew,

The Ranger Tug ad on page 18 of the December 2014 issue of BoatU.S. magazine grabbed our attention. It is, like everything else that comes out of Ranger, absolutely true. When we returned to Roche from our trip to Canada, the Customs Officer asked if we had been one of the boats at Rendezvous. Louise said yes and the Officer said, "well I can't remember all of them -- we counted 127 of them. They're nice boats."

What the ad says about the community of owners is also true. We have met a delightful group of people. Although there is a lot of knowledge available, nobody seems to have anything to prove. Owning and operating a Ranger (or Cutwater) speaks for itself.

The ad does not specifically say why all this is so. What makes for such a nice community of owners is the prompt, courteous, talented support provided by you and your colleagues. Thank you."

"I have been in business for 30+ years and it has been a long time since I have met and dealt with someone as pleasant as Kenny. We spent a couple of days with him during the shakedown for our new R-25SC - remember us from the Seattle show?

On the first day, we went thru all the systems on the boat and Kenny was not only supremely knowledgeable, but very patient and gracious in answering my millions of questions - some (most??) of which were undoubtedly pretty basic and probably already answered. His comprehensive instruction and orientation gave me a great deal of (probably misplaced) confidence in being able to operate the vessel safely.

On day two, we cruised out of Lake Union and to the south end of Lake Washington, where we met with Andrew and a couple of other tugs. Kenny was again the consummate professional in guiding me through the challenges of safe operation and navigation in unfamiliar waters. When it came time to return to the slip, Kenny encouraged me to take the helm and provided very good (and calm) advice. I was able to pull in forward and then even back in. I could not have done that without Kenny's guidance and calm presence. I knew I could depend on him to take over if I got into trouble.

All in all, our time with Kenny was not just a great learning experience, it was a lot of genuine fun.

You are very fortunate to have a great guy like Kenny on your staff."

The Ranger Tug is such a great fishing boat-- low gear and rear helm make it a breeze to navigate between boats. The TV fish finder drops down and the fish are in full view. Drop inside if it gets cold. I am a complete novice and I caught a 25+ lb king on our first day fishing. The ranger tug made it possible.

Five crabs the next day didn't hurt. The king salmon fish head made for the perfect bait. And the crab pots fit perfectly in the swim step with room to access the dinghy.

Just be prepared to get questions. Everyone wants to see your boat.