How to Launch & Retrieve the Ranger Tugs R-29

John Livingston, President, and Jeff Messmer, Vice President of Marketing and Sales demonstrate the launching and retrieving of the Ranger Tugs R-29, at the Port of Everett, WA boat launch.
2008 Dodge 3/4 Ton Pick-up with Cummins Diesel engine; EZ Loader Trailer

[@mmanut]

Great boat, love the design. I enjoy nothing more than a captain who knows how to handle his or her boat. Very impressive.

[@alvincay100]

Nice boat. One of the biggest boats I've seen trailered.

[@geoffreywallace9432]

Fantastic video. My favorite is the Ranger 21. That would make a great island hopper her in the Caribbean.

[@1951RKP]

Beautiful boat !

[@barnacleify]

Beautiful boat, looks like one of Moran's tugs. Thanks for video, hope you sell lots of them.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Beautiful boat...First time I've seen one...Thanks for the upload...Lucky the man that owns one!

[@seikibrian8641]

My brother owns one of these, which were replaced by a different design a few years ago. I love the look of the "classic" version like my brother's, but the new model is a little sleeker and performs a little better. By the way, if you have experience in this class of boat, you can charter my brother's if you're ever in the Puget Sound area; he keeps his at Anacortes Yacht Charters. If you don't have experience, AYC offers lessons. For more on my brother's boat, see: www.anacortesyachtcharters.com/boatdetails.cfm?ID=435&OrderBy=BoatSize&TableType=PowerFleet

[@gregorylaughlin2556]

From Australia: calm and professional demonstration of to 'do it right'. Very nice.

[@maddogmorgan1]

Also from Australia,...if you fucked around for that long prepping what should have been done before you backed the boat in you wouldn't be too popular

[@fiveowaf454]

I'm glad I wasn't waiting on the boat ramp for them to launch :) Beautiful Boat.

[@MoondanceMovies]

I know what you mean. But we were there on a weekday morning with no active fishery. There are six ramps at the Port of Everett and we didn't see another boat that morning. The Ranger Tug and Cutwater factories in Monroe, WA and Arlington, WA do a lot of launching and retrieving there and always make a point of respecting other boaters.

[@fiveowaf454]

I was just giving you a hard time, but was launching my smaller boat the other day by myself and wanted to be on the dockside of the ramp as I needed to "walk" it over to the dock on a rope, to tie up. 2 old guys beat me to that lane for no obvious reason as there were 6 others available, that would have worked for their situation. They then proceeded to carry endless fishing equipment etc. from the truck to the boat at a leisurely pace before finally backing into the water and then after another 10 minutes of trying to start the boat found they couldn't get into gear which involved more fiddling around before they finally pulled the boat out and I could launch. I got flashbacks watching your video of that lost 1/2 hour :), even though I could see you weren't inconveniencing anyone else.

[@boatshowavenue]

Good video!

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

The only Dodge guy on the planet that doesn't have his tow mirrors flipped out. And he's towing.

[@cd1168]

What a nice boat

[@Eastern67]

love the boat & the truck too i would have side protectors if i had such a beauty

[@seikibrian8641]

Putting out fenders is a good idea at an unfamiliar dock or any dock that doesn't have soft rails installed, but the Everett boat launch where they are has canvas rub protectors installed on all the docks.

[@garrettsadventures61]

Love that boat

[@shawnjordan3330]

Wow what a nice boat. If I were to buy a boat, it would be a Ranger Tug period.

[@sayococo7]

really nice vid,

[@RaymondCore]

Excellent!

[@rustynails113]

I love the boat.

[@wingding028]

nice boat

[@offroadram95]

@FromThe3PointLine 3/4 ton, no problem (hence the vid) 1/2 ton has a softer suspension in the rear, you would probably need overload springs or air bags to support the extra weight. Not sure the maximum trailer weight of the half ton but the 5.7L can be had in both 1500 and 2500.

[@Shanidar1]

It hurts when I realize that I'll never be able to afford this this this awesome boat!!!

[@seikibrian8641]

+kamencho1 It's a pretty popular boat for people to charter. There are also fractional ownership possibilities.

[@k1ngk64___6]

You would be wrong, my friend bought one for about 100k (also it is ironically in Everet)

[@Military-Museum-LP]

Cameron...Never say never...

[@markdent4052]

Put it on layway 😂😂😂😂😂

[@bigsby1606]

theres a lot of diesel in this vid. i like.

[@TheBadTad]

Great demo guys! The negative posters need to get a life. No harm, no foul. Great demonstration, and I thank you for it.

[@robertdean6222]

I was always concerned that since the boat and trailer weighs more than the truck that the boat and trailer would drag the truck down the ramp especially under wet conditions? But did you say the trailer has brakes for the reverse mode?

[@offroadram95]

@FromThe3PointLine I wouldnt try it without beefing up the rear suspension but after that, you could probably do it.

[@johnlumpkin3082]

Thrusters sure are loud! People who think you are hogging the ramp, didn't you say it was a cold winter day? I doubt many people are there. Outstanding boat, wish I was still young enough to enjoy one, I would look at a Ranger.

[@seikibrian8641]

Yeah, a cold winter day and it was also the middle of the week when most people are at work. To top it off, that boat launch has *13* lanes.

[@russhorton9091]

Does this boat sway all night like a cork?

[@waterkeeper03]

I'm sure on a normal day everything except the coolant fill could have been done in the staging area. That marina looks quite large, and empty that day.

[@GONZOFAM7]

Sure is a pretty boat.

[@edysinsimon8646]

COOL!

[@samallan3356]

Ha ha I can't believe you call this a trailer boat - classic!

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

Why not? Only 12k on the hoof. My Ram will tow 30k.

[@kCI251]

With that thin hull, I'd be floating it off, but thats just me.

[@FishOnIsMyHandle]

This was made in 2011....can I have this old tug boat since it's so old now ?

[@rlking52]

I want it.......I'll buy it !

[@kevinhoffman8214]

what a sweet boat ..........one day

[@FromThe3PointLine]

@offroadram95 so if it was a 2500 3/4 ton dodge ram it would handle it with the same no lift 5.7L V8

[@yourmedicareguylarrybelt7792]

I don't have a problem with them prepping in the water when know one is waiting. You don't want to do all the prep without making sure the boat starts. I keep mine in a slip, but I don't even load my gps until i have started the boat.

[@Hackster7777]

Nice boat Did that swim platform hit the dock in that spin? Sure looked like it.

[@qroconnor8812]

Nope came VERY close but didn't hit

[@TreadTalk247]

Awesome Tug, I’d love to have the same type of swim platform protect as on the Ranger Tug in this video! What horizontal bumper/fenders are they? Mind sharing the info? Greatly appreciated!!

[@UltimateHItlerRants]

How did you know your prop was clear before you fired it up? Different launch ramps have different grades, many are curved. Still, a bad-ass boat with nice hull lines.

[@seikibrian8641]

These guys launch at this ramp many times a year; they're very familiar with it. Plus, the lowest point on the prop is several inches above the lowest point on the trailer. Freeze the video at 1:21 and note the shape of the trailer's rear lower member. If the trailer didn't scrape, the prop won't either. Also, note the position of the rudder, which is behind and hangs lower than the prop. For a sharper image, see this still of an R-31; the newer sibling of the R-29: www.rangertugs.com/Userfiles/Boats/R-31s/gallery/Ranger-Tugs-R-31S-5-vsm-850--N.jpg

[@BeBreezy-zg8fl]

How about a video at a landing where there's a strong current

[@radbcc]

Is this considered a lake, bay, or river boat? Is it possible to live aboard this vessel? Thank you.

[@Joshua79C]

can easily be taken up and down the Connecticut or Mississippi rivers as long as it has depth and width for it and other boats to passage and on any larger lake from the size of Champlain or George or Winnipesaukee

[@chaipatjaranai9258]

Good

[@REVIEW_JUJUR]

Nice setup... i wander can my Hilux 2.5 diesel truck tow that boat?

[@MoondanceMovies]

Go to www.tugnuts.com (our community forum) and you'll find many discussions on towing. Cheers.

[@BoeingRules100]

Makes it look easy, but not all boat ramps have docks. If you have someone waiting at the ramp then yes, easy, but if you dont your going to get wet

[@erc2fla]

Oh shit already people!! the guy said he is at a 13 lane ramp with nobody there , so enough with the boat ramp courtesy shit ! Im sure the guy knows . Bow thrusters are a good thing to have , who gives a shit if you are to cool to use them ! People kill me!

[@HWPcville]

At 5:09 what is the exact function of the black cannister? I know the wet exhaust goes thru it but for what purpose? sound suppression, cooling exhaust water, ?

[@MoondanceMovies]

You pretty much figured it out. It's the mixing chamber. Water-cooled inboard engines inject cooling water into the exhaust pipe, which cools the exhaust and muffles engine noise. The exhaust then pushes the water out the exhaust pipe. ... Wet exhaust systems have the advantage of using the heat-absorbing and sound-dampening qualities of water to cool and quiet the exhaust.You can see the water/exhaust mix coming out on the starboard side just forward of the swim step, starting at about 5:15, especially as John powers off the trailer.

[@HWPcville]

​@@MoondanceMovies Thanks for the detailed information. I'm in the process of refurbishing the engine/transmission/fuel tanks of a 1984 26' Motor Whale Boat. To get the fuel tanks out (which had corroded holes and I've had new ones built) I had to cut away some decking and remove the black cannister (I asked about) and related plumbing. I knew it was part of the exhaust system but I wasn't sure of its specific function. Thanks for the quick reply.

[@jaredlazaron8414]

That was John's truck 3 trucks ago!!

[@MoondanceMovies]

Exactly. Filmed in 2011.

[@nbookie]

why not do all the setup before you hit the ramp?

[@seikibrian8641]

+nbookie Normally they would, but doing it where they did allowed for a better camera angle. With 13 lanes available, and being done on a weekday afternoon, they weren't holding up any other boats.

[@FromThe3PointLine]

Do you think a 2008 no lift dodge ram half ton 1500 with a 5.7L V8 can handle that load?

[@HeyImAndrew...]

Definitely not.

[@Bighorn3610re]

I guess we just do things different in Texas, better camera angle or not, 15 or 20 open ramps we still do everything possible on the trailer. But I do understand you were highlighting your boat, but doing it in the water in this demonstration when one of your customers buy one of your boats and finds this on KZbin they will think that's the way it should be done. I know most folks that buy boats of this size have probably owned a smaller boat at som time then there are the total novices that make a boat the size of what I own and what you are selling as their first boat. They see this demo and think that is how it should be done, in the water, of course this is just my opinion. It is a beautiful boat though I will tell you that much!! I have a friend that has one in the 28 foot rig, it is a beautiful boat I have to admit that!!

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

OK Karen.

[@Daniel-Johnson]

not sure what make and model of vessel you own and launch You need to realize this is not your average ski boat or what have you.. There is a bit more involved when launching something of this size and more caution is involved, I think they knew exactly what they were doing and demonstrated it very well!

[@tomthompson7400]

nice boat handling , but it was a still day and no chop.

[@NHextreme999]

Shouldn't all the setup be done in the staging lanes so that you don't hold up the flow of the ramp

[@MoondanceMovies]

NHextreme999 Under normal circumstances, yes. In this case, a weekday morning, all twelve ramps were open, and no boats were waiting.

[@seikibrian8641]

+Bruce Moore "...all twelve ramps were open..." There are actually 13 lanes at 10th Street. ;-)

[@thatgamerguyjhdfh490]

NHextreme999 yes

[@lauramurray6690]

@@seikibrian8641 well since there in one 13 minus 1 is...

[@seikibrian8641]

@@lauramurray6690 If you are trying to say "Since *they're* in one, 13 minus 1 is 12" -- Bruce said *"all twelve* ramps were open," not "there were *still* twelve ramps open."

[@merlin4432]

With nobody at that ramp i think they did everything perfect.

[@crabbingclammingboatcampin4962]

Not quite. It's not ready to pull out of the water until the trailer hook is connected to the bow eye.

[@gregorylaughlin2556]

It obviously does have a bow thruster…watch the wake off the bow!

[@jeffcarr5713]

+Gregory Laughlin Bow and stern thrusters. Nice features.

[@jimlepeu577]

Why would you need thrusters on a tiny boat like that?

[@UncleEarl97]

When I trailer launched a boat in Seattle at a very busy ramp, I learned quickly that you get your boat prepped before backing down the ramp! That is what you need to teach new trailer boat owners, not the "let's do most of our prep while others are waiting for us!" Sorry, that's just common courtesy. Otherwise, nice video. And if you have bow and or stern thrusters, use them! There are no brownie points for slamming into someone else's boat on the water just so you can be macho and not use them. No points for stupidity, especially preventable accidents.

[@seikibrian8641]

Normally one would do the prep before launching, but in this case they could get better camera angles with the boat in the water rather than up on the trailer. Since it was the middle of the week on a cold winter's day, and with 13 lanes available, they weren't holding up any other boats.

[@doughesson]

Looks like it can.

[@nuclearthreat545]

what's the beam?

[@jeffcarr5713]

+nuclearthreat545 ten feet

[@nuclearthreat545]

+Jeff Carr that's illegal to tow in my state unless you want to buy wide load permits every time

[@seikibrian8641]

+nuclearthreat545 -- Yes, you need a permit (and a "Wide Load" banner) here in Washington, too. It's not a boat that you'd trailer regularly, but it can be trailered if needed.

[@MoondanceMovies]

+nuclearthreat545 10 feet

[@MsZAGUDAI]

I am buying a pair of R-29 boats; one red and one green for the Great Lakes.

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

You've got a nice pair!

[@carolcharles6351]

A lot of that preparation should be done away from the loading ramp to allow others to launch their boots

[@robhertfernanda]

How to hit the rear deck on the pier

[@seikibrian8641]

How to fail to take camera angle and distance into account, and see something that didn't happen. ;-)

[@jimquantic]

Well, I must say you can clearly see there is TONS of not in use ramp there, these guys are blocking NO ONE.

[@Katie-qb6cy]

Jmichael Isbell i

[@mikewolfe386]

I just saw one of these sink

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

Where? I saw on beached that had hit a jetty. Didn't sink though.

[@LazyJack5]

Narrow for its length. I get the idea of this size boat being trailerable, but it leaning every time you go from one side to the other for a $350k boat is over the top.

[@mythril4]

Lazy Jack It likely has ballasts which they did not fill in this video.

[@seikibrian8641]

+Dragon Steel Nope.

[@seikibrian8641]

+Lazy Jack "Narrow for its length." A 10-foot beam is "narrow" for a 29-foot boat? I disagree. (And you'd really have to add a lot of options to get one of these up to the "$350k" mark. More like $250k.)

[@gobil5274]

+SeikiBrian You are correct on price. Yachtworld has a 2014 for $269,000 with command bridge. I still think it is too narrow, Length to width formula puts at 10.5' for its length. That bow thruster leaned it over.

[@seikibrian8641]

+Cosmo Fitz "I still think it is too narrow..." Tastes vary, which is why there are so many styles of boats. I myself LIKE a boat that rolls a little with inputs; that means that when I'm at anchor or at the dock and a wave comes along the boat won't react as much to it. In NA parlance we call boats that fight to stay perpendicular to the surface at all times "stiff," and the motion can be harsh. Other people LIKE a stiff hull, especially racers and day boaters. As the kids say, it's all good. "Yachtworld has a 2014 for $269,000 with command bridge." The R-29 doesn't have a command bridge version. You must have been looking at the R-31CB. (Since the R-31S and R-31CB are even longer than the R-29, but still have a 10-foot beam, you would probably REALLY dislike the L:B ratio.)

[@user-gq3es1we9o]

Ну всё у них по уму.

[@doolittlegeorge]

Not nearly even close to being enough truck to pull that tug and trailer let alone "back and fill" for launch. The launch site should include a Farm Tractor specifically for this purpose otherwise everyone is just having their transmission ripped to pieces. I could understand a Ford F450 for this task but that would be it for something at the consumer level.

[@Joshdavies146]

2 things 1: spent way to long prepping the boat while blocking the ramp eg could of done the aerials and batteries we did tie downs 2: shouldn't need bow thrusters unless a beginner driver

[@mymusings1293]

There are a lot of professional captains who love bow thrusters for controllability when maneuvering in tight quarters.

[@Joshdavies146]

+John Reid I guess if you've got them might aswell use them but probably not a good idea to rely on them

[@1951RKP]

Josh Davies ... possibly it's direct or v-drive wirh a single. Also they were demonstrating so using the thruster was just to show how it can assist in handling. Also they explained it was a early weekday morning with no one waiting to launch is why they went ahead and back on the ramp before prepping for launch.

[@stu19991]

Has tow mirrors, but doesn't use them pulling that big boat...

[@hcoutdoors6271]

Southern Michigan Outdoors he's not a douch bag like most dodge owners

[@NIGHTRIDER995]

@FromThe3PointLine not at all...

[@7blumax7]

Nice rig, but looks like a normal launch and retrieval to me.

[@FINfinFINfinFINfin]

That's the point.

[@sammysouth8372]

Wouldn’t the person who can afford this rig also be able to afford the rent for a slip?

[@MoondanceMovies]

Most likely. But many boaters are attracted to the ability to visit many cruising grounds, inland lakes, and more. Some go from the Pacific NW (our home) to the Great Loop, the Florida Keys, the Gulf Coast, etc. They love the “boater home” lifestyle. Check this owner’s blog for an idea of what they do: trailertrawlerlife.com

[@seikibrian8641]

Sammy South "Wouldn’t the person who can afford this rig also be able to afford the rent for a slip?" It's not just about cost. As Bruce Moore says, mobility is one of the key advantages of these "trailerable trawlers." Another is that you don't get bottom fouling when you store it "on the hard" rather than in salt water.

[@neil1150]

Lot of angry people commenting on this, may I suggest if you don't have time to be held up by other people you should either keep you boat afloat, or maybe get up a little earlier.

[@timothydowd2330]

Does that boat have a bow thruster? LMAO

[@seikibrian8641]

+Timothy Dowd -- Yes; the R-29 (and the R31 that replaced it) comes standard with bow and stern thrusters. Very handy on a single-engined boat.

[@havefunwiththomas319]

u

[@jimquantic]

Again, tons of open space, NO ONE is being blocked so no need for gun play

[@yourmedicareguylarrybelt7792]

Not a big fan of floating a boat on a trailer when loading. I don't want to be that guy whos truck is being towed out of the water.

[@elizabethusilton2528]

first learn to run the boat with out a thruster ..what happened to seamenship

[@seikibrian8641]

That's like saying "First learn to run the boat with sails." Get over yourself; only an idiot ignores technological advances.

[@chrispeters3337]

Why would you own one of these!

[@seikibrian8641]

+Chris Peters If you have to ask, it's not the boat for you.

[@jeffcarr5713]

+Chris Peters Because they are great boats. Imagine you are on the west coast and want to cruise the coast of Texas. You can get this boat there. Not many boats this large can be trailered. You could be anywhere in the US in 4 days and boating.

[@garyyoung4074]

Sure wish you'd lengthen hull to 32' with fuel tank "plug" forward of engine. Add that 3' to the interior living space on deck for more warm interior space. 29 aft deck is fine. 31 interior is no bigger than 29 so.......? Would boat be too heavy to trailer @32?

[@matthewadams9900]

Prep should be done before launching. Holding up boats from launching is a NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Joshua79C]

Did not see any other boat owners waiting to launch or retrieve, this was just for demo purpose anyway.

[@seikibrian8641]

Mathew Adams "Holding up boats from launching is a NO NO!" What other boats? This was filmed in the middle of the week on a cold winter's day at a facility with 13 launch lanes.

[@stfuliberal]

12k pounds behind a 3/4 ton truck.............. Bullshit. You would need a 1ton or better for that beast. Also with a 10' beam. Special tow permits. Very nice boat though.

[@seikibrian8641]

Yes, you obviously know more than the people who are actually doing it. Moron!

[@patrickcalhoun2415]

20 years ago I'd agree with you...Now nearly every modern 3/4 ton can tow 12k...even gassers. Most modern 1 tons can now tow 25-30.

[@patcalhoun3000]

James Little wow...mature...towing with a Hemi 2500 is 9k. Thats a Cummins...its 12500 to 13000 depending on config which is actually quite a conservative number if you ask anyone that owns one.

[@mikel9567]

Don't need special permits in WA, unless your hauling commercially. Had you paid attention you would see that they said they removed their oversized load signs already. So yes, they were in compliance. As for the towing capacity, that trailer is well within the capabilities of the Dodge. Notice the long tongue which puts the load back and reduces tongue weight. The trailer is a triple axle as well and is equipped with electric brakes. The dry weight is 10k lbs not 12. Pay attention and learn a thing or two.

[@seikibrian8641]

@@mikel9567 "Don't need special permits in WA, unless your hauling commercially." False. Every time my brother tows his, he has to buy an oversized load permit. (I think it's $5.00 per day.) You're probably confusing a commercial driver's license with an oversized load permit.

[@RSBSTEADICAM]

Dude learn "the rule of thirds" before you try and shoot any more video. Either that or hire a pro!

[@bucurilie-lo4jf]

Nice boat, but, I have electric bowtrasters and I can't hear them