A
A tugboat squats low and digs its heels into the unfathomably deep,
dark blue water of Puget Sound. Like a sumo wrestler its center
of gravity is low, its power unbounded. A container-laden barge
marches obediently behind the mission-designed vessel; the sight
causes me to think about the craft beneath my feet.
Ranger Tugs, as the name implies, was inspired in part by these
powerful workhorses that ply the Pacifi c. Seaworthiness and power
are forefront in the design brief. But so is style and performance.
Designed by Dave and John Livingston—founder and president of
Ranger Tugs, respectively—the newest stallion in their stable is the
fi rst IPS-powered 41.
Cruising at 20 knots with the sun streaming in through the large
forward-facing and side windows, our crew began to settle in for our
fi rst half-day run north to the San Juan Islands—the well-document-
ed destination of choice for those who cruise this part of the world.
Cameras, lenses, drones and microphones scattered across the galley
and salon tables as members of the Power & Motoryacht and Ranger
Tugs crew—strangers to each other mostly—engaged in small talk
and started get a sense of how this three-day, two-night adventure
was going to pan out.
Six people can carry a lot of gear, especially when camera equip-
ment is involved. Roller bags, duff els, computer bags and backpacks
came aboard for the journey and threatened to suff ocate the 46-foot
by 14-foot world we now called home. Th e 41 revealed a clever and
cavernous storage space beneath the salon seating that would en-
sconce all said supplies at the push of a button. Also in this space
keeping our luggage company was a fridge (there was more cold stor-
age aboard the 41 than some supermarkets) as well as a full-sized
washer and dryer. Early in our trip I began daydreaming about what
it would be like to sell my land-based belongings and live aboard. Its
features, like copious storage space and real-world-sized amenities,
can turn dreams into reality dangerously quickly.
From Puget Sound we cruised up the Saratoga Passage to Decep-
tion Pass and on to Rosario Strait. As we ticked off the miles, we
grew more and more comfortable with the boat and one another, yet
conversation remained formal and just a bit forced. But few activities
allow people to bond better than breaking bread, and nothing builds
an appetite quite like a day on the water.
Ranger Tugs Marketing and Communications Director Sam Bisset
suggested stopping the boat in a protected little cove called Bowman
Bay so we could whip up a meal. His casual tone betrayed the natural
beauty that the little bay possesses and the awe it engenders. A series
of fl oating docks off er free respite to anyone stopping for a couple
hours to enjoy a bite, the sights and maybe (in the summer) a swim.
Our crew powered through sandwiches and admired the view of
the surrounding mountains while a young girl practiced docking
the family boat with her father. Th e only other boat in the harbor
belonged to VP of Sales at Bellingham Yacht Sales, Matt Ouilette,
who arrived in a Cutwater 24 that would serve as our chase boat
and resident rocket ship. Th e 24 was a fi tting boat to join our little
armada. As the brand’s fi rst model with outboard power, a single
250-hp Yamaha, it showed the wide-ranging diversity within the
family business. (Both Ranger Tugs and Cutwater are owned and
run by the Livingstons.) It was around this point that formalities and
small talk melted away, language turned properly salty and the good-
natured ribbing began.
Our fi rst destination was the Rosario Resort and Marina on fa-
bled Orcas Island in the San Juans. We made quick work of washing
down and settling in. Th e shadows of the surrounding evergreens
grew long and gangly as dusk turned to night. Th e sea-weary crew
quenched our thirst with a batch of Marine Group Photographer
Jonathan Cooper’s award-winning, home-brewed IPA. I’m not sure
if the beer would have been as delicious if not paired with crisp
mountain air, but I hope I never fi nd out.47