PUSHING AHED

Ranger Tugs of Kent, Washington, builds power cruisers for people who admire the rough-and-tumble looks of industrial workboats. Complete with plumb bows, salty looking wheelhouses and conspicuous superstructures, Ranger Tugs borrow from their commercial cousins’ style, but that’s where similarities end.

With topsides painted in colors such as claret red, hunter green, midnight blue and Fighting Lady Yellow, they carry recreational kit like kayaks, bicycles, fishing gear and stern-rail barbecues. Far from grimy container terminals, they are found in many attractive cruising venues, including the Inside Passage, Downeast Maine, the Great Loop and the Florida Keys.

Now comes the R-41, the biggest model to date from Ranger Tugs. It has Volvo Penta IPS pod propulsion, is available in sedan or