Photos
Here’s Alto in Mobile, AL where she was purchased new from a Ranger Tugs dealer.
Here’s Alto in Mobile, AL where she was purchased new from a Ranger Tugs dealer.
We had the Ranger Tugs transport team move her on their truck (with the trailer) to Sanford, FL to explore the St. John River. BTW we rarely used the trailer, as we easily found professional long distance haulers on U-Ship which is like eBay. The St. John River is unusual as it flows north at just one mph, and it was a good place for my wife to get accustomed to boating (she doesn’t swim). While a natural wonderland, the full screening (the panels with plastic windows are a separate set) was a necessity. They let in the breeze and kept the bugs out as shown below. When we’re in Cape Cod waters, we install the plastic side curtains which allow us to boat into November and even December, and sit outside in the cockpit in comfort. Sweaters and hot tea with rum in it required.
See Alto next to her sister ship, Ainokea (which is Hawaiian for I don’t care). Ainokea is below on the right in red. Note both of us have Phifertex front window screens to reduce sunlight, which is nicer than the standard canvas cover, and lets you see out. Alto’s is black and Ainokea’s is tan. The discerning eye will see that Ainokea (a 2008 model) has a Raymarine radar dome (no touch screen display), she also has a smaller Cummins engine. In 2009 the tug, like Alto, was upgraded to the Garmin and Yanmar 150hp engine.
Half the fun of owning a Ranger Tug is meeting other Ranger owners, at frequent gatherings (called a rendezvous) and while cruising. Most of us communicate on TugNuts.com where you learn all manner of stuff. I’ve contributed over a hundred comments and descriptions, like those on the website, for new as well as experienced boaters. All are
Well, back to making good friends. We ran into the owners of Ainokea, which resides on the St. John River. Check out Frank’s cool removeable grill post on the swim platform designed to work with Magma SS grills. We liked it so much, we installed the same mount on Alto’s swim platform–which is included in her equipment.
We kept Alto in a covered slip in Sanford, at the extreme southern end of the St. John River which wends it way up to Jacksonville and into the ocean. Note the fabric covered fenders. We had to check for alligators who like to sleep on the docks, each morning before stepping off the boat!
We would bring Alto back and forth to Cape Cod in Massachusetts for the summer, then back to Florida for the winter. We had a “condo” in Key Largo at the Pilot House marina for $468/month, including tax! Beat that during the winter season to stay in the Keys whenever you wanted to. In fact, I have a blog of AltosAdventures you can look over for more information about trailer trawlering with these unique boats.
Here’s the view from Alto’s deck down Tashmoo Harbor on Martha’s Vineyard. I dropped the hook and stayed for a week there for free. I’ve done that more than once! Or drive her around to Edgartown for some action and grab a mooring for $40/night. Share the mooring with another boat, and its only $30. You don’t have to be an Obama to afford the high life, and you’re right downtown, since waterfront cities and towns are, well, built on the waterfront.
The Keys are shallow, but with Alto’s 22” (that’s less then two feet) draft, she goes anywhere there’s water. And with her trailer she goes 60 miles per hour from Cape Cod to Florida or anywhere. How about visiting the giant lakes in Georgia or Lake Powell or Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam in Arizona and Nevada. Ranger Tugs are perfect for this type of adventure, in fact read the blog Laurie Anne’s (a Ranger R-25 just like Alto) adventures on Lake Powell in Utah and many other places here.
Here’s Alto on a free public mooring in the Florida Keys, off Lignumvitae Key, not far from Tavernier. I dinghied to the botanical state park there, and here I am returning. That’s my wife in the cockpit, who doesn’t swim, nervously watching my progress.
Well the story doesn’t end, Alto is getting ready for a new beginning and new adventures. Here, pictured below, she is getting primped and polished back on Cape Cod, in preparation for her next owners. She may be in Florida or maybe on the Cape, but we’ll help you find her if you are interested. Just click on the link for my name at the bottom of any of these pages.
Oh, and why am I selling her? Only, to buy a R-31 since I’m now semi-retired and the wife wants a bigger “condo” in Sarasota, FL. I’ve already rented the slip, and where else could you live downtown in a city like Sarasota for $660/month? You can see her double solar panels, below.
New bottom paint and zincs.
And, here’s our cats of course! Nah, they stay home.
<– Previous Page ––– Next Page –>
