Making Your Boat Special: Upgrades And Add-Ons

 All the Ranger Tugs come very well equipped and ready to cruise even without any options. That said, upgrading and adding on to the boats is one of the fun parts of ownership. Every owner seems to have their own list of upgrades, ranging from napkins and serving trays to AIS and grills. These are things I like or want, or that I know others have really liked.

Factory Options

One of the things that keeps the price of Ranger Tugs approachable is that you can’t build a boat so unique that nobody else has one like it. You don’t get to select your specific wood trim from a range of endangered trees and customize the upholstery to color match your underwear. The boats that do are very expensive.

Ranger Tugs are designed to allow more people to get into a better boat, and to provide a great platform for owners to personalize with aftermarket add-ons. Consequently, there are relatively few factory options. Below is my personal, extremely biased take, based on years of boating in the Pacific Northwest. Other owners will vehemently disagree with me. Hopefully we can meet up at a marina somewhere, sit down with a drink, and have a fun discussion about this.

1. The Dinghy Package

The "must-have" status of a dinghy depends entirely on your cruising style.

• The Draw-Back: Adding a dinghy via a davit or lift system significantly encroaches on your swim platform. If your primary mission is fishing, you likely prefer the "Clear-Path" platform for landing fish without an inflatable in the way.

• The Benefit: If you plan to spend your nights on the hook (anchored), the dinghy is your "car" for getting to shore, exploring coves, or taking the dog to the beach.

• Pro Tip: If all you need the dinghy for is taking a small dog ashore or stern tying you may want to consider a paddle board or an Oru foldable kayak instead and keep the swim platform clear. We used both on our R-25.

2. Downrigger Plugs and Pads

If you have any intention of salmon fishing in the PNW, these are non-negotiable.

3. Garmin xHD Radar

This is one of the most important safety upgrades you can buy. I won’t cruise without radar again.

One day last summer when we were heading back to Everett from the San Juans we had clear skies all morning; until we hit Rosario Strait. As soon as we got into the strait visibility dropped to sub-quarter mile. Without radar and AIS, we would have been forced to turn back. In the middle of the strait we ended up crossing the path of a working tug boat towing a barge north. They were within a half mile of us, but we couldn’t see them. On the chartplotter we saw them clearly with the radar. With the Automated Identification System (AIS) we could tell that they were on a collision course and that it was a tug with very limited maneuverability. We were able to adjust our course to avoid them safely with no drama, or ever being able to physically see them. Had we turned back we would have missed our current window at Deception Pass, and may not have made it back that day.

Get the radar. Without it, you are effectively flying blind in a high-traffic corridor.

4. Aft Station Steering

Useful, but specialized. This is an option on the R-29 and R-31, and it comes as standard equipment on the R-43.

• Single-Handing: An aft station provides an advantage for docking solo, allowing you to control the boat while standing right next to your lines.

• Fishing: It’s excellent for making adjustments to your trolling heading while keeping an eye on your downriggers, especially if you’re on your own.

• The Verdict: If you usually cruise with a capable crew or don't plan on heavy solo fishing, you can likely skip this in favor of a wireless thruster remote.

5. Climate Control: Diesel Heater vs. Reverse-Cycle A/C

There is a common debate on Tugnuts whether to choose a diesel or the Reverse-Cycle A/C, which has both heat and cooling.

• A/C Downside: Reverse-Cycle A/C requires shore power or the Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries. The diesel heater runs off 12V and, on the diesel boats, the main fuel tank.

• The "Pet Factor": Our world is warming. In the PNW A/C wasn’t really needed 20 years ago, but today, if you keep pets on board, having A/C is great for keeping the cabin cool and safe during sunny Northwest afternoons while you are ashore for dinner. If you’re outside the PNW, it’s probably a no-brainer.

• The Verdict: I’m firmly in Camp Reverse-Cycle A/C. We routinely leave it running in Dog Mode and to cool the cabin to make it comfortable to sleep.

6. Auxiliary Trolling Motor (Kicker)

This one will be controversial. A trolling motor is often billed as a safety feature or a fishing requirement. Your mileage may vary.

• The Trolling Reality: Most Ranger Tug hulls—especially the outboards—can troll effectively at sub-2 mph using just the main engine at idle, or using the low-speed mode built into the outboard motors.

• Redundancy: It is true that with the kicker you have a bail-out option if anything were to happen to the main motor. I have limped back on a trolling motor when I hit a log and damaged the main one. However, in spite of that, I didn’t find the inconvenience of the trolling motor worth it if you can call Tow Boat US and probably get back faster that way.

• (In)convenience: I value a clear swim platform more than the extra motor.

• The Verdict: Unless you want a dedicated "get home" engine for extreme redundancy, the added weight and cost of a kicker motor are often unnecessary for standard trolling missions.

7. Auto-pilot

Auto-pilot is an option on the R-23 and R-25. You should get it. When you do your first multi-hour cruise, you will be very happy you did. It makes it so much easier to manage the boat on those longer cruises. Even as you’re leaving the marina, or if you are cruising down a long no-wake zone, you will appreciate the heading hold feature. Well worth it. 

Aftermarket Essentials

While a Ranger Tug comes "ready to cruise" from the factory, many owners—especially those who like tinkering —view the stock boat as a baseline. To truly "harden" your tug for unpredictable conditions, accommodate your specific mission, and because it is fun, you will add things to it. There are several aftermarket additions that significantly improve safety, situational awareness, and longevity. Some of these are great options no matter where you cruise, but I’m also sure there are other options you may consider if you are, say, in Florida versus the PNW.

1. The "Security & Monitoring" Layer

In a region where floating logs, commercial traffic, and sudden fog are standard operating conditions, your electronic signature and remote visibility are paramount.

• The Suicide Knob: A simple steering knob on the helm wheel makes docking maneuvers on the outboard models a whole lot more fluid. It’s a low-cost upgrade that you’ll use every single time you move the boat. If you have an outboard, this is the first thing you should add. With this, and a bit of skill, you will be able to parallel park your boat without breaking a sweat, impressing everyone on shore and your family every time.

• AIS Transmit/Receive: The R-29s and R-31s come from the factory with "AIS Receive" only. Upgrading to a Class B Transceiver (like the Vesper Cortex or Garmin AIS 800) ensures that the 1,000-foot container ships in the Puget Sound traffic lanes can see you on their bridges, not just the other way around. In my opinion, this is one of the first upgrades you should make. The Vesper, standard on the R-43, has a bit better reception with a separate antenna. The AIS 800 is less expensive and includes a built-in antenna splitter, making it plug-and-play without the need for a second antenna. For most people, the latter is sufficient, and half the price.

• Marine Monitoring: For peace of mind when you’re land bound, a remote monitoring system is useful. Roam Marine allows you to audit your battery voltages, bilge status, and shore power connection from your phone. BRNKL has the same functions and much more but for more money.

• Wireless Thruster Remote: This is a force multiplier for single-handed docking on the R-29 and R-31. Being able to stand on the side deck with a lanyard remote to pulse the bow and stern thrusters while you handle a mid-ship line is scientifically proven to reduce docking stress by 80% (not really, but it is pretty great).

2. Ground Tackle & Docking

• Anchor Upgrade: The factory-supplied "Claw" anchor is adequate for fair-weather lunch stops, but many owners who are serious about spending nights on the hook upgrade to a heavier and more capable option such as a Rocna or Mantus. These "new-gen" anchors set faster and hold better in varied bottoms.

• Stern Tie Reel: If you are cruising the narrow, deep inlets of British Columbia or crowded bays in the San Juans, a stern tie is often mandatory. The SMI Rope Winder is a great, inexpensive option that integrates perfectly with the Ranger Tug ecosystem by mounting directly onto standard Scotty downrigger mounts. You can find cooler looking far more expensive options as well, but I will use that money for something else.

• The "Fender Plus" Rule: Standard factory kits usually provide two fenders for each side, three for the R-43. Many owners prefer the sense of security of an extra fender on each side to increase the likelihood that the people without a suicide knob bounce off your boat rather than drive into it.

• Extra lines: An extra pair of dock lines is a great addition to the kit. A 50’ line works great as a spring line, but adding two 25-35’ lines is usually sufficient for most of the tugs. It relieves stress a bit to have these pre-staged on both sides of the boat. If you are "locking through" at the Ballard Locks, or get pinned against a high dock in a crosswind, an extra 50’ spring line is a great addition. Get the same size as the factory supplies on the boat, 5/8” on all but the R-43, which uses 3/4” lines from Top Knot.

3. Professional Preservation: Ceramic Coating

All clear coats dull over time. The darker hull colors (like the Dark Gray, Midnight Blue, and Hero Red) tend to fade and oxidize a little faster than the lighter colors. With an investment like a boat, you should really consider a ceramic coating. Owned by an R-25 owner, Premier Ceramic Coating is a go-to in the Pacific Northwest. A professional ceramic application doesn't just make the boat shine; it creates a hydrophobic barrier that makes washing off salt spray a five-minute job rather than a half-day chore. This is one of my must-have add-ons.

4. Cabin Comfort & Visibility

Small ergonomic tweaks often yield the highest "quality of life" returns. There are as many small tweaks as there are owners, but here are a couple of my favorites.

• Window Shades & The "Jeep Hack": The atrium glass that makes Ranger Tugs so bright can also transform them into a greenhouse. While FreedomVanGo makes excellent custom shades, we discovered that a standard windshield screen for a Jeep Cherokee fits the forward glass on the R-25 perfectly.

• Bed Topper: Standard on the R-43, but a vital add-on for smaller models. The factory cushions are notorious for being firm. Unless you have your Sleep Number bed set to 100 at home, you should consider something like the YachtBedding custom 3-inch gel memory foam topper. For us it makes the difference between a restless night and home-like sleep. YachtBedding has patterns for all the Ranger Tug models. I wouldn’t bother with the custom sheets - they’re just normal sheets - but the coverlet is pretty nice. We found that on the R-25 it was better to sleep with the head to the bow. The boat slopes slightly from bow to stern, and sleeping the other way makes it feel like you’re laying the wrong way on a hill.

5. Boat Internet

Most marinas offer WiFi service these days, and in most cases, it’s pretty spotty. It’s very convenient to have a single WiFi system for your boat so that all the various systems on board can connect to a single WiFi system and get to the Internet. The simplest option, and one of the more expensive in the long run, is simply to add Starlink.

You don’t need satellite connectivity in many of the places we go. In a different article, I wrote about how I installed a Peplink BR1 Pro 5G router on our R-25. There is a video on the process on the Let’s Go Channel Surfing YouTube channel too. It is a relatively complex upgrade, however, and you need some basic networking skills to make it work. In a future article I will talk more about these options. For us, the cellular option is great because our mobile carrier, Google Fi, includes a data-only SIM for free, so, practically speaking, we have free boat internet (after you pay a large cost for the router).

6. Propellers

Many owners of the outboard models find that the stock three-blade propellers are kind of like all-season tires. They’re made to be ok in all conditions, but not great at any one thing. In particular, they can feel a bit "light" during low-speed docking or trolling, and they make it difficult to maintain mid-range speed. Upgrading to a more specialized propeller, such as a Power Tech SCE5 or Sharrow propeller can significantly improve low-speed handling and reverse control. This is a common "Pro-Tip" for those who want a bit more control when the wind picks up in a tight marina, or to maintain the boat at 16 mph, which the stock propeller really can’t do.

There are innumerable other things you can do to your boat. If you hang out on TugNuts or come to one of the cruises, you will see more than you can absorb. It’s one of the things that makes these boats so much fun, and builds community. If you come up with something cool, post it on Tugnuts.