Hydraulicjump
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Messages
- 646
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-30 CB
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT2911F415
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Necky Looksha VII, Liquidlogic Remix, Jackson 4Fun
- Vessel Name
- La Barka (2015)
and worth all you are paying for it. I am on my second tug and have some free advice.
1) revel in the moment. You have bought the best boat in its class. You will find yourself looking forward, longingly, to your next time you get to go play on the water with your new toy. If it is on its trailer, you will make up excuses to climb in and mess around, regardless of the weather. And you will know many melancholy moments as you walk down the dock to head home, glancing back over your shoulder at your handsome boat. Yes, if we can fall in love with inanimate objects, a Ranger Tug is just that object.
2) this boat will break your heart. Yep, it will break and, in so doing, break your heart. It's a boat after all. You will be frustrated, even angry at times because you end up supplanting delicious anticipation with annoying anxiety. This stems from a simple two part problem. First, these are complex mechanical systems that are not produced at the scale--and with the QA/QC--of cars, and second, there is no dealership down the road that you can drive into and get it fixed in a hurry. It takes a lot of time and patience (I surely know this), and something else....
3) build good, working relationships with the factory, your dealer and your mechanic. In today's world of Yelp, Twitter and the 24 hour news cycle the tendency is to vent publicly about our frustrations, which is satisfying in the moment, but not helpful in the long-term. We forget that problems are solved most efficiently by being persistent, patient, communicative and, dare I say it, polite. And this approach avoids burning bridges that--given a boat's proclivity for mechanical failures--will most certainly be needed in the future. Take it from one who has had heatbreaks--including a rough water rescue by the Coast Guard moments before I was going on the rocks. I got the most help when I was collaborative, friendly and appreciative. This applies to all annoying things, I suppose--even airline travel.
4) Finally, lucky you, you have this site. There is an immense amount of expertise here and although tug nuts have been described as a "cult", it is built on wanting to help each other out and a genuine interest in helping solve each others problem. Go to a Rendezvous and you will see what I mean. This is the nicest bunch of boat owners I have ever met. I believe this stems from the leadership at the company and the attitude of the factory (maybe not all the dealerships, mind you).
There you are, free advice! Enjoy your fun, well-built, well-supported and occasionally maddening boat!
Jeff M
1) revel in the moment. You have bought the best boat in its class. You will find yourself looking forward, longingly, to your next time you get to go play on the water with your new toy. If it is on its trailer, you will make up excuses to climb in and mess around, regardless of the weather. And you will know many melancholy moments as you walk down the dock to head home, glancing back over your shoulder at your handsome boat. Yes, if we can fall in love with inanimate objects, a Ranger Tug is just that object.
2) this boat will break your heart. Yep, it will break and, in so doing, break your heart. It's a boat after all. You will be frustrated, even angry at times because you end up supplanting delicious anticipation with annoying anxiety. This stems from a simple two part problem. First, these are complex mechanical systems that are not produced at the scale--and with the QA/QC--of cars, and second, there is no dealership down the road that you can drive into and get it fixed in a hurry. It takes a lot of time and patience (I surely know this), and something else....
3) build good, working relationships with the factory, your dealer and your mechanic. In today's world of Yelp, Twitter and the 24 hour news cycle the tendency is to vent publicly about our frustrations, which is satisfying in the moment, but not helpful in the long-term. We forget that problems are solved most efficiently by being persistent, patient, communicative and, dare I say it, polite. And this approach avoids burning bridges that--given a boat's proclivity for mechanical failures--will most certainly be needed in the future. Take it from one who has had heatbreaks--including a rough water rescue by the Coast Guard moments before I was going on the rocks. I got the most help when I was collaborative, friendly and appreciative. This applies to all annoying things, I suppose--even airline travel.
4) Finally, lucky you, you have this site. There is an immense amount of expertise here and although tug nuts have been described as a "cult", it is built on wanting to help each other out and a genuine interest in helping solve each others problem. Go to a Rendezvous and you will see what I mean. This is the nicest bunch of boat owners I have ever met. I believe this stems from the leadership at the company and the attitude of the factory (maybe not all the dealerships, mind you).
There you are, free advice! Enjoy your fun, well-built, well-supported and occasionally maddening boat!
Jeff M
