Had a great ride on the little Ranger 21 yesterday. Had some interested folks from Texas here to see what the 21 footer is all about . We took a fully loaded [with options that is]Tug out across our 7 mile wide bay and through the pass at St George Island [Bob Sikes Cut] and ran around in the slop with 2′ whitecaps and some rain and stormy weather approaching.

The boat handles like a commercial fishing boat in those conditions which is to say it bobs like a cork in the water much like the Bristol Bay Alaskan Salmon Trawler it was modeled after . We were dry and comfortable in the cabin as well as in the spacious cockpit. Had it been warmer we could have cruised in air conditioned comfort with its 12 volt air conditioner but with the approaching front we did not need it.

We had cold beverages in the fridge and had a very relaxing cruise back to Apalachicola. We put her on the trailer and with a quick rinse we were off! Total fuel use was probably in the neighborhood of 2.5 gallons of diesel cruising at between 6 and 8 Kts for about 20 miles. The diesel has a relaxing and almost hypnotic sound to it and the Yanmar is as proven of an engine as there ever was built. As I like to say 10 million boats and tractors cant be wrong ! Please call us for a demo appointment on one of these fine vessels .
You can find out more at www.rangertugs.com
Marc

http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/40447102.html

Doing something for the oyster industry !
He is a guy I know that is shall we say colorful in his storytelling , hope this all works out and the age old oyster fishery continues to thrive year round  .
Marc

The storm “Fay” was very good to us in Apalachicola proper . We had very little wind or rain as a result of being in the middle of the circulation as opposed to in the outer convective melee to the north of us . Amazingly enough we here right on the Coast got maybe 25% of the rainfall that they received a mere 30 miles away . We never had a loss of power in my neighborhood at least , and I am thankful for all of that . We are still in the midst of the season and need to be watching as the tracks can tend to repeat . Any way you look at it this time of year is stressful . Not as bad as having a loved one in the hospital or an IRS audit , but stressful none the less . We hope the losses in other parts of Florida are not too great and the recoveries are swift .

Marc