Peals Of Laughter

I remember the first day I took possession my next boat: Blue Ranger! She was a 31 foot Ranger Tug. A pocket Trawler, they called them. Shaped like a mini tug boat. Internal diesel engine, below decks.

Wonderful layout that old boat of mine. Bow forward, was a Vee Berth for master cabin. Also in the forward master, was a Master head, known as a bathroom to you folks on shore, with full bath, including standup shower. Up a few steps, to the Helm Station, with his and hers forward facing seating starboard and port. Opening Helm doors for access to the bow for anchoring and mooring. The Port side seat also shifted so that it faced aft, for seating at the dinette.

There was a Large Dinette to port, seats 4 easily, and the table dropped to become a berth for one adult, or two kids, if needed. Under the forward port seating was the Fridge, facing into the cabin. Easy door access, for all. Under the Starboard Helm seat, was the microwave, facing the fridge door. Again, clever use of space, and easy access.

To Starboard, opposite the dinette, was the galley. Kitchen, for those who are not familiar with boating terms. She had the duel sink, storage overheard cabinets, under counter storage, and all doors were locking for seaway. The stove was a three burner propane stove, and a propane oven. Neat use of drawer storage, too, with all internal padding and racks, etc, to keep plates and cups from banging into each other when underway in heavy seas.

Under the Dinette, on the port side, was another guest berth, sleeps two, and a day head. The cabin had a wonderful sound system, a fold down TV mounted near the front, and a diesel-powered heater. I had added an optional ac unit, as the boat was originally built for the Pacific Northwest... me? I was boating New England and our “on the water” season tended to get very hot during summer. AC was a must.

Aft of the cabin, was a door, on centerline, that lead to a covered Cockpit, with bench seating, aft, and fold out benches to port and starboard. When opened out, the benches extended outward, increasing the cockpit space. Another ingenious use of space.

There was a swim platform aft of the cockpit, with a dingy and small motor, on fold up davits. The cockpit had an outdoor, propane grill, probably my main cooking device, and an external sink. A couple of outdoor storage lockers, too. I added a cockpit freezer with ice maker, from the factory. I opted for rollup screen and a snap on roll up plastic walls to extend my boating season to 3 seasons.

Another little upgrade I selected when buying Blue Ranger? I spent more and bought the Command Bridge model, as the Ranger Tugs called their Fly bridge. This upper helm, on the roof of the boat, had a helm bench seat, all the controls repeated, a Bimini Top, with roll up windows and screens, and a bench seat for three. Behind the Command Bridge, on top of the roof for the cockpit and rear cabin, I installed some after market solar panels. The factory option only allowed one panel for 8 amp hours. I bought additional marinized panels, allowing for a total of 16 amp hours. In addition, there was a small generator, I added, in the lazarette, plumbed to the diesel fuel tanks.

All in all, Blue Ranger was my next step in my freedom. I went from a day boater, to a fully equipped live aboard if I wanted. For my first summer, I used her like I did the Koukla Pooh. Day trips, although, my trips were for more hours, now.

The big goal of mine, some day, was to have a boat big enough to travel for months at a time. Spending all my time, living aboard. I wondered, would I even need a house? would I live full time on board?

Anyway, back to my trip with Blue Ranger... the boat I finally could start to experience overnights and weekends on, was mine. On the day I set out for my first overnighter, the seas were a day when, if I owned Kouklah Pooh, with no top, no protection from weather I would never take her out. The waves for 3 to 6, as they say. Three foot (1 meter), to six foot (just under 2 meters) waves, wild seas, and winds blowing. Yep, never never, in Kouklah Pooh.

And yet, here I was slipping my lines, from the float dock. Engine purring as I headed out of the harbor. The only ones moving that day, were the commercial fishermen who go out no matter what, the Coast Guard on their morning patrols, and me!

I was riding the upper helm, steering her past the last slips, and turning, now, for the run out the channel. The chop was picking up, as Blue Ranger steered into the oncoming rollers. We were feeling a little of the winds, and a bit of bounce, and I was thinking, no way, not in my last few boats, would I go anywhere on days like this. My boating was restricted to simple, calm, clear days, little winds. As free as I felt boating, I never realized, I still had limits then.

Up in the Command Bridge, I was smiling... and waving at a few brave souls, walking along the jetty, at the entrance to the harbor. I tossed a last wave towards those onshore, and focused no, ahead. As I passed the tip of the jetty, and the sign for incoming boats, that read No Wake Zone, a thought came over me...

I pushed throttles ahead, and fired her up to her normal cruising speed of 12 knots. She had a bit more, but I held it in reserve. Her powerful diesels kicked Blue Ranger into a steady push, and we hit the larger rollers, coming on shore!

As I stood at my upper helm, I smiled, feeling the boat riding up and over each oncoming wave. Each time I hit a peak and start to drop down the other side, I smiled more. I turned her slightly south, and felt the waves more. Each wave, more smiles, and then, a little rogue, slightly higher, maybe 7 or 8 foot? and we bounced down the backside. This brought a giggle.

Each bigger wave, maybe once every 5 minutes, brought more laughter. Big bounces of Blue Ranger, lots of splash and spray, as she bit into the seas, and more laughter.

At some point, I noticed I had company, with a pair of gulls, following in my wake. They were taking advantage of the reduced wind turbulence behind me, a little free flying, and also, looking in my wake, for any tasty morsel to be taken should one present itself. I laughed again at them, and then, a saw it... the big wave!

We slipped up, up and into her... Blue Ranger doesn’t glide over water, like a sports boat... she’s not a planing hull, she sits lower, heavy and steady, a displacement hull. She rode heavy into this big one... up and up, and then, we peaked!

I felt the brief bit in the pit of my stomach, as she dropped down... tiniest of gravity dropping as we did, she and I. I felt it, and instinctively, braced. She plunged into the bottom hollow between waves, bit with a big splash that came up and over my windscreen, and soaked me. I shrieked a bit, soaked, and smiled, and then...?

I let ‘er rip! The biggest peals of laughter. Great guffaws... loud and echoed by my new mates at sea. My two big black-backed gulls were enjoying the trip as much as I!