Ranger Tugs R-29 S Sedan, the Diesel Tug Built for Two

Ranger Tugs for sale, and where the R-29 S fits

Browse Ranger Tugs for sale and you will notice a split in the range. The smaller boats, the R-23, R-25 and R-27, are outboard trailer cruisers. The R-29 is where Ranger keeps a single inboard diesel, a shaft and a keel, and the S (for Sedan) is the version without a flybridge. Its sister, the R-29 CB (Command Bridge), adds an upper helm on the same hull.

Ranger's first 29, now called the R-29 Classic, dates from around 2009. The Sedan in its current form appeared in the builder's lineup by 2015, and the CB followed a year later. Northwest and Luxury Edition packages were built through the 2025 model year, and the 2026 R-29 S comes in one fully equipped specification at $409,937.

This is the Ranger for couples who want to cruise for weeks rather than weekends, cover distance at a diesel's steady pace, and still keep the option of trailering across the country on a 10-foot beam.

A hull with a bubble and an engine out of the cabin

The R-29's cleverest engineering is below the waterline. Power & Motoryacht's test described a bubble in the after sections of the hull that adds a little lift and, more importantly, lets the engine sit low, so the shaft angle is only about 6 degrees compared with a typical 12 to 14. Less angle means less wasted thrust. A keel protects the propeller and carries a stainless steel grounding shoe, a sensible detail in the Pacific Northwest where deadheads lurk just under the surface.

The Volvo Penta sits entirely beneath the cockpit rather than under the cabin sole, with a powered engine hatch on current boats. That keeps noise and heat out of the living space and makes daily checks easy. A single 145-gallon poly fuel tank sits on the centerline forward of the engine, so there are no transfer valves to manage. Standard bow and stern thrusters with a wireless remote make the single-engine boat easy to dock.

A sedan layout drawn for couples

The Sedan's pilothouse has a curved three-panel windshield and an overhead glass atrium that floods the helm and salon with light. The galley is offset so the walkway stays clear, and current boats get a propane stove top and oven, refrigerator and freezer, microwave, a wine or water cooler and four galley drawers. The dinette seats four and converts to a bed, and a double helm seat lets the mate ride alongside the skipper.

Below, the forward stateroom has an island berth with a memory foam mattress and an en suite head with a separate shower enclosure and electric toilet. A midship stateroom runs under the dinette. Power & Motoryacht found it unexpectedly comfortable thanks to a firm mattress, side ports and a hatch that opens into the cockpit, though it is clearly the second-best bed on board.

Aft, the cockpit seats seven or more, with a reversible sunset seat that faces forward or aft, port and starboard jump seats, a teak table, a cockpit refrigerator and an opening glass bulkhead with a reversible seat that joins the cabin to the deck. A hardtop with hatches and lights covers the cockpit.

• Forward island berth with en suite head and shower
• Midship stateroom under the dinette
• Dinette for four converts to a double
• Cockpit seating for seven, cockpit fridge and teak table
• Optional aft steering station for docking

What the Volvo D4 320 burns at every speed

Ranger publishes a performance bulletin for the current boat with a Volvo Penta D4 320, tested in Everett, Washington with full fuel and water and four people, and verified by a Volvo Penta application engineer. It shows 7.2 knots at 1,600 rpm on 2.0 gallons per hour, 11.9 knots at 2,600 rpm on 7.5 gph, 15.5 knots at 3,000 rpm on 10.2 gph and a top speed of 23.4 knots at 3,710 rpm on 16.9 gph.

Two habits follow from those numbers. At trawler speed, around 7 knots, the boat sips fuel and range stretches to roughly 470 nautical miles on 90 percent of the tank. From about 12 knots up to wide open, range stays fairly flat near 180 to 200 miles because speed rises almost as fast as burn, so there is little penalty for running at 15 to 20 knots when you need to.

Earlier R-29 boats used the Volvo D4-260. In Power & Motoryacht's 2017 test of the R-29 CB, that engine gave better than 18 knots flat out, a fast cruise of 16 knots at 3,300 rpm with 1.4 nautical miles per gallon and a 180-mile range, and just under 10 knots at 2,500 rpm with 1.67 nmpg and a 217-mile range.

Trailering a 10-foot beam is possible but not casual

Ranger markets the R-29 as trailerable, and it is, but this is a different proposition from towing an R-25. The beam is 10 feet, so most states require an oversize permit. Ranger estimates the boat on its factory trailer at 38 feet 9 inches long and 12 feet 5 inches high, and the dry weight is 10,500 pounds before fuel, water and gear. The optional aluminum trailer is triple axle.

Most owners keep the boat in a slip and use a commercial hauler for occasional long moves, such as shipping from Washington to the Great Lakes or Florida for a season. With the mast down, bridge clearance is 9 feet 11 inches, and draft is just 30 inches, both friendly numbers for the Great Loop and inland waterways.

Editions, standard kit and what changed

Through 2025 the R-29 S came in two packages. The Northwest Edition carried a diesel forced-air heater and downrigger plugs for cold-water cruising; the Luxury Edition added climate control and a diesel generator with a sound shield. Both were sold ready to cruise with an anchor package, windlass, Garmin electronics and thrusters.

The 2026 boat folds the best of both into one specification: climate control, lithium iron phosphate house batteries, a 220-watt bifacial solar panel, dual 12-inch Garmin displays, radar, autopilot and AIS receive, plus an inverter and charger. Options are short, including a stern steering station, low-speed module, Volvo extended coverage and a factory delivery experience in Washington.

Ranger Tugs R-29 S ownership costs and resale

With a slip, insurance, Volvo service, bottom paint, canvas and electronics updates, expect roughly $14,000 to $28,000 a year depending on region and how far you cruise. Fuel is modest at displacement speed; at the 15.5-knot point in Ranger's table, burn is about 10 gallons per hour.

Ranger's strong owner community and long-running production help resale. Northwest boats tend to trade slightly lower in warm-climate markets where buyers want air conditioning, and boats with the factory trailer, low engine hours and documented Volvo service command a premium.