When I got a phone call from  Jimmy and David Oliver from Pittsburg Marine asking me to go to the Ranger Boat factory in Flippin, Arkansas I said when are we leaving.

We all met early one morning at their dealership and headed to Flippin. Several hours later we arrived with a warm greeting that night at a lodge that Ranger had rented for us.

The next morning we arrived early to tour the plant and met some of the people that make Ranger Boats what they are. I am now on my 3^rd ranger and I have toured several of the other boat companies that make boats but I have never seen the quality and craftsmanship that the people of Flippin put into their work. I was amazed by the people that had been there for so many years, there is not a lot of turn over of workers so that tells me a lot about the company. For instance the people that install the carpet in the boats have been doing it so long that they are on their 3^rd generation of family members in that department. It was totally amazing of the detail that they go to check every Ranger Boat before it leaves the plant.

After touring the plant we were trained in a classroom on the new features and innovations that was new on the boats.  Next we were treated to a lunch with all the Ranger family including the founder Forrest L.Wood himself and now President of the company Randy Hopper. After seeing the greatest boat plant that I have ever been in we were taken outside to look at all the wrapped boats that they had on hand and meet some of the pros like David Walker and others. We then got to run by the Ranger apparel trailer they had set up for us to pick out some nice Ranger clothing.

Later that evening we were taken next door to the Ranger Boats Museum where we were greeted By Forrest and his wife Nina Woods at the door. They both handed us nice Ranger caps and signed them for us. This trip was one that I will always remember and look forward to going on again. All the people from Ranger were very good to us and they believe in the product that they make.