I went through the compact truck buying routine just last year. I went in with a list of criteria that had to be met (tight turning radius, same or better mileage than existing 02 V6 S-10, etc).
For your needs, you will probably want a locking differential of some kind if you have 2WD and want to get up a boat ramp. I mention this because they aren't as easy to get on a truck as you would think.
But here is what I found, in a nutshell, which will likely offend at least one person from every camp.
Ranger
Pros: least expensive, can get the options you want for the most part (limited slip available), good reputation for durability, parts are cheap and anyone can fix one
Cons: cramped cabin, rough riding, noisy
Bottom line: crude compared to the competition, not an improvement over the S-10
Tacoma
Pros: really liked the cabin, strong V6, one of the better for MPG, strong re-sale
Cons: expensive, flexible frame and light rear end make for a bad ride, can only get street racer lowered or off-road raised ride height - nothing in between, no limited slip option (you can get an electronic locking rear-end, but only on the TRD off-road), numerous problems including weak tailgates, revised payload ratings, cracking beds, bad ball joints, broken engine mounts, valve noise, and more
Bottom line: I went in thinking this was my truck, but after driving a few went looking elsewhere - a major disappointment
Frontier
Pros: strong V6 and well-matched transmission, comfortable front cabin, all-metal bed and strong tailgate, good quiet ride
Cons: very poor MPG, enormous turning radius, limited slip available, but only on certain trims, poor re-sale
Bottom line: I liked the truck, but couldn't get past the bad MPG and turning radius
Colorado/Canyon
Pros: can get the options you want (including limited slip), reasonably priced
Cons: if comments I got from the Colorado owners I talked to are any indication, there are too many to list here
Bottom line: this one looked good on paper, but based on feedback I got, I never test drove one, so I can't help much here
Ridgeline
Pros: rides great, drives great, runs great, numerous clever touches (trunk in bed, etc.), good 4WD system, sterling reliability, high resale, comfortable front and back
Cons: heavy, V6 a bit too small for that much weight, poor mpg, expensive, spare is in trunk (if you have a flat with the bed loaded, you have some extra work to do), no 2WD option, bed design is awkward (you can't reach over the side, and while bed covers and caps are available, they are seriously expensive)
Bottom line: I didn't give this one much thought until I drove it. If Honda makes the interior less quirky, drops some weight, gives it a bit more power, puts a normal bed on it, and maybe makes it a little smaller they will have a winner on their hands. Fair warning - once you drive this one, you will realize how crude the others are. But at the end of the day it was a little too big, a little too expensive, a little too thirsty, and a little too underpowered to make the sale.
As others have stated, keeping the F-150 makes the most $ sense. If you really want a new one, the compacts only offer the advantage of being slightly smaller - they really aren't any cheaper and the mileage is about the same as a full size.
