RANGER J-Yacht
The "super J" that totally dominated
America's cup races of 1937
Ranger was a J-class
racing yacht that successfully defended the 1937
America's Cup. It was the last time J-class yachts would
race for the America's Cup. Ranger
was the first America's Cup yacht developed through
model testing in a towing tank. Tank tests results
helped Ranger to depart sharply from conventional J boat
practice. She was revolutionary in design
and
described as the "super J".
She was longer and more
powerful. She sailed better and was more refined in
every aspect.
After the 1934's loss against Rainbow, Thomas Sopwith
returned in 1937 with Endeavour II which is leaner and
meaner than her predecessor. Nonetheless, she proved no
match for the boat that was one of the America’s Cups all time
greats.
Ranger clearly won all 4 races.
Ranger
j-yacht totally dominated the trials and Cup Races of 1937. Of 37 starts she won 35.
Her afterguard under the season and canny Vanderbilt benefited hugely from the
presence of Olin Stephens and his brother Rod, probably
the finest racing seaman who ever crewed on a yacht.
Sail trimmer was Arthur Knapp, who later won thousands
of races in all sorts of boats, and the navigator was Zenas Bliss of Brown University. Mrs. Vanderbilt,
an able sailor herself, was always a participant.
J yacht Ranger's race in 1937 marked the end of an era — it was the last
America's Cup contest for 21 years and marked the end of
Big Class racing. As war loomed J-Class racing and
building drew to a close. By 1946 all the American
Js had been scrapped.
Endeavour and Shamrock V survived. They have been
restored. The impressive sight of these sexy
and majestic yachts racing against each other was
relived last year at the America’s Cup silver jubilee. The last 20 years have seen a huge resurgence of
interest in the J-Class. There are plans afoot to build replica of Ranger.
This primarily wood
scratch-built
Ranger J-yacht model is
39" long x 15" tall x 8.5" wide
$5,790
Shipping and insurance in
the contiguous USA included.
Other places: $300 flat rate.
Sold out.
Learn more about the
j yacht Ranger here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_(yacht)
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