The J-class yacht Ranger won the 1937 America's Cup, defeating 4-0 the Endeavour II of Britain, raced at Newport, Rhode Island. It would be the last time huge J-class yachts would race in the America's Cup.
Contents |
Construction
Harold Stirling Vanderbilt funded construction of the Ranger, and it launched on May 11, 1937. It was designed by Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens, and constructed by Bath Iron Works. Stephens would credit Burgess with actually designing the Ranger, but the radical departure from conventional J-class design was more likely attributable to Stephens himself. Ranger was constructed according to the Universal Rule which determined how large various dimensions of racing yachts, such as sail area and length, could be. Often referred to as the super J, the Ranger received a rating of 76, the maximum allowed while still fitting within Universal Rule constraints.
Specifications
- Overall length: 135 ft
- Length at water line: 87 ft
- Beam (width): 21 ft
- Draft: 15 ft
- Displacement: 166 tons
Data comparison
This table compares some of Ranger's measurements with some of the other famous large America's Cup yachts:
| LOA | LWL | Sail Area | Mast height | Displacement | |
| Ranger | 41.15 m | 26.51 m | 701 m² | 46.98 m | 166 tons |
| Reliance | 43.89 m | 27.43 m | 1501 m² | 67.05 m | 189 tons |
| KZ1 | 36.57 m | 27.43 m | 627 m² | 46.78 m | 39 tons |
