ranger j class yacht

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August 2003

Original lines: Starling Burgess, Olin Stephens / Modified design: Dykstra

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As the first of the modern 'replica' boats to be built, Ranger was very much the catalyst for the new generation of J Class yachts. A passionate American owner fell in love with the J Class after racing the chartered Endeavour in Antigua in 1997, and the next year, after reaching an agreement with the newly formed J Class Association, commissioned a replica of Harold Venderbilt's so-called 'Mighty Ranger'. One fundamental stipulation of the JClass Association was that the new J Class be built in steel. She was launched in August 2003 after 24 months building at Danish Yacht Shipyard in Skagen, Denmark. Her interior was built in modules in Sardinia.   ‍ The owner loved the idea of building a replica big American flagged 'Super J'. The original Starling Burgess/Olin Stephens Ranger was from the first design family to be properly tank tested and was built to the maximum waterline length at 87ft. She built an unsurpassed record of 32 wins from 34 starts after winning her first two America’s Cup races against Endeavour II by 17 and 18 minutes and going on to win 4-0.   ‍ Ranger’s lines are very true to the original with the iconic snub nosed barrel bow, though like other modern replica boats, 100mm was added to the freeboard and a big deckhouse was incorporated.   Raced successfully with a highly experienced crew under Captain Dan Jackson with helm Erle Williams, tactician Murray Jones and a core of fellow Kiwis, in the early days Ranger’s most regular rival was Velsheda in the Caribbean and Europe. Among Ranger’s big wins were the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup in Sardinia in 2008, the Newport J Class regatta in 2011 and the J Class Falmouth regatta in 2012.   ‍ Being immaculately built in steel, Ranger is heavier than some of her newer rivals. She is at her best in flat water, especially in bigger breezes and correspondingly is weaker in waves and lighter airs.   ‍ She was refitted the year before the 2017 J Class World Championships in Newport.   In April 2018 the owner sadly passed away and in due course Ranger was sold on to a new American owner. After a major refit with Dykstra Naval Architects which included further weight being removed from the boat, Ranger raced in Spring 2022 for the first time with the new owner and a new team which now includes America’s Cup winning helm Ed Baird, tactician John Kostecki and navigator Jules Salter. Ranger won the first regatta of the season, the Saint Barth’s Bucket and went on to win the overall season title.

Length at waterline

displacement

upwind sail area

spinnaker sail area

2012 Falmouth Regatta

Overall winner Ranger

2013 Superyacht Cup Palma Superyacht Cup

2013 maxi yacht rolex cup, 2014 menorca maxi, 2014 superyacht cup palma, 2014 maxi yacht rolex cup, 2014 les voiles de saint-tropez.

Ranger wins

2015 J Class Falmouth Regatta

2015 rys bicentenary regatta cowes, 2015 les voiles de saint-tropez.

Ranger wins IRC A

2016 Saint Barths Bucket

2017 america’s cup superyacht regatta, bermuda, 2017 j class world championships, newport, 2022 saint barths bucket, 2022 superyacht cup palma, 2022 ranger wins kohler cup for overall season.

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5 reasons why you should buy iconic J Class Ranger

She is the ultimate racing yacht.

41.7 metre J Class sailing yacht  Ranger is a truly special yacht – not just because of her classic beauty, but because she is the first J Class yacht to be built since their 1930s heyday.

Ranger was delivered in 2004 by Denmark-based Danish Yachts, and – unlike most other J Class yachts – she is built out of steel, and handicapped appropriately within the fleet. As owner John Williams puts it: "If there was a war, the safest place to be would be on board Ranger ." The steel hull makes her incredibly sturdy, meaning that on the odd occasion that there's been a collision, the other yachts have come off a lot worse than Ranger. In fact, quite remarkably, in Ranger 's 13 very successful years of regattas, she has never suffered any race-related damage. She is also kept lightweight, thanks to her Nida-core interior and carbon-fibre dog house, meaning she can glide through the waves at a much faster pace.

Ranger was built as a replica of the 1937 America’s Cup winner of the same name. This event was the last time that the huge J Class yachts would race in the America’s Cup , hence making Ranger that little bit more special. Like with the original yacht, the team behind the new Ranger pushed boundaries in terms of technology and speed. While appearing very similar to the original sail designs of aluminium and cotton, they were replaced with carbon-fibre to help with strength and durability. It clearly worked, as Williams races her at least four times a year every year, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean , and has an outstanding track record.

You can see her in action at the St Barths Bucket here...

Ideal for family cruising

Whilst she is fit for racing, this is not her only purpose – she is also a beautifully conceived family cruiser. Her four staterooms sleep up to 10 guests, with separate access to the eight-person crew area for true privacy. The yacht was built with the comforts of a newly built motor yacht, but without taking away her sailing heritage. For example, the main stateroom has been designed in true 1930s style with varnished mahogany panels, classically opulent furnishings and black and white tiles in the master bathroom, but with modern day conveniences such as air conditioning, hot water and even an Apple TV. With Ranger you really do get the best of both worlds.

John Williams's children grew up on board Ranger and also fell in love with her – having luxurious yet practical interiors, as well as two tenders, means that family time on board is plenty of fun, without any fear of claustrophobia! Plus, her 'floating' interior means that she is particularly quiet, both at sea and moored, with no vibration and little engine noise, which in turn makes her even more relaxing to be on board.

She's a ready-to-charter yacht

Unlike some in her class, Ranger  was built with chartering in mind. The idea of rebuilding Ranger first came about when Williams was chartering the restored J Class Endeavour in 1999. He spotted a model of Ranger in the saloon and instantly knew that he wanted this yacht to be his, but knowing she had been scrapped in 1941, a new one would have to be built from scratch.

Having the experience and knowledge of being a charter guest on an original J Class yacht, he knew exactly how the experience could be improved, and how that could be achieved with Ranger 's replica. She was therefore built to comply with the requirements of the Lloyd's Register, is MCA compliant, and is also packed with modern technology. It was discovered that the rig could be made both safer and lighter than on the original J Class yachts, which enabled the new and improved  Ranger  to be handled by a smaller crew in cases of chartering.

Williams has continuously invested in her throughout his ownership – from upgrading spars and rigging, to installing the latest gadgets, and not forgetting the all important touch-ups on the now legendary smiley face on her anti-fouling. This means that whoever becomes the next lucky owner, she is ready to go – whether you want to enjoy her privately or make the most of the charter market.

The perfect corporate tool

One of the primary reasons for building  Ranger , was because she would make the perfect environment for corporate entertainment. Williams would often host business events on board, lend the yacht to his associates for them to enjoy – he also found that the sailing events he attended with Ranger provided a great opportunity for networking. Many new contacts and business deals later, it's clear to see that _Range_r has delivered an incredible return on investment for Williams.

There is one word of warning from Williams, however – if you are planning a strictly confidential meeting, you may want to think twice about mooring Ranger in an openly public place. With her America's Cup fame, comes a lot of attention – he fondly recalls a time in St Tropez when he discovered up to 100 people trying to take photos of the yacht. So, you may want to seek out a secluded cove for any private matters!

Be a part of the J-Class association

The J Class association is a club that most sailors can only dream of becoming a member of. With the purchase of Ranger you will be buying into the history and prestige of the association, and will join this elite group of like-minded sailors and owners. Not only does the association provide a fantastic opportunity for networking, but it also means you get to sail alongside other famous J Class yachts such as Lionheart  and  Rainbow  in regattas all across the globe.

Whilst she may have taken four years to complete,  Ranger  is proof that the best things in life are worth waiting for. The end result is a superb sailing yacht that will continue to race, cruise and be admired for years to come, creating new relationships along the way, be it new business partners or fellow J Class owners.

Ranger  is asking $7,900,000. Contact  Northrop & Johnson  for more information.

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• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Ranger J5 – the first completely new J Class yacht

• February 8, 2015

'The super J'

Designed by Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens. Re-worked by Studio Scanu, Reichel-Pugh, and Fred Elliott

Build: Danish Yacht Boatyard in 2002/3

Identifying features: White hull, barrel bow

Odds: She has the most racing experience (along with Velsheda ), , and goes well in flat water.

Regular rockstar: Erle Williams race helm, Murray Jones tactics

As the first completely new J, Ranger is the forerunner of the new breed and interest in new replica J Class yachts. Her owner got hooked on J Class racing whilst watching Endeavour and Velsheda battle for spoils at Antigua Classics in 1998. He chartered Endeavour the following year to race the same regatta.

The formation of the J Class Association followed and class rules were set which allowed for replicas of original J designs to race, heralding the birth of the modern fleet.

Ranger is the original ‘Super J’. Starling Burgess and Olin J Stephens designed her for Harold Vanderbilt’s 1937 Cup defence against Sir Thomas Sopwith’s Endeavour II . ‘Super J’ refers to a J being built to the maximum waterline length governed by the rule (87ft). One reason it hadn’t been tried before Ranger, was that it brought with it the added concern of being able to keep the correspondingly high mast in one piece.

The original Ranger had the best record of all: she started 34 races and won 32. At 8.5ft longer than the previous defender Rainbow , and sporting a very distinct snub-nosed barrel bow, the scientific approach of the young Stephens influenced Ranger’s success. It was the first year tank tests were carried out on the models – arguably the reason Ranger defended the cup so imperiously.

Despite her ungainly flattened stern and unusual bow, model 77C was selected from eight Ranger designs as the best all rounder in 6-8 knots. The tank tests gave the designers the confidence to build such an unusual hull, and the need to keep it and the Duralumin rig as fare as possible. It was the first time a mast, boom and spinnaker booms were all built in aluminium.

Again Ranger was principally helmed and funded by Vanderbilt. She dominated the trials (averaging 11.01 knots). And once unanimously selected as the defender, Ranger went on to completely outclass Endeavour II , winning by over 17 and 18 minutes in the first two races .

Recent developments

Today’s Ranger is a seasoned competitor. Unlike the rest of the newbuilds, she has a steel hull (as per the original) – she is incredibly strong but comparatively heavy for the modern fleet. She sports a central cockpit wheelhouse largely made from carbon fibre, as well as weight-saving materials throughout her mahogany-veneered interior.

Ranger has been based in Antigua and campaigned impressively and exhaustively since her launch. She still remains with her original owner who has consistently updated her and kept longterm race and boat crews who know how to get the best out of her.

Essential figures: Specs: LOA 41.6m Beam:  6.4m Built in steel Draught: 4.9 m Manufacturer: Danish Yachts, Skagen Construction: Aluminium