The Ranger 33 Sailboat

The Ranger 33, a masthead cruising sloop, was designed by Gary Mull and built in the USA by Ranger Yachts Inc.

A Ranger 33 cruising sloop under full sail

'Random', a Ranger 33 sloop under full sail

'Random' is one of the later models which were produced with wheel steering. Earlier versions had a tiller.

Published Specification for the Ranger 33

Underwater Profile: Fin keel with spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP

Length Overall: 33'2" / 10.11m

Waterline Length: 26'3" / 8.00m

Beam: 9'7" / 2.9m

Draft: 5'0", 1.5m

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 10,500lb / 2,041kg

Designer: Gary Mull

Builder: Ranger Yachts (USA)

Year First Built: 1969

Year Last Built: 1978

Number Built: 464

'True Blue', a Ranger 33 for Sale

Location: Fort Myers, Florida, USA

Asking Price: $14,000

Published Design Ratios for the Ranger 33

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 17.7

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 42.9

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 259

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 28.2

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.8

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Ranger 33

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.7 suggests that the Ranger 33 will approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 42.9 means that the Ranger 33 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 259, tells us the Ranger 33 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 28.2 suggests that crew comfort of a Ranger 33 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.8 tells us that a Ranger 33 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.