On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 13:01:28 -0400, DSK
wrote:



Actually, I think it's best for weekending (with more elbow room & comfort than
in smaller boats) and club racing, which is what it was actually designed for.
But it's also possible with the right upgrades, the right equipment, and the
right skills, to sail pretty much anywhere on one of these boats. The Ranger 33
would be a better choice for a budget cruiser (assuming one had the bucks & the
skills to upgrade intelligently) than many of the other mass-produced
racer/cruisers of that era.

Possibly, although the upgrades (reinforcing bulkheads, installing
handrails, beefing up the dropboards and portlights and deck gear) are
more than most would consider reasonable, and certainly would not
enhance the value of an old boat, only its safety factor.


As with the Westsail32 it is more suited for
blue water cruising. However, getting into the Mistake Cove or Cow Yard
(Maine Coast) in dense fog with a full keel boat could be disastrous in
avoiding the rocky entrance. My friend's full keel sailboat landed on the
rocks with a punched hole in her hull taking on water. He tried to avoid
the rocks but the boat did not turned in time.

Some full keel boats handle better than others. I've sailed a number of full
keelers that could be maneuvered quite smartly, once you got the hang of it.
It's true that they'll never snap around like a fin keeler.

And it's true that you can master techniques such as backing the jib
to conpensate. The flexibility of the skipper and his ability to learn
(and to time events keyed to the boat) are usually more important than
the boat's characteristics itself.


R.