Ranger Ready for America’s Cup in New Zealand & Beyond

Vitters Shipyard recently launched the J-Class Ranger after an extensive refit at the yard. Ranger, also known as J-5 underwent an extensive refit, bringing her again in top class operational condition with an improved performance level. The refit included the overhaul of her engine room, a new hydraulic system, complete exchange of all the navigation and communication electronics, full service of rigging, new teak deck, cockpit, helm station and the repainting of her hull.

Greg Sloat, the owner’s representative cannot wait to go racing again with Ranger. “Together with the Vitters team we brought Ranger in the best shape ever to prepare her for the America’s Cup in New Zealand in 2021.” He is very satisfied with the overall experience at the Dutch yard. “The Vitters team proved to be exceptional flexible with many skilled and creative employees. What I especially enjoyed was the teamwork between the yard and the crew of the boat. Vitters offered us the possibility to work in the evenings and Saturdays and provided us with everything we needed to finish the job in time.”

“Every day we feel honored to be working on J Class Ranger. This yacht has such a long history and she truly is a piece of art. For people like us, with a passion for sailing, the J Class yachts will always be something special,” project manager Gerrit Jongman says. “With projects on this scale, it is hard to foresee all details from the start. Greg Sloat, Ed Handasyde Dick (captain) and the crew are great people to work with and we all look back on a very fruitful cooperation.”

After departure from the yard in Zwartsluis, Ranger will be transported to Zaandam for her official launch. After sea trails on the North Sea, she will depart to the Caribbean for some race practicing. First stop will be St. Barths in Spring 2020. From here, she will sail to New Zealand to participate in the J Class regattas taking place during the America’s Cup in 2021.

History of Ranger

As all J Class yachts, Ranger has a long and fascinating history. For the origins of Ranger, we need to go back to 1937. Upon receiving the challenge for the America’s Cup, The New York Yacht Club set about organizing a defense. The obvious candidate to assemble a syndicate and campaign a new boat was Harold S. Vanderbilt, the skipper of Enterprise and Rainbow. Vanderbilt proposed to Olin Stephens to join forces with Starling Burgess to design the new defender.

Ranger was constructed at Bath Iron Works and launched in May 1937. She successfully defended the 1937 America’s Cup, defeating the English challenger Endeavour II with 4-0 at Newport, Rhode Island. The construction of the current replica of Ranger was started at the Danish Yachts Shipyard in Skagen, Denmark in early 2002 and she was completed in December 2003. Nowadays Ranger is, without question, a beautiful work of art as much as she is the showcase of modern marine technology.

Currently under construction at Vitters Shipyard

Another project currently under construction at Vitters Shipyard is a new build 50-meter classic ketch, which will be launched January 2020. The construction of a new 56-meter project will start in March of 2020.

For more information, please visit www.vitters.com.