For decades I’ve used the term “White Plastic Sloop” to describe the genus of production-built sailboats that were pumped out in feverish numbers from the 1960s until about 1990, when the wellspring of buyers ran dry. It’s not a kindly designation.
“We didn’t feel compelled to offer standing headroom, as we were fairly certain that the owners were smart enough to sleep lying down.” Channeling Nat Herreshoff?
I worked for O'Neill's Yacht Center in Santa Cruz around 1977, and we always had a new Ranger 23 on a trailer outside our shop. That, and the Santana 20 that was introduced around the same time, were exciting little boats. A new Ranger 23 would break the $10,000 mark, as I recall, so you had to really want THAT boat, but the aesthetics were spot on. Later, around 1981, I went for a sail on San Francisco Bay with one of my co-workers who owned a Ranger 23. We cracked off along the S shore of Angel Island, put up the tri radial spinnaker and got the boat on a plane (or at least an extended surf) with the analog knotmeter pegged at 10 knots.
Gary Mull was a terrific guy to know and to sail with. He was pretty outspoken, and frequently profane, but he tutored numerous Bay Area naval architects to be extremely successful. If I am not mistaken, Carl Schumacher, Jim Antrim, Ron Holland, Jim Donovan, and others apprenticed under Gary. Maybe Chuck Burns as well? That's an impressive list of talented NAs.
We had Mull's just-earlier design, a Santana 22. I think Mull probably took the learnings from that when he made the R23. The 22 was a neat little boat. Fast, weatherly, wet. Biggest boat I'd ever owned until then. Took some long lake Michigan trips and crossings in it. It, and the 23, were classics of the MORC era.
I am unnaturally repelled by those types of aluminum toe-rails. Maybe it's the name, but all I ever picture is my pinky toe being sheared off by one of those holes.
The Ranger 23 was one of the really good, affordable designs of the type and period, along with the Catalina 22.
I bought a Cape Dory Alberg Typhoon.😀
In the UK we calle them AWB's - Average White Boats
Some years ago I wrote a little poem about them:
AWB
If the Average White Boat gets your goat
Help is soon to hand.
A can of spray paint’s just the thing
To make it look less bland.
Pink or green or red or gold.
Rescue orange looks rather bold.
Slap it on quite merrily.
(Just don’t let the owner see.)
“We didn’t feel compelled to offer standing headroom, as we were fairly certain that the owners were smart enough to sleep lying down.” Channeling Nat Herreshoff?
I worked for O'Neill's Yacht Center in Santa Cruz around 1977, and we always had a new Ranger 23 on a trailer outside our shop. That, and the Santana 20 that was introduced around the same time, were exciting little boats. A new Ranger 23 would break the $10,000 mark, as I recall, so you had to really want THAT boat, but the aesthetics were spot on. Later, around 1981, I went for a sail on San Francisco Bay with one of my co-workers who owned a Ranger 23. We cracked off along the S shore of Angel Island, put up the tri radial spinnaker and got the boat on a plane (or at least an extended surf) with the analog knotmeter pegged at 10 knots.
Gary Mull was a terrific guy to know and to sail with. He was pretty outspoken, and frequently profane, but he tutored numerous Bay Area naval architects to be extremely successful. If I am not mistaken, Carl Schumacher, Jim Antrim, Ron Holland, Jim Donovan, and others apprenticed under Gary. Maybe Chuck Burns as well? That's an impressive list of talented NAs.
A very excellent pocket cruiser/racer, or is it racer/cruiser? As they say, they don’t make’m like that anymore!
https://www.latitude38.com/advert/23-ft-ranger-23-1976/
'Nuff said.
We had Mull's just-earlier design, a Santana 22. I think Mull probably took the learnings from that when he made the R23. The 22 was a neat little boat. Fast, weatherly, wet. Biggest boat I'd ever owned until then. Took some long lake Michigan trips and crossings in it. It, and the 23, were classics of the MORC era.
I am unnaturally repelled by those types of aluminum toe-rails. Maybe it's the name, but all I ever picture is my pinky toe being sheared off by one of those holes.
yes, I agree with you there. They also look cold and uninviting compared to oiled teak.