Mid July 2011, we acquired our Ranger 28. After a couple years of boat shopping and only a couple months after finishing college, we started our cruising life aboard in Sturgeon Bay, WI. I will try to describe as best as I can Rangers 28, for those looking to buy one or just learn more about them.
The Ranger series are a product of Gary Mull’s designs. Although most of the Ranger series were manufactured for racing, the Ranger 28 and 32, were preserved for dual purposes, racing and cruising.
Next, you will find general facts about Ranger 28, followed by our experiences and recommendations.
Naval Architect: Gary Mull
Builder: Ranger Yachts
Year Built: 1975 (1976 year model)
Location: Costa Mesa, California
Gross/Net tons: 6/5
Length Overall (LOA): 28” 8.5m
Length on Waterline: 21’8” 6.64m
Beam, molded: 9’7” 2.95m
Draft: 4’6” 1.4m
Design displacement: 6,500 pounds
Ballast: 2,700 pounds
Measured Sail Area: 389.25 sq ft
The hull: Is molded fiberglass reinforced by plastic. The bilge space is very small. Fin keel with aft overhang.
The deck and cabin: Integral fiberglass reinforced by plastic construction – same as the hull. Flush decks, low cabin trunk with strong tumble-home and aft cockpit.
Living Aboard a Ranger 28 Sailboat:
Living aboard a Ranger 28 sailboat is definitely comfortable for two people. Sometimes we juggle trying to find counter space when cooking and doing dishes, but other than that, Jax and I have found it to be wonderful live aboard vessel. It’s 8.5 ft beam, which makes the Ranger 28s look like a pregnant guppy, is the boat’s biggest attribute. When people are sitting in the settees, there is enough space for people to easily walk through, from the galley to the head. It is a very spacious boat and if you are less than 6ft tall, you can stand anywhere in the cabin. Another attribute I love about this boat is its head/bathroom area! It has a sliding door that separates the main cabin from the head, giving the head-user some privacy. The head space is just under 6ft tall and very spacious.
The v-berth has a very convenient, weather-facing hatch at about chest level (when lying down). We have used this hatch so much and value it enormously. During the summer months, we open it to let some breeze in. When checking the anchors or any other on-deck job it offers a quick escape and return. One of the challenges we have run into with the hatch is keeping the bed clean. In the beginning, we used to undo the bed every morning so that we could use the hatch freely, now we cover the bed with a blanket and we try to be more aware, making sure to close the hatch when there is a lot of dust, use the companionway hatch a bit more, etc. When face with big waves or lost of rain the hatch might leek if it is not closed tightly.
Some Problems:
Our first and foremost problem with the Ranger 28 is the location of the boom traveler, which is just aft of the companionway. Because of its location, we cannot install much of a dodger and it puts the lines in the way of the cabin, when sailing.
The water-tank and gas tank locker door, underneath the settee, is one big piece of plywood that extends from the next aft storage locker, all the way to the end of the water tank,close t 4 ft. Accessing these lockers, is particularly difficult. An easy solution is to just cut the locker doors to separate the two spaces.
I don’t know if this is only in our Ranger, but all the electrical wiring is done under the galley’s sink. So, when accessing the storage below the sink you run into a lot of tiny wires! Not to mention, electricity and water are known to be on less than friendly terms.
The bilge is very small, requiring constant pump-outs, an automatic bilge-pump can solve this issue.
Improvements:
We replaced the old galley stove with an Origo stove/oven, which fits perfectly in the space already provided by the old stove after cutting off the front trim.
Designing a cutting board that extends across the companion way stairs – from the counter-top, to the sink would be a great project. It could be used for drying dishes and as extra counter space.
We replaced our marine head with an Air Head, which works perfectly. For the Airhead’s vent, we needed to drill a 2.25 inch hole through the headliner and cabin house deck.
We removed the foam pad from the starboard quarterberth and are now using the space for storing our bicycles and solar panel before using it. The foam can then be used to make cushions for the cockpit, which is an amazing addition to that space.
For easy vertical storage, we made pockets that we were able to upholstery tack to the walls. An easy way to do create these pockets is buying the pre-made shoe storage pockets and cutting them apart.
If you are thinking of getting a Ranger 28, we absolutely recommend it! It is an amazing sailing vessel and its performance pleases us every time we are out. A list of projects, posts, stories, etc. related to Ranger 28s follows the below.
Mid July 2011, we acquired our Ranger 28. After a couple years of boat shopping and only a couple months after finishing college, we started our cruising life aboard in Sturgeon Bay, WI. I will try to describe as best as I can Rangers 28, for those looking to buy one or just learn more about them.
The Ranger series are a product of Gary Mull’s designs. Although most of the Ranger series were manufactured for racing, the Ranger 28 and 32, were preserved for dual purposes, racing and cruising.
Next, you will find general facts about Ranger 28, followed by our experiences and recommendations.
Naval Architect: Gary Mull
Builder: Ranger Yachts
Year Built: 1975 (1976 year model)
Location: Costa Mesa, California
Gross/Net tons: 6/5
Length Overall (LOA): 28” 8.5m
Length on Waterline: 21’8” 6.64m
Beam, molded: 9’7” 2.95m
Draft: 4’6” 1.4m
Design displacement: 6,500 pounds
Ballast: 2,700 pounds
Measured Sail Area: 389.25 sq ft
The hull: Is molded fiberglass reinforced by plastic. The bilge space is very small. Fin keel with aft overhang.
The deck and cabin: Integral fiberglass reinforced by plastic construction – same as the hull. Flush decks, low cabin trunk with strong tumble-home and aft cockpit.
Living Aboard a Ranger 28 Sailboat:
Living aboard a Ranger 28 sailboat is definitely comfortable for two people. Sometimes we juggle trying to find counter space when cooking and doing dishes, but other than that, Jax and I have found it to be wonderful live aboard vessel. It’s 8.5 ft beam, which makes the Ranger 28s look like a pregnant guppy, is the boat’s biggest attribute. When people are sitting in the settees, there is enough space for people to easily walk through, from the galley to the head. It is a very spacious boat and if you are less than 6ft tall, you can stand anywhere in the cabin. Another attribute I love about this boat is its head/bathroom area! It has a sliding door that separates the main cabin from the head, giving the head-user some privacy. The head space is just under 6ft tall and very spacious.
The v-berth has a very convenient, weather-facing hatch at about chest level (when lying down). We have used this hatch so much and value it enormously. During the summer months, we open it to let some breeze in. When checking the anchors or any other on-deck job it offers a quick escape and return. One of the challenges we have run into with the hatch is keeping the bed clean. In the beginning, we used to undo the bed every morning so that we could use the hatch freely, now we cover the bed with a blanket and we try to be more aware, making sure to close the hatch when there is a lot of dust, use the companionway hatch a bit more, etc. When face with big waves or lost of rain the hatch might leek if it is not closed tightly.
Some Problems:
Our first and foremost problem with the Ranger 28 is the location of the boom traveler, which is just aft of the companionway. Because of its location, we cannot install much of a dodger and it puts the lines in the way of the cabin, when sailing.
The water-tank and gas tank locker door, underneath the settee, is one big piece of plywood that extends from the next aft storage locker, all the way to the end of the water tank,close t 4 ft. Accessing these lockers, is particularly difficult. An easy solution is to just cut the locker doors to separate the two spaces.
I don’t know if this is only in our Ranger, but all the electrical wiring is done under the galley’s sink. So, when accessing the storage below the sink you run into a lot of tiny wires! Not to mention, electricity and water are known to be on less than friendly terms.
The bilge is very small, requiring constant pump-outs, an automatic bilge-pump can solve this issue.
Improvements:
We replaced the old galley stove with an Origo stove/oven, which fits perfectly in the space already provided by the old stove after cutting off the front trim.
Designing a cutting board that extends across the companion way stairs – from the counter-top, to the sink would be a great project. It could be used for drying dishes and as extra counter space.
We replaced our marine head with an Air Head, which works perfectly. For the Airhead’s vent, we needed to drill a 2.25 inch hole through the headliner and cabin house deck.
We removed the foam pad from the starboard quarterberth and are now using the space for storing our bicycles and solar panel before using it. The foam can then be used to make cushions for the cockpit, which is an amazing addition to that space.
For easy vertical storage, we made pockets that we were able to upholstery tack to the walls. An easy way to do create these pockets is buying the pre-made shoe storage pockets and cutting them apart.
If you are thinking of getting a Ranger 28, we absolutely recommend it! It is an amazing sailing vessel and its performance pleases us every time we are out. A list of projects, posts, stories, etc. related to Ranger 28s follows the below.
