New Model Idea -Long Ranger

[Yachtnerd]

A few year ago my Fiance and I had the opportunity to winter watch, Jim and Buzzy Callard's R29, the Carpe Diem while they were in Mexico and the boat was for sale. To put some hours on the boat over the winter we took several overnight trips to Friday Harbor, including in some pretty good winter blows.
We both loved the boat, it just worked great. Niccole called it the mini-yacht because of all the amenities and the fit and finish of the inside. Thinking I needed a pilot house to enjoy my time at the helm quickly faded as I soon found the helm design to be fantastic. We could not have been more happy and impressed with the boat, both it's performance and accommodations.
But... I'm a boat guy who is always thinking and designing in my head, never satisfied to leave well enough alone. The winter before Niccole and I had the pleasure of using a Willard Vaga 30. The Willard is a small cruising boat built on the hull of a motor life boat designed for use by the US Navy.
We loved the Willard too, and specifically loved the full displacement hull. It makes for a completely different experience docking, maneuvering, and underway. The limitation of course is a cruising speed of 6-6.5 knots, but the advantage is that it only requires a 50 HP motor, and has a burn rate of just 3/4 of a gallon per hour pretty much regardless of sea state.
Having enjoyed both the Willard and the Ranger equally for very different reasons I keep having the thought that it would be so cool to marry the two. The same beam, length and layout of the Ranger set on a full displacement hull with a 50 HP Lugger. It would look exactly the same at the dock and inside, but be a completely different boat. I would never suggest Ranger change what they are doing now, but if they were to add a full displacement model I wonder how many people would be interested? I talk to a lot of sailors that are aging out of sailing but still want to go boating who I think would find the idea very appealing.
Disadvantage: slow, no longer trailer able.
Advantage: range, full displacement feel and seaworthiness, tankage space and capacity, added storage and room to add systems, could open up a new market of x-sailors who don't want speed or 200+HP engines.
I have an image I wanted to attach but I don't have a URL for it.

 

[walldog]

Interesting thoughts, thanks. I look forward to the discussion on this subject. Not sure I want to give up my Volvo D4 300 for a 50 hp Lugger. But it does bring up interesting thoughts.

 

[Dale777]

If I were to give up the benefits of semi-displacement speed, when needed, then the boat would have to be much larger than an R31 so as to provide a lot of additional comfort benefits. Those additional comfort benefits might (might) make the loss of speed, when needed, less noticeable. Otherwise, I don't see the advantage of displacement-only speed in a smaller boat. These boats are not cheap as it is, so why would you sacrifice so much just to save the cost on fuel, in terms relative to the cost of the boat?

 

[Yachtnerd]

Good points. If a person wanted a full displacement boat, one that small for the money might not sell well that at all. And a bigger full displacement boat does exist, the Krogen 39 would fit the bill.
Also I should finish the Carpe Diem's story. I am still in touch with the new owner of the R29, he loves the boat and uses all the horse power. Jim and Buzzy liked to cruise at around 8 knots and I cruised at the same speed. But the new owner, Don, has reported to me that he has found that the boat runs great at 13 knots and he makes all his trips at that speed, and is very happy.

 

[NorthernFocus]

The existing Ranger design is "best of both". Slow down to hull speed, set the AP, relax and save fuel comparable to a full displacement design(less the inefficiency due to the sub optimal engine speed). If you're in a hurry, need to beat weather, etc, push her up on top. You sacrifice efficiency but make time. With a full displacement hull you don't have that option. You just plan your world around the hull speed of your boat.