Tuning your Ranger 22 for Performance
Rob Reeves of Grapeville, TX was kind enough to send in some tuning information that he had with his boat. We can never get enough stuff around here. Thanks Rob!
RANGER 22 TUNING INSTRUCTIONS
Charles Ulmer Sailmaker; Seabrook, TX
The rig of the Ranger 22 is very similar in concept to that of a Soling or Etchells 22 having both a non-masthead rigged and very flexible spar, particularly above the hounds. The one important difference in rigs is that the Ranger has swept back spreaders, a difference that has more effect upon rig tension and mast bend than ant other factor.
To get the best effect from your Ulmer sails, set up the mast tune as follows. Release both sets of shrouds so that there is no tension on them. Tighten the upper shrouds to the point where you get a three-inch compression bend aft. While doing this, be sure the mast is centered at the tip. (NOTE: Chainplates may not be in same location, so main halyard checks do not always work.) Now tighten the lowers until they just begin to straighten the mast. During this process the mast tip should stay straight athwartship in the boat. When sailing to windward, the lee shrouds should not appear loose until over ten knots of wind. Check alignment on both tacks and make one-turn modifications to correct.
This tuning process leaves the spar with extremely tight uppers and moderately tight lowers when there is no backstay tension. When you are sailing, you will find that the backstay must be pulled on hard in order to flatten out the main for weather work. With the Ranger 22 rig, the uppers get looser and the lowers get tighter when the backstay is pulled on. If, after this tuning process, you have trouble hoisting the sail all the way to the black band, pull on the backstay hard, which will bend the mast to accommodate the luff curve.
Ulmer's suggested Ranger 22 class inventory includes a 5.0 ounce main with flattening reef and one full reef, a 6.0 ounce 125% Genoa, and a .75 ounce all-purpose Tri-Radial or Radial Head Spinnaker.
Those who plan to race under I.O.R. or some other handicap rule, might consider adding a 4.75 ounce 150% Genoa, a .5 ounce Tri-Radial, or small reaching chute.
The main has a very long leech, making the boom droop about six inches. Since the full main on a Ranger 22 is kept up longer than on most boats, it is important to develop sufficient leech tension in breezy conditions. A combination of vang and main sheet tension is called for. Because the main is tall and slender, the vang will be used more in lighter winds than on most boats. The spinnaker leads to the forward post of the stern pulpit and this seems to work well as long as the sheet and guy are booth lead outside the lifelines and are not from inside out.
Several hints when trying to improve your boat speed. First, do not overpower the boat with too much mainsheet tension or sail. When in doubt, let it out or down on the traveler. Second, heel to leeward should be five to fifteen degrees-no more, no less. Third, when in doubt, change jibs-don't reef. Downwind the boat can become sluggish if not sailed aggressively enough. When this happens, move weight forward and head slightly higher until you get back on the track. Tacking [Jibing] downwind can prove helpful if used judiciously.
