Building Ranger - a Racing Footy
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There is a ready made Footy Hull available from Breaking Wind Boats in HIPS based on the Ranger called the
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My fin is carved from 3/16 basswood. The fin inserts through the hull and is goes through the deck (don’t glue it yet!) to give it strength and keep it vertical.
The bulb is sanded down from an 8 oz. trolling sinker. I made it removable for travel by gluing a bolt into the fin and drilling the bulb for the bolt and nut. The rudder tube and mast tube are carbon tubing. Place some hard material in the bottom of the mast tube to prevent the wire mast drilling a hole in the bottom of the boat. My rudder is carved from 1/8 balsa with a carbon tube for the rudder post. The post is reinforced with brass tubing over the top where the set screw bears against it to fasten the control horn. |
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Ranger uses McRig’s because they are easy to build, easy to change, and very effective. The dimensions for 3 rigs (enough to handle most wind conditions) are illustrated in the plans. The Z-wire bend angles need to be reasonably accurate, and the length going into the mast tube is intended to go all the way to the bottom of the hull. You may think the rig is too far off the deck, but that’s to clear the top of the measurement box. Rig and rudder must demonstrate full motion used in racing when measured in the box. My sails are Trispi 25, and were made by Scott Spacie. You can use any light material that is convenient. Roger Stollery has found that light material with a little stretch (bin bags, in the UK) takes a nice set without having to make paneled sails.
For more information see How to Make Simple McRig Sails article by Scott Wallis |
Carefully built, Ranger is very light and takes advantage of diagonal placement in the box to get longer waterline length. Fitted with the proper rig, Ranger will track straight upwind with no rudder correction and sail fast. I hope you’ll have fun building and sailing her…and beating some of those other Footys at your pond!
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