Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens each produced four designs for Vanderbilt; Models 77 A to F and two combinations. Models were built on a scale 1/24 and for the first time those models were tested on towing-tanks. It was not the speed of the yacht that was calculated, but rather the resistance to achieve a given speed. When the trials were finished, the team concluded that 77-C either outperformed its rivals or came very close to the best. The other models proved to have the edge only in extreme conditions, either with very little wind or heeling at 30 degrees.
Model 77-C was used to built 'Ranger', the first 'Super-J'. The achievements of 'Ranger' have been exceptional. She started 37 races. Three were cancelled for lack of wind. She sailed thirty-four times and won thirty-two times.
'Ranger' was scrapped in 1941 but was reborn in the form of a replica in summer 2003.
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