Ranger vs. Reliance

[rbgarr]

I saw J Class boats crossing tacks way offshore and having a running battle under spinnaker into Newport this past week while walking the shorefront gardens of one of the mansions there. Unbelievable sight.

But Reliance!! My goodness what a sight she must have been!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zsv63YxB0B...2BReliance.JPG

[Hwyl]

I'm sure plans are available...

[Gerarddm]

Those old gaff sail rigs were huge, and those canvas sails must have been unspeakably heavy. Have never figured out how they could have been sailed. You'd need a LOT of crew to manhandle all that square footage...

[bamamick]

Look at the ropy muscles and the leathery hands of the guys sailing back then and it makes more sense. Those were some tough rascals.

Mickey Lake

[Rob Hazard]

Thanks for posting that graphic comparison, RB. I had never seen how close in LWL those two boats were. I blindly assumed that Reliance was at least half again the length of a J boat.

[Hwyl]

There used to be relatively big boat racing where I grew up, the old timers would talk about their time as boys, they would climb the masts, and ride the halyards down on a sail change.

[ahp]

I recall that the typical crew was about 45. These sailors were professional fishermen the rest of the year. There is nothing like hauling icy nets in the North Atlantic to build muscle power.

[Dan McCosh]

The J-class boats were built because the big boats were becoming too expensive.

[Paul Pless]

the j-class boats were built because the big boats were becoming too expensive.

LOL

iii

[ramillett]

She was a big girl

[elf]

I thought the Js were built because Reliance scared the s*it out of everyone, including the crew.

[richincident]

Reliance DID scare everyone out of the extreme sailing. Now that we are in the new golden age I want to see a computer simulation of Reliance Vs. Modern Racing boats.

Although there WAS talk of making a REPLICA of Reliance a few years back. Imagine that monster racing in those Mediterranean races. Thanks to all of the current economic conditions you MIGHT be able to get the 65 slaves to risk their lives on that thing! Though I would do it in a heartbeat...

[ramillett]

16,000 square foot of sail , that well keep 47 crew in shape