24' Ranger Type Raised Deck Sloop (1948) - CHERUB

Cherub is a copy of an older boat Ranger, designed as an all purpose boat for Sydney Harbour and short coastal passages. Ranger was built in 1933 and numerous versions have been built.

The story of the Ranger designer is as interesting as the boats: Cliff Gale grew up in Sydney in the 1880s & was to become well known as a superb yachtsman and gifted amateur yacht designer. His design ability was completely self taught; as a child he would carve solid models & tow them behind a dinghy and observe the results. As an adult he designed by carving a half model and the construction lines were prepared from that. Before Ranger was even built he knew she would be his final family boat, and over her 88 year lifetime it is unlikely that any boat in Sydney has raced or sailed more than she has, & deserves her place as an iconic local design.

They have a short & beamy hull at 24′ x 9’6″, and are much admired as a design well suited to their home port of Sydney harbour: they are excellent for sailing, motoring, fishing, camping, and picnicking. Despite being only slightly sharper than a fruit box they have fine sailing qualities & handle the often boisterous chop & windy conditions very well. The flat and open deck, generous cockpit and wide (but low) space down below is an ideal combination of large outdoor areas for a climate where cold is rarely an issue. Downstairs they provide generous accommodation for a 24 footer, managing 4 full size bunks; the interior is neat but economically fitted out & feels large. It is difficult to imagine getting more boat than this within a 24 foot hull.

The hull design is a buoyant shape with plumb ends, full lines forwards for bow lift and clean water exit lines. The hulls are well suited to the long and low proportions of a gaff rig, allowing a lot of sail area to push them through the water. They sail well in a wide range of conditions for a boat of their size.

Apart from everything else, they look great, showing that Cliff not only know how to make a boat practical and fast, he also had an artist’s eye and knew how to make a boat beautiful.