Ranger 33 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The Ranger 33 came as a masthead sloop with either a tall or short rig, the former carrying a mast 45 feet above the water and the latter 42 feet. Early boats were tiller-driven with teak toerails and modular fiberglass interiors; by the mid-1970s wheel steering and slotted aluminum toerails were standard, and much of the interior molding gave way to teak paneling. Practical Sailor notes boats built after 1974 are generally more desirable thanks to those restyled interiors and the arrival of a diesel option. Accommodations include a cruisy interior with over 6 feet of headroom, an enclosed teak-paneled head with shower, a small galley, and a workable chart table; the salon sleeps six in a pinch and the quarterberth is roomy.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, an asymmetric spinnaker, autopilot, and chartplotter are commonly fitted, reflecting modern navigation and short-handed race handling. Often-seen additions include heating, solar power, a spinnaker, bimini, and dodger — the canvas and solar cluster meaning most boats now cruise with better energy independence and cockpit shelter than original spec allowed. Less common but worth noting as owner upgrades are a gennaker, electric winches, cockpit shower, AIS, and rigging set up for short-handed sailing. Early boats carried a gasoline Atomic 4; a 16 hp Universal diesel became optional from 1975, so later hulls often show the quieter diesel conversion.

What to Inspect

Several documented items warrant a close look. Some owners have had to beef up the support for the mast's compression post below the cabin sole, and several report the deck-stepped mast support is not strong enough, with one owner measuring deck deflection around the mast step. Hull-to-deck joints have leaked on some boats, necessitating toe-rail removal before recaulking, and small leaks along that joint and around the chainplates are reported. Early boats have no bearings on the rudder stock, which can lead to slop as the tube wears; rudder bushings have needed replacement and enhancement. Owners note the spar will not take a hard vang pull, some wiring is inaccessible, and owners report an average history of hull blistering.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

Ranger 33s typically appear in the United States and Canada. For a shopper, the short list is: confirm mast-step and compression-post support, check hull-to-deck joint and chainplate leaks, inspect rudder stock wear on tiller boats, and prefer a post-1974 hull with diesel and restyled interior. She is a lively, proven cruiser-racer whose modest tankage and tight galley are the trade for her sailing manners.