I will be picking up my refurbished Rhodes 22 from GB on Friday 24th
and trailering it down to Oriental, NC to launch it. Those of you
who have boats at the yard might like to describe them to me and I
will give them a pat of encouragement! I could use a little of it,
as my experience with the boat has been eventful thus far and I have
not even sailed it!
I picked it up in Virginia and, driving down I-95 to NC, lost a wheel
bearing on the trailer at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday. A Good Samaritan
eventually stopped, went home to get his tools, took me to a parts
shop where, luckily, they had the bearings, and installed them for me
so that we could continue on our way.
The second time I touched the boat was to launch it off the trailer
(a first for me), begin to mount the motor, only to find the boat
sinking! We learned how to get the boat back on the trailer in a
hurry. Needless to say, I hope for better luck this time.
This is the first time I have sailed, let alone owned, a boat without
an anchor locker into which to stow the anchor and rode. I have had
the anchor mount installed by GB. What about the rode? How do
other owners stow this when not in use? Do you keep it at the bow,
coiled in some fashion, or do you unshackle it and bring it back to
the lazarette?
My instinct says the former, but I am interested in learning how
others deal with this small problem.
John Wilson
April 22, 1998
Before you tow your boat anywhere pull both wheels off and make sure
the brakes are in good condition and working order. Also, check to
see that the emergency brake device on the surge brakes is working.
When you hook up, if you have a Dico ball mount, make sure that the
ball is completely in its socket before you tighten down the locking
screw
Take your time setting up the rigging it is not as fast as the
Spitzers would have people think. Once you get every thing set up
keep an eye on all of the turnbuckles because the shrouds and stays
are wire and like to untwist them.
On my boat (Don’t Panic) I have a vent port on the fore deck just
aft of the bow into which I put the rode. There should be a rode
drawer just under the vent hole to accept the rode. I use a shackle
with a screw pin to attach the chain to the anchor and leave
everything together while sailing and then put the rode in its drawer
and leave the anchor in its hanger on the bow pulpit when I am not
sailing.
Good luck. Relax, it’s fun!
Jerry Stouffer
22 Apr 1998
I keep the line in a bucket, and its anchor under the cockpit seat.
Just throw the anchor over the side when I want to stop. I have a
larger anchor on the bow pulpit without any line attached. (I almost
never use that one any more.) If I want to anchor by the bow, I just
walk the line forward after the anchor is set from the stern. We
have a small boat, so these kinds of things are easy.
Good luck on your first sail.
George Staples
