[Rhodes22-list] Soliciting Practical Advice

Sam Hunter samhunter3@mindspring.com
Sun, 22 Dec 2002 21:23:17 -0500


This message was previously posted on the Trailer Sailor website, where several Rhodes owners were kind enough to offer meaningful replies.  I would appreciate recommendations/suggestions from current Rhodes owners.  (Positive and negative both help.)  I have tried to extensively research the Rhodes 22, but only recently discovered and signed up for this mail list.

Also, I have sent email to Stan from the Rhodes website, but have gotten no response.  What it the best way for a potential customer to get his attention?

BTW: I have to admit that I opened my email to Stan with the note that, "I admit it, he was right!".  He and I had corresponded extensively 4-5 years ago, before I ended up buying the Seaward 25 we currently own.  He did quickly refund my deposits and (politely) noted that he would "see me again on the way back down" (in boat size).  Looks like he was right.

Anyway, to get to the point...

We are seriously considering "simplifying" our lives, including sailing. (Note that "simpler" does mean MORE sailing, not less.) 

This would mean a smaller boat and tow vehicle (note that our starting point is pretty large). More importantly, it would mean making things easier, quicker, etc. 

We currently have a Seaward 25, diesel, wheel, etc, etc.  I tow it (when I do so) with a GMC 2500HD. 

We live near a small inland lake, but love to sail the coastal areas. We also love charters and exotic locations and all that, but do NOT think we need a "blue water" boat of our own at this time. We plan, in a few years, to build a house on and move to a small farm we have in south Georgia, about an hour from the Florida coast. 

Don't get me wrong... 

We LOVE "Dream Catcher", our Seaward 25. She is a wonderful boat that has given us many happy days (and nights) of sailing, racing, gunkholing, overnighting/weekending, etc. It is not so much that there is a "problem" with this boat as that we have reached a point in our lives where we want (and are able) to simplify things. 

We have taken a hard look at the West Wight Potter 19 (Yes, we are SERIOUS about simple!) It remains a possibility, but I suspect we like certain comforts and the ability to entertain friends in the cockpit beyond what the Potter provides. 

Probably the best way to illustrate is with an example. 

We visit Pensacola at least 4-5 times per year. We have NEVER taken the Seaward. (We have taken the boat to Mobile for the Dauphin Island Race, and made a 6-day trip of it, which was a wonderful experience!) 

However, our trips to Pensacola are almost always for 2-4 days, and that is just too short (for us - I know others do this) too short a time to consider trailering the Seaward. Most of my vacations are short, or are longer and more exotic (we do like bareboat charters). I just can't picture trailering the Seaward for a trip of less than 6-8 days. I want to have a boat that is easy and simple and fast to set up / operate.  For example, I LIKE the idea of the IMF for simplicity.  We wouldn't even need a sail cover!

Our favorite boating use is gunkholing, especially travelling with a couple other friendly boats, exploring, rafting, and generally enjoying the sailing, the exploring, and just "being there". We also do a LOT of daysailing. We spend a lot of nights and weekends on the water. We participate frequently in club racing and enjoy that immensely. However, we are NOT serious about it. We race for fun and to learn more about boat handling. More speed would be preferable, but we are cruisers and we are NOT willing to make the compromises that would give truly good racing performance. Of course, we want it to be "simpler" to trail our boat to other locations on a whim, or at least with only short notice. 

We have friends who went up to a 27 footer for a while, then went back "down" to a Potter 19. They love it! They recently finished their yard work early one Saturday morning and decided it was a good day to go sailing on the coast, 80 miles away. They packed up the boat and took off. Launched, sailed, spent the night (with two kids) anchored off a barrier island, then sailed back the next day and were home and settled in by 5:30 that afternoon. 

I envy that. 

I don't think Freida and I need to go quite that far in terms of simple and easy, but we would like to take a BIG step in that direction. 

Comments or advice from those that have been there? 

(Considered Opinions also welcome even if you have not actually been there.) 

Thanks, -Sam