[Rhodes22-list] Outside winter storage

[Jack Goldberg]

I come one more thyme for you to pepper me with your sage advice.

After getting my CB cabin leak fixed, I've had a great sailing season. My 
wife and I took sailing lessons at Belmont harbor at the beginning of July 
and spent the rest of the summer practicing what we had learned. A pretty 
good season. Just one bad incident when we had full sail out in 2 - 3 knot 
winds when out of nowhere we were surounded by whitecaps and she (the boat) 
jybed and healed over violently dipping the rail in the water where it 
remained. I had forgotten to put the CB down which I managed to do, then I 
took the tiller and released the main sheet. I tried to stay on the high 
side while she (my wife) tried to release the genoa sheet from a cam cleat. 
The pressure on the sail was so forcefull it took about two minutes before 
she could release it and right the boat. Exciting and ended well. On 
hindsite I probably should have released the tiller and the main sheet and 
let her (the boat again) come into the wind, but we were so close to the 
shore at the time and the wind was taking us ashore I was more interested in 
trying to sail out of the situation.

Bottom line for us is the we both now put a lot of faith in our Rhodes 22. I 
feel that almost any other boat might have knocked down in that situation.

Well the season is now over for us. September offers no opportunity for us 
to go sailing and October is already too cold here in the Chicago area. I 
pulled the boat out and hung the standard mast between the mast carrier and 
the bow pulpit. It seems to have a little sag. Does it need support? or 
should I rest the bottom of the mast on the deck? I left everything attached 
except the lower forward shrouds and the fore-stay attachement to the chain 
plates.
Now how to cover the boat for outside storage in a very snowy climate. I was 
thinking of buying a 20 x 30 blue tarp and covering the boat. Has anyone 
done this and what advice how to place the tarp. Over the lifelines? Using 
the mast as a support? Just cover the cabin and cockpit area?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Jack


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