[Rhodes22-list] Bahamas
Roger Pihlaja
rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Thu, 5 Sep 2002 12:18:57 -0400
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I stand by my pretrip preparation advice from 2 years ago.
If I were going to make this trip in my Rhodes 22; then, I would depart =
from the Lake Worth Inlet at Palm Beach, FL & enter the Bahamas at the =
West End Port of Entry on Grand Bahama Island. The distance is 56 nm & =
the direct bearing is 099 deg M. However, you will be fighting the Gulf =
Stream current almost the entire way across. The Gulf Stream flows =
almost due north @ 2.5 knots average in this region. Assuming your =
Rhodes 22 can average 4 knots; then, you would need to steer about 131 =
deg M to compensate for the northerly set of the Gulf Stream current & =
the crossing will take about 14 hours. I would depart at 00:00 & plan =
to arrive at 14:00 the following afternoon. That way, if something goes =
crooked, I would still have approximately 6 - 7 hours of daylight to =
figure it out. You will be sailing in the dark for about 6 hours & out =
of sight of land for about 12 hours if all goes well.
Do not attempt this crossing if the wind is out of the north. When the =
wind direction opposes the flow of the Gulf Stream, the average flow =
rate of the Gulf Stream is reduced. But, the XS momentum of the ocean =
current is converted into a chaotic chop that can easily reach 6 - 8 =
feet in height or more. The Rhodes 22 can be sailed in such conditions, =
but it's very uncomfortable & wet.
Once I was in the Bahamas, I would circumnavigate Grand Bahama Island, =
stopping at Freeport & Port Lucaya. If there was time, I would use the =
Little Abaco Cays as stepping stones to make the crossing to Great Abaco =
Island & circumnavigate it as well. A month would be a reasonable =
amount of time for such a trip.
Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Rik Sandberg=20
To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org=20
Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 8:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Bahamas
J.C.
I know there is somebody that has sailed their R 22 to the Bahamas, =
just can't remember who it was.
I'm sure that Roger is probably right on the money with his advice in =
that prior post. But.....there's always one of them buts, eh?......after =
all of that, there are these people who apparently do the crossing =
regularly, in a 15 foot boat. http://www.microcruising.com/ and this =
guy who did the crossing with 2 other people and a dog, in a WWPotter =
19. (a little crowded for me thank you)
http://potter-yachters.org/stories/bahamas/index.html =20
I don't know, is a WWPotter that much more seaworthy than an R 22??? =
One thing I'm sure most knowledgeable ocean sailing people would bring =
up is the large size of the R 22 cockpit. Most boats that are considered =
good sea boats have a cockpit that will hold a far lesser volume of =
water than an R 22.
Is there some mention of this trip on the R 22 (GB) web site??
Rik
At 07:46 PM 9/4/2002 -0400, you wrote:
The answer is "yes" but the question remains if this is a good idea.
=20
Here is Roger's response to the idea from 2 years ago:
=20
Just a data point, for whatever it's worth. Last winter, I crewed =
aboard a
36 foot, center cockpit, ketch on a delivery cruise from Florida to =
the
Bahamas. Most sailboats we encountered in the Bahamas were 36 feet =
long or
bigger. However, there was this one fellow we met. He was anchored =
at
Nassau. His 24 foot sloop had jerry cans & other stuff lashed =
everywhere on
deck. He was singlehanding & still the boat looked CRAMMED!
I've made three Florida/Bahamas Gulf Stream crossings in sailboats. =
One of
these crossings was one of my worst experiences at sea & well beyond =
what
you'd ever want to attempt in a Rhodes 22. But, the other two were =
at the
upper limit of the Rhodes 22's performance envelope. I have several
suggestions before you try this however:
1. If your Rhodes 22 has the bow anchor chain hawse pipe, then find =
a way to
plug
the opening or you may take a lot of water down below.
2. Add some foam weather stripping to the underside of the pop top & =
rig up
a
means of securing the pop top down to keep your foam "gasket" in
compression.
A company called DeStaco makes a wide variety of dogging clamps =
that
could
be used for this purpose.
3. Before you leave, make several 1/2" thick plywood cutouts in the =
shape of
your
ports, both fixed & opening. Glue a rubber gasket to one side =
of each
of them &
drill matching holes thru them. These plywood pieces will be =
used in
pairs, one
inside & one outside & thru bolted, to plug a port which gets =
blown out
at sea.
4. No matter how you do it, the Gulf Stream crossing will be a very =
long
day.
The weather will be absolutely crucial. Consider leaving in the =
middle
of the
night to give yourself as much daylight as possible on the other =
end.
Consider
taking on an extra crew member for this leg of the trip to =
relieve you.
Consider
installing a tiller pilot. I have an AutoHelm ST1000+ & it =
steers our
Rhodes 22
very well.
5. Get yourself a good safety harness & install solid anchor points =
&
jacklines
on your Rhodes 22.
Good luck!
Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: J Cook=20
To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org=20
Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 7:03 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Bahamas
=20
Has anybody here sailed an R22 to the Bahamas?
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I stand by my pretrip preparation =
advice from 2=20
years ago.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If I were going to make this trip in my =
Rhodes 22;=20
then, I would depart from the Lake Worth Inlet at Palm Beach, FL =
&=20
enter the Bahamas at the West End Port of Entry on Grand Bahama =
Island. =20
The distance is 56 nm & the direct bearing is 099 deg M. =
However, you=20
will be fighting the Gulf Stream current almost the entire way=20
across. The Gulf Stream flows almost due north @ 2.5 knots average =
in this=20
region. </FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Assuming your Rhodes 22 =
can average=20
4 knots; then, you would need to steer about 131 deg M to =
compensate for=20
the northerly set of the Gulf Stream current & the crossing =
will take=20
about 14 hours. I would depart at 00:00 & plan to arrive =
at 14:00=20
the following afternoon. That way, if something goes crooked, I =
would=20
still have approximately 6 - 7 hours of daylight to figure it =
out. =20
You will be sailing in the dark for about 6 hours & out of sight of =
land for=20
about 12 hours if all goes well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Do not attempt this crossing if =
the wind is=20
out of the north. When the wind direction opposes the flow of=20
the Gulf Stream, the average flow rate of the Gulf Stream is =
reduced. =20
But, the XS momentum of the ocean current is converted into a chaotic =
chop that=20
can easily reach 6 - 8 feet in height or more. The Rhodes 22 can =
be sailed=20
in such conditions, but it's very uncomfortable & wet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Once I was in the Bahamas, I would =
circumnavigate=20
Grand Bahama Island, stopping at Freeport & Port Lucaya. If =
there was=20
time, I would use the Little Abaco Cays as stepping stones to make the =
crossing=20
to Great Abaco Island & circumnavigate it as well. A month =
would be a=20
reasonable amount of time for such a trip.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Roger Pihlaja</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>S/V Dynamic Equilibrium</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> </FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dracerrik@rea-alp.com =
href=3D"mailto:racerrik@rea-alp.com">Rik=20
Sandberg</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Drhodes22-list@rhodes22.org=20
=
href=3D"mailto:rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org">rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org</A>=
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 04, =
2002 8:26=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Rhodes22-list]=20
Bahamas</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>J.C.<BR><BR>I know there is somebody that has sailed =
their R 22=20
to the Bahamas, just can't remember who it was.<BR><BR>I'm sure that =
Roger is=20
probably right on the money with his advice in that prior post.=20
But.....there's always one of them buts, eh?......after all of that, =
there are=20
these people who apparently do the crossing regularly, in a 15 foot =
boat. <A=20
href=3D"http://www.microcruising.com/"=20
eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.microcruising.com/</A> and this =
guy who did=20
the crossing with 2 other people and a dog, in a WWPotter 19. (a =
little=20
crowded for me thank you)<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://potter-yachters.org/stories/bahamas/index.html"=20
=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://potter-yachters.org/stories/bahamas/index.html<=
/A> =20
<BR><BR>I don't know, is a WWPotter that much more seaworthy than an R =
22???=20
One thing I'm sure most knowledgeable ocean sailing people would bring =
up is=20
the large size of the R 22 cockpit. Most boats that are considered =
good sea=20
boats have a cockpit that will hold a far lesser volume of water than =
an R=20
22.<BR><BR>Is there some mention of this trip on the R 22 (GB) web=20
site??<BR><BR>Rik<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>At 07:46 PM 9/4/2002 -0400, you=20
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dcite cite=3D"" type=3D"cite"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman, Times">The answer is "yes" but the question =
remains=20
if this is a good idea.</FONT><BR> <BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman, Times">Here is Roger's response to the idea =
from 2=20
years ago:</FONT><BR> <BR>Just a data point, for whatever it's=20
worth. Last winter, I crewed aboard a<BR>36 foot, center =
cockpit,=20
ketch on a delivery cruise from Florida to the<BR>Bahamas. =
Most=20
sailboats we encountered in the Bahamas were 36 feet long=20
or<BR>bigger. However, there was this one fellow we met. =
He was=20
anchored at<BR>Nassau. His 24 foot sloop had jerry cans & =
other=20
stuff lashed everywhere on<BR>deck. He was singlehanding & =
still=20
the boat looked CRAMMED!<BR><BR>I've made three Florida/Bahamas Gulf =
Stream=20
crossings in sailboats. One of<BR>these crossings was one of =
my worst=20
experiences at sea & well beyond what<BR>you'd ever want to =
attempt in a=20
Rhodes 22. But, the other two were at the<BR>upper limit of =
the Rhodes=20
22's performance envelope. I have several<BR>suggestions =
before you=20
try this however:<BR><BR>1. If your Rhodes 22 has the bow anchor =
chain hawse=20
pipe, then find a way to<BR>plug<BR> the opening =
or you=20
may take a lot of water down below.<BR><BR>2. Add some foam weather=20
stripping to the underside of the pop top & rig=20
up<BR>a<BR> means of securing the pop top down to =
keep=20
your foam "gasket" in<BR>compression.<BR> A =
company called=20
DeStaco makes a wide variety of dogging clamps=20
that<BR>could<BR> be used for this =
purpose.<BR><BR>3.=20
Before you leave, make several 1/2" thick plywood cutouts in the =
shape=20
of<BR>your<BR> ports, both fixed & =
opening. Glue=20
a rubber gasket to one side of each<BR>of them =
&<BR> =20
drill matching holes thru them. These plywood pieces will be =
used=20
in<BR>pairs, one<BR> inside & one outside =
& thru=20
bolted, to plug a port which gets blown out<BR>at sea.<BR><BR>4. No =
matter=20
how you do it, the Gulf Stream crossing will be a very=20
long<BR>day.<BR> The weather will be absolutely=20
crucial. Consider leaving in the middle<BR>of=20
the<BR> night to give yourself as much daylight as =
possible on the other end.<BR>Consider<BR> taking =
on an=20
extra crew member for this leg of the trip to relieve=20
you.<BR>Consider<BR> installing a tiller =
pilot. I=20
have an AutoHelm ST1000+ & it steers our<BR>Rhodes=20
22<BR> very well.<BR><BR>5. Get yourself a good =
safety=20
harness & install solid anchor points=20
&<BR>jacklines<BR> on your Rhodes =
22.<BR><BR>Good=20
luck!<BR><BR>Roger Pihlaja<BR>S/V Dynamic =
Equilibrium<BR><BR> <BR>-----=20
Original Message ----- <BR><B>From:</B> <A =
href=3D"mailto:joscook@msn.com">J=20
Cook</A> <BR><B>To:</B> <A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org">rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org</A>=
=20
<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 04, 2002 7:03 =
PM<BR><B>Subject:</B>=20
[Rhodes22-list] Bahamas<BR><BR> <BR>Has anybody here sailed an =
R22 to=20
the Bahamas?</BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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