[Rhodes22-list] Extortion!

[Steve Alm]

Gee Whiz, Stan. You help us get our boats wet for free and then charge $25
to get 'em out?  This is a shake-down!  What's next?  Should I expect a big
fellow with a crooked nose named Guido to knock down my door demanding
protection money?

How do you sleep at night?

Slim

On 5/31/03 7:46 AM, "General Boats" <wwrhodes at rhodes22.com> wrote:

> All:
> 
> Launching the Rhodes on a Rhodes trailer is a single handed job I have done an
> untold number of time all over the country - which suggests you may have to
> get
> to my age before you get it right.:
> 
> make sure the cb and rudder are locked up.
> 
> make sure the trailer winch is disconnected from the boat.
> 
> use the extension tongue.
> 
> slowly back down the ramp making a straight entry into the water. (I use a
> hitch
> on the front of the van to avoid neck strain and it lets me thread a needle.)
> 
> start picking up speed.
> 
> when the transom of the boat lifts off the trailer, apply the car breaks.
> 
> the boat will self launch.
> 
> dive in and swim after it using the transom boarding ladder.  alternate single
> handed method it to have a sufficiently slack line to the boat with the other
> end to the ramp dock or to the trailer to retrieve the boat after it clears
> the
> trailer.  I have used both methods successfully.  the last swimming technique
> was fully dressed using an Australian racing stroke to board the boat before
> it
> hit a million dollar yacht in Newport Harbor.  the technique was successful in
> spite of the a heart attack.
> 
> try and do this operation single handed  - using helpers only leads to
> laughing
> which is no good for people with broken ribs.  helpers tend to panic as the
> boat
> leaves the trailer so they pull on the lines prematurely, returning the boat
> to
> the trailer.    the driver is thus surprised to find the boat still on the
> trailer when he or she takes the trailer out of the water.
> 
> in another instance the helper ran along the dock holding the boat line and
> off
> the end of the dock when the momentum of the boat leaving the trailer took the
> helper along with it..  I became aware of this when I no longer could see the
> helper anywhere.
> 
> good luck.    retrieving is even easier, however, while there is no charge for
> launching instructions, a voluntary $25 donation to the GBI foundation is
> required if you ever want to get a Rhodes out of the water.
> 
> stan/gbi
> 
> 
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