[Rhodes22-list] Sailing With The Boom In The Lower Position

[David Walker]

Roger,

I have fit a vang on my IMF boom.  It has to be removable at the mast  in
order to use the poptop.  I have a web strap around the mast at the foot
that catches under a conveniently mounted cleat, and a lenght of 3/16
stayset tied in a rolling hitch around the boom at about the location of the
jam cleat for the furling line.  The vang attaches by a shackle to the boom
loop and by a snap shackle to the loop at the mast.

Your analysis of the reefing with the IMF is right on.  When roller reefing
the 175 it is important to get the sheet blocks adjusted correctly.  At 175
they should be just forward of the winch so the clew two-blocks with it when
sheeted tight.  At 130, the blocks are at the forward end of my track , just
at the water drain channel.  Less than that requires sheeting inside the
shrouds.

Dave Walker
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger Pihlaja" <cen09402 at centurytel.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 6:42 AM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Sailing With The Boom In The Lower Position


> Jim,
>
> Normally, when we talk about setting the boom in the lower position, we
mean
> about 2 feet above the pop top.  There should be a stop on the mast to
limit
> the travel of the slider on the boom's gooseneck.  Lowering the boom
reduces
> the length of the moment arm from the mainsail's center of effort (CE) to
> the boat's center of gravity (CG).  Reducing this moment arm causes the
> mainsail to generate less torque about the CG & thus reduces heeling.  As
> you noted, when the boom is lowered to just above the pop top, the
geometry
> of the mainsheet from the traveller to the aft end of the boom gets very
> unfavorable.  You should inspect the tang on the end of your boom.  The
tang
> is a piece of electropolished stainless steel bar stock that is attached
to
> the aft end of the boom at one end & to the upper block on the mainsheet
> tackle on the other end.  The tang should be straight.  But, operating the
> boom just above the pop top may very well have bent the tang.  If the tang
> is bent, it will have to be replaced.  Do not try to straighten it.
>
> Yes, the unfavorable geometry of the mainsheet will allow the boom to rise
> up & create an undesireably full mainsail shape.  It is better to leave
the
> boom up a few feet & partially reef the IMF mainsail.  Then, your
mainsheet
> can exert some downward force on the end of the boom to keep it from
rising
> up.  I would also expect that you were experiencing fairly severe weather
> helm if you had the full mainsail up under these conditions.  This weather
> helm severely limited your boat's capability to sail to weather.
>
> The Rhodes 22 hull develops weather helm as it heels over.  The hot setup
> for the conditions you were sailing in would have been to reduce the area
of
> the mainsail down to about 50%.  Put up sufficient genoa sail area such
that
> the angle of heeling was limited to about 30 deg (rub rail just going
under)
> in the strongest gusts.  I would guess about 125% would have been about
> right.  Now your sailplan would have had more genoa & less mainsail.  The
> larger foresail area would have caused lee helm.  But, this lee helm would
> have been counteracted by the weather helm developed by the hull as it
> heeled over.  With a little experimentation, you will quickly discover
> mainsail area & genoa area settings that result in nearly neutral helm
under
> virtually any conditions.  This setup will get you sailing as efficiently
to
> weather as possible.  Just remember to reduce mainsail area 1st & keep as
> much genoa sail area up as possible.
>
> My Rhodes 22 has the standard mainsail & I have a boom vang.  However,
I've
> not heard of anyone with the IMF mainsail retrofitting a boom vang.  A
boom
> vang would have been very helpful in your situation.  I don't know why GBI
> doesn't fit a boom vang on the IMF mainsail boats.
>
> Hopefully, this helps Jim.  Good luck!
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <jbconnolly at comcast.net>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 8:54 AM
> Subject: Small Craft Warnings (WAS Re: [Rhodes22-list] An introduction)
>
>
> > About ten days ago I had my R-22 out in what proved to be borderline
small
> craft warning conditions.  Winds 15-20 out of the NNE (which provides
least
> shelter in my harbor) with gusts near 30.
> > The forecast (NW 10-15 gusts to 20) was in error.  I was single-handing.
> When I went out saturday, I was not mentally prepared for the actual
> conditions.   I should have set up the boat differently also.  I scared
> myself a couple of times, and the best that can be said about it was that
> nobody got hurt and nothing broke.
> > I went out again on sunday in *slightly* less gusty conditions.  I
lowered
> the boom to sitting on the pop top and kept the jib furled to about 100%.
> Pointing ability was reduced (jib).  Things overall went much better.
It's
> nice to verify what you all have said that the boat can handle.
> > One thing I noticed was that, with the boom in the lowered position, the
> traveler is relatively high compared to the boom end, and the mainsheet
> seems to exert less downward force on the boom.  This looks like it would
> produce a fuller sail shape, which is not what one might prefer in high
> winds.  Is my intuition correct, and, if it is, is there any solution for
> this?  In th absence of a vang, is there anything that can be done about
> this?
> > This past saturday I was out in steady 5-10 kt west wind, cool temps
near
> 70 and dry.  I had my crew with me (nearly 3 year old son and 8 month
> pregnant wife).  We all had a lot of fun on a nice easy sailing day.  If I
> had had them with me the previous saturday, and been stupid enough to
leave
> the mooring, I would be sailing single-handed for the rest of my life.
> > It's a good boat.  The boat can probably withstand worse conditions than
> you can, but you probably won't enjoy the process.
> > BTW, I have the vertical batten IMF main that looks the same as Rummy's
> though it is about a year older.  I have not sailed the "old" IMF main, so
> can't discuss relative performance.
> > Jim Connolly
> > s/v Inisheer
> > '85 recycled '03
> > -------------- Original message --------------
> >
> > > Dennis,
> > >
> > > The Rhodes 22 will handle small craft warnings on Saginaw Bay or Lake
> Erie
> > > just fine. Consider that in July of 1991, my 2 sons & I did a
week-long
> > > loop of western Lake Erie. At the time, Daniel was 8 years old & Gary
> was 5
> > > years old. We launched from the western side of Sandusky Bay & sailed
> out
> > > to Kelly's Island. We stayed two days on Kelly's Island & then crossed
> Lake
> > > Erie over to Pelee Island. After Pelee Island, we crossed Lake Erie
> again &
> > > stayed on Middle Bass & South Bass Island. We ended up the week at the
> > > Cedar Point Marina. We sailed in all sorts of conditions, small craft
> > > warnings, dead calm, & even a thunderstorm! Dynamic Equilibrium took
it
> all
> > > in stride.
> > >
> > > FYI, visiting Cedar Point Amusement Park by boat is great. The marina
> has
> > > its own restaurant, rest rooms, shower facilities, & its own private
> > > entrance into the amusement park . You party in the amusement park
until
> > > they close, walk to your boat which is probably closer than your car
> would
> > > be parked, & crawl into your bunk. There's no fighting traffic & no
> long,
> > > tiring drive home. It truely a most civilized way to do Cedar Point!
> > >
> > > I recommend you 1st get some experience on the small inland lakes in
> your
> > > area before you tackle blue water. I believe Whitmore Lake has a
marina
> > > which rents dock space. If you can afford it, take a slip for the
> season.
> > > You will use your boat much more often if it's already in the water.
The
> > > Rhodes 22 comes alive when there are small craft warnings up. But, you
> do
> > > need to know what you're doing or it can be pretty scary.
> > >
> > > Roger Pihlaja
> > > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Dennis McNeely"
> > > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> > > Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 7:15 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] An introduction
> > >
> > >
> > > > Thanks for the welcome.
> > > >
> > > > I'll probably try to do some sailing in Saginaw Bay. I agree with
> Roger's
> > > > comment that many local lakes are marginal in size for sailing the
> Rhodes,
> > > > and Lake Erie is fairly shallow and seems to have small craft
warnings
> up
> > > > often.
> > > >
> > > > I'll do a bit of lurking and reading the list archives while working
> on
> > > the
> > > > boat. It'll have to do for now.
> > > >
> > > > Dennis McNeely
> > > >
> > > > At 09:26 PM 8/7/2004, you wrote:
> > > > >Dennis,
> > > > >
> > > > >Welcome to the list! I'm probably the closest Rhodes 22 owner to
you.
> I
> > > > >have a 1976 model & I live on Sanford Lake, about 2-1/2 hours north
> of
> > > you
> > > > >up US-23 & I-75 to Bay City & then west on US-10 about halfway to
> Clare.
> > > > >
> > > > >Where will you sail; Ford Lake, Belleville Lake, Whitmore Lake, one
> of
> > > the
> > > > >many small lakes to the northwest of Ann Arbor, or? I've canoed on
> Ford
> > > > >Lake, lots of power boat & PWC traffic. The only lake in that area
> I've
> > > > >sailed on is Whitmore Lake, it's not bad, although a little on the
> samll
> > > > >side for a Rhodes 22.
> > > > >
> > > > >Give me a shout if you have any rigging questions.
> > > > >
> > > > >Roger Pihlaja
> > > > >S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> > > > >
> > > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > > >From: "Chris Geankoplis"
> > > > >To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> > > > >Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2004 9:02 AM
> > > > >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] An introduction
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Welcome to the list Dennis,
> > > > > > You have indeed found the
> > > > >fount
> > > > > > of all things Rhodes (and a lot more). Be sure to check out the
> > > archives.
> > > > > > Again welcome to Da List.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Chris G.
> > > > > > Medford OR
> > > > > > '83 Rhodes
> > > >
> > > > __________________________________________________
> > > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________
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