[Rhodes22-list] Ocean Sailing

[Bill Effros]

On the other hand, the boat won't sink, so it is effectively the most comfortable life raft on earth.

Read Chris's email about Trinidad.  37 out of 40 ocean going boats were a total loss--and they were in the harbor, just like your boat is now!  The bodies of live-aboards are washing up--and they thought they were safe on moorings, or multiple anchors--they all put out their best stuff.

Last year (or was it the year before?) a cruise ship put all it's passengers ashore and went out into the ocean to ride out a storm--it was never heard from again.

Ocean going sailing is glamorized foolishness.  It's both boring and dangerous--a combination that holds little appeal for me.

Michael is completely right.  The R-22 will survive any ocean going you throw at it.  The people aboard might not, depending on luck and a tailwind. 

If you're thinking about just going far enough off shore so you can't see land, you will be safer in an R-22 than almost any other boat I can think of.  I'll defend that statement another day.  

If I ever thought of ocean going sailing I would tow an R-22 as a life raft--I really would--it costs less, is better appointed, and it won't sink!  You can swamp it, but you can't sink it.  Carry a manual pump, and you can empty it.  Heave to in a storm, and the only thing that will swamp you is a "rogue wave".

But what will you do when you run out of water?  I know, you're going to carry a hand operated water maker, and fill the boat full of the original Spam so you'll have both food and bait and...

Don't look for trouble, it will find you.

Bill Effros


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Richard Smith 
To: The Rhodes 22 mail list 
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2004 9:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Ocean Sailing


The cockpit of the Rhodes is to large, the self draining is to slow and the
seal of the cockpit liner is not tight enough to make the boat a candidate
for ocean voyaging.

Look elsewhere for small boats that are more appropriate for ocean passages.

Richard Smith

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