[Rhodes22-list] on ballanced boat

[fnuttersny at aol.com]

My 73 R22 is bare bones compared to most others on the list.  Two batteries located under the companion way and a 9.5 evinrud in the lazzarete  engine well pretty much makes up my boat.  I basically set her up as a very comfortable day sailer. In this configuration the boat is slightly stern  heavy.  I recently replaced the centerboard with a custom composit airfoil shaped board with no leading and trailing(the board has the same width over its length) edge taper and 25# of bronze makingup the tip of the board -the board dropes quickly-. I have a new rolly-tasker main and a new 150% head sail both hanked on..  I have to say that the boat performs fantastic.  In 15 to 20 mph wind and full sails there is almost no pressure on the tiller.  The boat seams to dig her nose slightly down and the stern comes up.  I can set the rudder with the tiller tamer and have held my coarse for up to 45 min.  As the wind picks up I usually stand on the rail up by the mast and hang on to  the stays and just look down as the boat sails herself falling of slightly then rounding up a little back an forth never more than a vew degrees either way.  This is the first time I have sailed the boat with realy good sails and centerboard  etc. and the difference is everything I hoped it would be.  I believe this is a perfect boat for inland waters in my case the Hudson river.  I had four adults on board recently in a steady 25 mph wind. We sat four in a row and the boat sailed at maybe 5deg.  We flew across the river against a flood tide still very little pressure on the rudder and very very close to the wind.  My passengers thought I was brilliant the way I made the boat go exactly were I wanted it to go and in quick time .  Thanks to a great design and a vew up grades.