[Rhodes22-list] Thanks for Sharing Your Experience With Newbies

[David Culp]

Ed:

I enjoy reading all the technical discussions on the list and they have been
of great use to me in my first season with my Rhodes.  There are three
individuals who comment on the list to whom I pay great attention and have
tremendous respect for regarding their experience and knowledge concerning
the Rhodes. That's not to say others aren't important or correct. However, I
pay particular attention to posts by Stan, Rummy and yourself.  I am pretty
good at figuring out who knows what they are talking about and bet others do
the same.

<Before you in your youth disparage this sail plan, read several books by
recognized authorities on sails.>

Now I have gone back and read my original post on the subject and no where
in it have I "disparaged" anything or anyone.  I don't hold myself up as an
expert on anything when it comes to sailing the Rhodes 22.  I am in learning
mode and will always be in learning mode when it comes to sailing in
general.  This is a wonderful part of it for me; everyday is a new
experience and more to learn.  Just because someone throws out a different
idea or has an offbeat question doesn't mean that they are disparaging yours
and my favorite boat.  I trust that many people have dedicated their
professional lives to the Rhodes 22 design and I appreciate what they have
accomplished every time I go out and sail her.

I think you would agree, just as we wouldn't go out and set the sails on
just one tack and ever expect to reach our destination, neither can we
expect to live by one just one set of ideas or opinions or we would as you
suggest, become merely "push-button" sailors.  Those of us who want to
become better sailors in this or any other boat, must take the opportunity
to ask questions of others with more experience such as yourself even if
means exposing our own shortcomings.  For instance, how would I have ever
known about Rummy's method of attaching the whisker-pole to the shroud or
your use of the asymmetrical spinnaker without the question being raised?
I'm sorry if I annoy you with some of my questions or comments.  You
obviously have tremendous experience with boats in general and this boat
specifically.  Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us even
when it annoys you to do so.   I don't like your insinuation that I am in
someway disparaging the Rhodes in any area when I'm not.  If I ever do, it
will be clear, factual and to the point and then I will batten down the
hatches for all the incoming flak I will certainly receive!

You can't make me mad Ed, because your comments are too valuable and I have
a pretty thick skin; but I must tell you that every time you go off on a
tangent with your responses, my respect for you on this list comes down a
tick.  Those of us who own the boat should appreciate each other for our
obvious good taste and allow each other a little leeway in our discussions.
We have paid for and earned the right to talk frankly about our boats good
and bad even if only amongst ourselves.  By the way, the Rhodes 22 speaks
very nicely for herself every time she's on the water and she doesn't need
Don Quixote to come to her rescue.

David Culp



David,

       From your description of your sailing lake, I thought you were
describing
Lake Hartwell, aka, Rummy?s Private Impoundment.

       Yes Lake Hartwell has one stretch near the dam that with the correct
winds
you can sail almost one mile.  However, even there the constantly changing
peninsulas and associated coves and inlets make for constant sail
adjustments.  That is inland lake sailing.

       I have the 175 on my Rhodes with Stan?s furling system.  You will be
wasting $$$ just to change to a CDI to occasionally change foresails.  In my
humble opinion, you just have not learned to properly adjust your sails.

       If you gain skill at sail adjustment, you will be able to attain good
sail
shape.  If you expect your sails to work like a television, just push a
button and change shape, well that is a common problem with present day
folks.  I call it the television personality syndrome.

       As to your understanding of the sail plan on the Rhodes 22 and if it
is
good and proper, original plan was by a proven navel architect and its
subsequent modification were by engineer who became a navel engineer over
the last 60 years.  The plan has been modified and refined many times based
on  empirical feedback to Stan from owners and users.

       Furthermore, the plan came from successful deployment on other
sailboats
and the variations tested by others striving to achieve optimal sail plans.
Before you in your youth disparage this sail plan, read several books by
recognized authorities on sails.  Before you actually buy some good books on
sails, go to the Sail Net Article Library and to the different manufactures
of sails web sites and study.

       In a couple of years, I expect you will better appreciate what you
have.

Ed K
Greenville, SC, USA