[Rhodes22-list] Extension bar use

Wed Oct 1 20:32:31 EDT 2008

Ben

The tides here are 6 to 8+ feet and since we are all working stiffs the ramp
gets crowded on weekends around high tide. Then add Sal from da Bronx with
his hydraulic trailer getting all the keel boats in and out for $24 per
foot, you get the picture.

The extension bar allows launching and retrieving even when the tide is down
a bit.

This leads to an Elton story:

Elton is delivering the boat the middle of May 3 years ago on a Saturday. We
set it up, raise the mast, all is beautiful. I know sxxt from shinola as far
as boats, launching, etc. As Elton grins and approaches the ramp (he is
looking at me), Sal comes running over and tells us to stay to one side so
we don't get in the way of his paycheck. We both shake our heads 'yes'.
See, we timed ol' Sal, and he's taking 20-30 minutes or more between
launches, and he does not yet have a boat on his trailer. Elton dryly
observes that Sal knows sxxt from shinola about launching an R22 and that it
only takes a few minutes. Me, I keep quiet because we are already heading
down the ramp. 30 seconds later sv Carmen is afloat, I pull up to the dock
and Elton 'hops'  on board.
We motor out into the bay and sail around trying out the IMF, CB, genny
furler, a tack, a jibe, we're all stand-up guys, life is beyootiful.
Obviously, we do not even look at the traveller, which remains fallow. Right
about then Sal gets another 35' keel boat into the water, but the diesel
stalls, the boat goes nowhere, and Sal has to haul it out again, he ties up
the ramp, all the power boaters are raising hell (the line is 6 deep now),
while I row Elton and myself back to the dock from the mooring.

Hats off to the Commodore, launching an R22 is a piece of cake compared to
most other boats that aren't dinghies.

Andrew
s/v Carmen

On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 2:07 PM, ben
<benonvelvetelvis at theskinnyonbenny.com>wrote:

> Do most of you find that you need the extension bar?  My normal launch gets
> deep enough fast enough that I don't need to use it at all.
>
> Ben S.
> R22 Velvet Elvis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Michael D.
> Weisner
> Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 10:57 AM
> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Extension bar use
>
>  Andrew,
>
> I have played the same game of "catch the pin" many times.  Proper
> adjustment of the trailer height using the trailer jack and lots of fresh
> grease on the tongue extension make the job much easier, whether the car is
> used or you do it by hand.  My new extension tongue is slightly longer (1
> foot) and has a stop fixed to the end to prevent pulling it all the way
> out,
>
> just in case.
>
> We used to launch or retrieve in 30-45 minutes with a trained crew of 3-4.
> Now, my wife and I are able to accomplish the task in about an hour or so,
> including rigging while on the water.  I found that I spent too much time
> climbing up and down the boat while still on the trailer to rig. We just
> extend the tongue, launch, VERIFY NO LEAKS, motor out, drop the hook, step
> the mast and rig in the river.  Now we have no overheads to worry about
> while on the trailer.
>
> If you require help, we are in Kings Park, probably not that far from you.
>
> Mike
> s/v Shanghai'd Summer ('81)
> Nissequogue River, NY
>
>
> From: "Andrew Collins" <sailingvesselcarmen at gmail.com>Sent: Wednesday,
> October 01, 2008 11:35 AM
> > Wally
> >
> > The extension bar is a real help in launching and retrieving, the only
> > catch
> > is sliding it in and out and lining up the fast-pin holes while you are
> > driving. This is especially aggravating if you are alone. The easy
> > solution
> > we came up with is to pull the extension bar out by hand, re-hitch it to
> > the
> > tow vehicle and proceed to launch, or vice versa.
> >
> > A little game has evolved out of this as well if there is a driver and a
> > fast-pin inserter: slowly drive forward pulling the extension bar out
> > (with
> > the trailer chocked!), fast-pin guy yelling 'slow', SLOWER", GOT IT! as
> > the
> > holes appear. As with all things, practice makes perfect. Pretty soon
> > you'll
> > know exactly where that hole is inside the front support sleeve.
> >
> > Too many of us launch and retrieve alone, and one gets pretty good at a
> > lot
> > of things. It goes much faster with an extra pair of hands, and then
> there
> > is a good reason to crack a cold one.
> >
> > Andrew
> > s/v Carmen
> >
> > On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 10:49 AM, Joe Babb <joe.babb at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Wally,
> >> Sharon and I trailer sail our Rhodes 22.  We find that extending the
> >> trailer tongue to launch and retrieve is the most
> >> aggravating thing about it.  Otherwise things go quite smoothly with the
> >> mast hoist system.  It just takes time and patience.
> >> It takes us about 1.5 to 2 hours to rig and launch.  That's from parking
> >> at the launch ramp to parking the truck and
> >> trailer.  The best tip is to minimize the amount of time you spend
> >> getting on and off the boat through planning your
> >> work.  We tow with a Chevy 2500 Silverado.  We usually get 16 -18 mpg on
> >> the highway without towing.  On the way
> >> back across the Smoky Mountains from Edenton we got about 12 mpg average
> >> towing the Rhodes.
> >> Going up steep hills usually slows us down to 40 or 45.  We found the
> >> boat tows well at 55 mph.
> >> So far, I've always just jumped in the water and led Harmony onto the
> >> trailer.  The trailer extension is a pain, but also
> >> very nice as it gets you far  enough into the water to avoid having to
> >> use muscle power to launch.
> >> Hope this helps.
> >> Joe
> >>
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