[Rhodes22-list] New fixins

[Art Czerwonky]

Fellow Rhoadies,

It has been an interesting Spring, especially with the warmer seasons, more opportunity to use our boat, and more opportunity for project work.  I'll share one that others may want to try themselves, not at all easy, but very useful in protecting our floating investment.  I made a single variable width canvas cover to accomplish part of the greater need for a full boat cover, namely overlapping the cabin, both the pop-top cover and the side cabin windows.  From past history, the flat windows cannot conform to the complex curve of the cabin side wall, and at some point will begin to leak water into the boat bilges.  This cover has worked nicely for me since it covers the windows and hatch.  Try doing this,especially if you have an older Rhodes - it may make it unnecessary to re-bed the windows.
  
You may want this done for you, in which case notice Stans confidence in producing all such  canvas products, a  new offering.  I suspect he may have started his own canvas shop.  If you do it yourself, it looks easier than it actually is if you have any degree of detail - be sure your stitching machine is a heavy duty, cause mama will not want to overhaul her light one!

I also put a flat Sunbrella cover flap over my companionway cover, which is wood.  It protects nicely from the UV's and cracking. 
 
Other than that, I still highly recommend coming down to Florida sailing, especially next winter.  Cap'n Keller can tell you about his annual cruising adventures in the Fort Myers environs and make you very envious!


Art
s/v Mary Jane