[Rhodes22-list] Permission to come aboard?

[The Rhodes 22 Email List]

I am the new owner of a '76 Rhodes, hull number GBX220092E76. Despite my
admiration for the beauty and ingenuity of the boat's design I would likely
not have dared to make the jump if I hadn't discovered this site and the
generosity and patience of its contributors. I feel honoured to join your
ranks.

About me: I grew up in a sailing family. Back in the dawn of time when
dinosaurs roamed the earth we sailed 14' Ackroyd dinghies, then Rhodes
Bantams, and on to Lightnings and Flying Dutchmen and most recently Flying
Scots. I discovered cruising  when a good friend bought a Catalina 25, and
promptly came down with 2 foot-itis ­ 25 became a Catalina 27, then a
Columbia 31 and finally a Mirage 26. We sailed on Lake Ontario, up the St.
Lawrence River past Quebec City, and all over Lake Champlain ­ which is
really an inland sea 100 miles long and up to 10 miles wide in places.

Then he sold the Mirage, and I thought well hell, now what am I going to do?
After a lot of looking, I came across the Rhodes and fell in love.

The boat: named "Patience," which feels quite appropriate consider how long
I looked for it. Among the papers inherited from the previous owner is the
yellowed but legible order sheet for the boat in 1976, from GBC in
Irvington-on-Hudson. With all the options the original owner chose the bill
for a brand spanking new Rhodes Continental came to $8,095.  The second
owner bought the boat in the early '80's andy sailed it on the Ottawa River,
and then 22 years ago, so he told me, they bought a cottage on a lake too
small for sailing and it has remained on its trailer under cover ever since.
I did a pretty thorough inspection with someone more experienced than I, and
it seems to be in pretty good shape. All original, including cushion covers,
the icebox, porta-potty and two burner alcohol stove that was standard on RC
models in '76.  It is equipped with a 150 genoa. The work it needs seems to
be mostly cosmetic, aside from running rigging which needs to be updated,
and if it doesn't sink to the bottom on launch day I'll be delighted.

I'm going to moor it on Lake Memphremagog this summer while I work on it,
and then on Lake Champlain. I plan to send 10% of the price I paid to Stan,
which isn't going to thrill him since I didn't pay much, and in Canadian
dollars, but seems the right thing to do anyway. I'm not sure what I'll be
able to afford to buy from General Boats, given the current exchange rates
and my own budget. But it will be my first stop when I go shopping.

So that's me and Patience, slowly emerging from the melting snow. I have
about six million questions but will try not to test your patience. I can't
download any attachments with "Old Nabble" in the address, and if anyone
could enlighten me I will continue to scour the archives for answers.

Jefferson Lewis