[Rhodes22-list] Rhodes 22 advice sought

[Mary Lou Troy]

My husband and I had a R22 for 18 years, most of that on the Chesapeake. 
I'll try to answer your specific questions but also add a word of 
caution about your proposed tow vehicle. If the Volvo is truly 5000 lbs, 
you should be OK but it's close. We towed and launched ours for several 
years with a 4 wheel drive Chev. Blazer that had a 5000 lb towing 
capacity. It was OK but we felt a whole lot better when we moved to a 
Nissan Frontier with a 6300 two capacity. Like I said you are probably 
OK but be cautious. Front wheel drive could be a problem on ramps.

In answer to your questions:
> Some specific questions:
>
>     - The mainsail mast furling system seems to be a big plus that can make
>     solo handling much easier. Is that truly the case?
Yes. The mainsail furling system does sacrifice some pointing ability 
but the sail can be easily set for the wind conditions and you can make 
up for some of the pointing ability if you have track inside the shrouds 
for the genoa. We had the 175 genoa and were happy with it but many 
Rhodies have gone to a 150 or a 135 and those should also help you point 
better if you have the track inside the shrouds or on the cabin top. We 
had both.

>     - I’m seeing quite a number of recycled Rhodes 22’s offered for sale. I
>     know what the GB website says about their recycle program but does that
>     make a boat built in say, 1987 and recycled in 2015, more like a four year
>     old boat than a 32 year old one?

The recycled boats look like new. The hulls are sound and because you 
can customize as you want almost anything else can be new as well. When 
we bought our recycled boat in 1998, we ordered new sails. I don't 
believe our rigging was new but we didn't replace it for another 10 years.

>     - Mast raising – some of what I read indicates that stepping the mast
>     single-handedly is difficult and that an electric mast raising system is
>     really needed. True, mostly true or blarney?

Mast raising is time consuming but simple with the General Boats mast 
raising system (which is not electric). We generally only did it in the 
spring and fall so we were checking and rechecking instructions. It 
would take us about 90 minutes including packing or unpacking the boat 
for travel.



>     - Can the Rhodes handle limited coastal cruising (assuming a competent
>     skipper)? My definition of limited is the Gulf, maybe the Keys or very
>     short stints off the NJ coast.

Absolutely. They have been sailed to the Bahamas and there is one that 
was shipped to the Mediterranean and has made it's way via the coast 
from Spain to Greece. Look up Chris Geankoplis in the mail list 
archives. His Mediterranean adventures reports over the past couple of 
years make great reading.


>     - Specific advice relative to purchasing a Rhodes 22.
I'll leave this to others who have purchased a boat more recently.

Best of luck and enjoy the boat show.

Mary Lou
ex Rhodes 22
now Rosborough RF-246
Rock Hall, MD



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