[Rhodes22-list] Bahamas

Roger Pihlaja rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Thu, 5 Sep 2002 12:18:57 -0400


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I stand by my pretrip preparation advice from 2 years ago.

If I were going to make this trip in my Rhodes 22; then, I would depart =
from the Lake Worth Inlet at Palm Beach, FL & enter the Bahamas at the =
West End Port of Entry on Grand Bahama Island.  The distance is 56 nm & =
the direct bearing is 099 deg M.  However, you will be fighting the Gulf =
Stream current almost the entire way across.  The Gulf Stream flows =
almost due north @ 2.5 knots average in this region.  Assuming your =
Rhodes 22 can average 4 knots; then, you would need to steer about 131 =
deg M to compensate for the northerly set of the Gulf Stream current & =
the crossing will take about 14 hours.  I would depart at 00:00 & plan =
to arrive at 14:00 the following afternoon.  That way, if something goes =
crooked, I would still have approximately 6 - 7 hours of daylight to =
figure it out.  You will be sailing in the dark for about 6 hours & out =
of sight of land for about 12 hours if all goes well.

Do not attempt this crossing if the wind is out of the north.  When the =
wind direction opposes the flow of the Gulf Stream, the average flow =
rate of the Gulf Stream is reduced.  But, the XS momentum of the ocean =
current is converted into a chaotic chop that can easily reach 6 - 8 =
feet in height or more.  The Rhodes 22 can be sailed in such conditions, =
but it's very uncomfortable & wet.

Once I was in the Bahamas, I would circumnavigate Grand Bahama Island, =
stopping at Freeport & Port Lucaya.  If there was time, I would use the =
Little Abaco Cays as stepping stones to make the crossing to Great Abaco =
Island & circumnavigate it as well.  A month would be a reasonable =
amount of time for such a trip.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

  =20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Rik Sandberg=20
  To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org=20
  Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 8:26 PM
  Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Bahamas


  J.C.

  I know there is somebody that has sailed their R 22 to the Bahamas, =
just can't remember who it was.

  I'm sure that Roger is probably right on the money with his advice in =
that prior post. But.....there's always one of them buts, eh?......after =
all of that, there are these people who apparently do the crossing =
regularly, in a 15 foot boat. http://www.microcruising.com/  and this =
guy who did the crossing with 2 other people and a dog, in a WWPotter =
19. (a little crowded for me thank you)
  http://potter-yachters.org/stories/bahamas/index.html =20

  I don't know, is a WWPotter that much more seaworthy than an R 22??? =
One thing I'm sure most knowledgeable ocean sailing people would bring =
up is the large size of the R 22 cockpit. Most boats that are considered =
good sea boats have a cockpit that will hold a far lesser volume of =
water than an R 22.

  Is there some mention of this trip on the R 22 (GB) web site??

  Rik




  At 07:46 PM 9/4/2002 -0400, you wrote:

    The answer is "yes" but the question remains if this is a good idea.
    =20
    Here is Roger's response to the idea from 2 years ago:
    =20
    Just a data point, for whatever it's worth.  Last winter, I crewed =
aboard a
    36 foot, center cockpit, ketch on a delivery cruise from Florida to =
the
    Bahamas.  Most sailboats we encountered in the Bahamas were 36 feet =
long or
    bigger.  However, there was this one fellow we met.  He was anchored =
at
    Nassau.  His 24 foot sloop had jerry cans & other stuff lashed =
everywhere on
    deck.  He was singlehanding & still the boat looked CRAMMED!

    I've made three Florida/Bahamas Gulf Stream crossings in sailboats.  =
One of
    these crossings was one of my worst experiences at sea & well beyond =
what
    you'd ever want to attempt in a Rhodes 22.  But, the other two were =
at the
    upper limit of the Rhodes 22's performance envelope.  I have several
    suggestions before you try this however:

    1. If your Rhodes 22 has the bow anchor chain hawse pipe, then find =
a way to
    plug
        the opening or you may take a lot of water down below.

    2. Add some foam weather stripping to the underside of the pop top & =
rig up
    a
        means of securing the pop top down to keep your foam "gasket" in
    compression.
        A company called DeStaco makes a wide variety of dogging clamps =
that
    could
        be used for this purpose.

    3. Before you leave, make several 1/2" thick plywood cutouts in the =
shape of
    your
        ports, both fixed & opening.  Glue a rubber gasket to one side =
of each
    of them &
        drill matching holes thru them.  These plywood pieces will be =
used in
    pairs, one
        inside & one outside & thru bolted, to plug a port which gets =
blown out
    at sea.

    4. No matter how you do it, the Gulf Stream crossing will be a very =
long
    day.
        The weather will be absolutely crucial.  Consider leaving in the =
middle
    of the
        night to give yourself as much daylight as possible on the other =
end.
    Consider
        taking on an extra crew member for this leg of the trip to =
relieve you.
    Consider
        installing a tiller pilot.  I have an AutoHelm ST1000+ & it =
steers our
    Rhodes 22
        very well.

    5. Get yourself a good safety harness & install solid anchor points =
&
    jacklines
        on your Rhodes 22.

    Good luck!

    Roger Pihlaja
    S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

    =20
    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: J Cook=20
    To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org=20
    Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 7:03 PM
    Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Bahamas

    =20
    Has anybody here sailed an R22 to the Bahamas?

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
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</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I stand by my pretrip preparation =
advice from 2=20
years ago.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If I were going to make this trip in my =
Rhodes 22;=20
then, I would depart from the Lake Worth Inlet at&nbsp;Palm Beach, FL =
&amp;=20
enter the Bahamas at the West End Port of Entry on Grand Bahama =
Island.&nbsp;=20
The distance is 56 nm &amp; the direct bearing is 099 deg M.&nbsp; =
However, you=20
will be&nbsp;fighting the Gulf Stream current almost the entire way=20
across.&nbsp; The Gulf Stream flows almost due north @ 2.5 knots average =
in this=20
region.&nbsp; </FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Assuming your Rhodes 22 =
can average=20
4 knots; then, you would need to steer about 131 deg M&nbsp;to =
compensate for=20
the northerly set of the Gulf Stream current&nbsp;&amp; the crossing =
will take=20
about 14 hours.&nbsp; I would depart&nbsp;at 00:00 &amp; plan to arrive =
at 14:00=20
the following afternoon.&nbsp; That way, if something goes crooked, I =
would=20
still&nbsp;have approximately 6 - 7 hours of daylight to figure it =
out.&nbsp;=20
You will be sailing in the dark for about 6 hours &amp; out of sight of =
land for=20
about 12 hours if all goes well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Do not attempt this crossing&nbsp;if =
the wind is=20
out of the north.&nbsp; When the wind direction opposes the flow of=20
the&nbsp;Gulf Stream, the average flow rate of the Gulf Stream is =
reduced.&nbsp;=20
But, the XS momentum of the ocean current is converted into a chaotic =
chop that=20
can easily reach 6 - 8 feet in height or more.&nbsp; The Rhodes 22 can =
be sailed=20
in such conditions, but it's very uncomfortable &amp; wet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Once I was in the Bahamas, I would =
circumnavigate=20
Grand Bahama Island, stopping at Freeport &amp; Port Lucaya.&nbsp; If =
there was=20
time, I would use the Little Abaco Cays as stepping stones to make the =
crossing=20
to Great Abaco Island &amp; circumnavigate it as well.&nbsp; A month =
would be a=20
reasonable amount of time for such a trip.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Roger Pihlaja</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>S/V Dynamic Equilibrium</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dracerrik@rea-alp.com =
href=3D"mailto:racerrik@rea-alp.com">Rik=20
  Sandberg</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Drhodes22-list@rhodes22.org=20
  =
href=3D"mailto:rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org">rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org</A>=
 </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 04, =
2002 8:26=20
  PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Rhodes22-list]=20
Bahamas</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>J.C.<BR><BR>I know there is somebody that has sailed =
their R 22=20
  to the Bahamas, just can't remember who it was.<BR><BR>I'm sure that =
Roger is=20
  probably right on the money with his advice in that prior post.=20
  But.....there's always one of them buts, eh?......after all of that, =
there are=20
  these people who apparently do the crossing regularly, in a 15 foot =
boat. <A=20
  href=3D"http://www.microcruising.com/"=20
  eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.microcruising.com/</A>&nbsp; and this =
guy who did=20
  the crossing with 2 other people and a dog, in a WWPotter 19. (a =
little=20
  crowded for me thank you)<BR><A=20
  href=3D"http://potter-yachters.org/stories/bahamas/index.html"=20
  =
eudora=3D"autourl">http://potter-yachters.org/stories/bahamas/index.html<=
/A>&nbsp;=20
  <BR><BR>I don't know, is a WWPotter that much more seaworthy than an R =
22???=20
  One thing I'm sure most knowledgeable ocean sailing people would bring =
up is=20
  the large size of the R 22 cockpit. Most boats that are considered =
good sea=20
  boats have a cockpit that will hold a far lesser volume of water than =
an R=20
  22.<BR><BR>Is there some mention of this trip on the R 22 (GB) web=20
  site??<BR><BR>Rik<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>At 07:46 PM 9/4/2002 -0400, you=20
wrote:<BR>
  <BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dcite cite=3D"" type=3D"cite"><FONT=20
    face=3D"Times New Roman, Times">The answer is "yes" but the question =
remains=20
    if this is a good idea.</FONT><BR>&nbsp;<BR><FONT=20
    face=3D"Times New Roman, Times">Here is Roger's response to the idea =
from 2=20
    years ago:</FONT><BR>&nbsp;<BR>Just a data point, for whatever it's=20
    worth.&nbsp; Last winter, I crewed aboard a<BR>36 foot, center =
cockpit,=20
    ketch on a delivery cruise from Florida to the<BR>Bahamas.&nbsp; =
Most=20
    sailboats we encountered in the Bahamas were 36 feet long=20
    or<BR>bigger.&nbsp; However, there was this one fellow we met.&nbsp; =
He was=20
    anchored at<BR>Nassau.&nbsp; His 24 foot sloop had jerry cans &amp; =
other=20
    stuff lashed everywhere on<BR>deck.&nbsp; He was singlehanding &amp; =
still=20
    the boat looked CRAMMED!<BR><BR>I've made three Florida/Bahamas Gulf =
Stream=20
    crossings in sailboats.&nbsp; One of<BR>these crossings was one of =
my worst=20
    experiences at sea &amp; well beyond what<BR>you'd ever want to =
attempt in a=20
    Rhodes 22.&nbsp; But, the other two were at the<BR>upper limit of =
the Rhodes=20
    22's performance envelope.&nbsp; I have several<BR>suggestions =
before you=20
    try this however:<BR><BR>1. If your Rhodes 22 has the bow anchor =
chain hawse=20
    pipe, then find a way to<BR>plug<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; the opening =
or you=20
    may take a lot of water down below.<BR><BR>2. Add some foam weather=20
    stripping to the underside of the pop top &amp; rig=20
    up<BR>a<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; means of securing the pop top down to =
keep=20
    your foam "gasket" in<BR>compression.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A =
company called=20
    DeStaco makes a wide variety of dogging clamps=20
    that<BR>could<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; be used for this =
purpose.<BR><BR>3.=20
    Before you leave, make several 1/2" thick plywood cutouts in the =
shape=20
    of<BR>your<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ports, both fixed &amp; =
opening.&nbsp; Glue=20
    a rubber gasket to one side of each<BR>of them =
&amp;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
    drill matching holes thru them.&nbsp; These plywood pieces will be =
used=20
    in<BR>pairs, one<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; inside &amp; one outside =
&amp; thru=20
    bolted, to plug a port which gets blown out<BR>at sea.<BR><BR>4. No =
matter=20
    how you do it, the Gulf Stream crossing will be a very=20
    long<BR>day.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The weather will be absolutely=20
    crucial.&nbsp; Consider leaving in the middle<BR>of=20
    the<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; night to give yourself as much daylight as =

    possible on the other end.<BR>Consider<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; taking =
on an=20
    extra crew member for this leg of the trip to relieve=20
    you.<BR>Consider<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; installing a tiller =
pilot.&nbsp; I=20
    have an AutoHelm ST1000+ &amp; it steers our<BR>Rhodes=20
    22<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; very well.<BR><BR>5. Get yourself a good =
safety=20
    harness &amp; install solid anchor points=20
    &amp;<BR>jacklines<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; on your Rhodes =
22.<BR><BR>Good=20
    luck!<BR><BR>Roger Pihlaja<BR>S/V Dynamic =
Equilibrium<BR><BR>&nbsp;<BR>-----=20
    Original Message ----- <BR><B>From:</B> <A =
href=3D"mailto:joscook@msn.com">J=20
    Cook</A> <BR><B>To:</B> <A=20
    =
href=3D"mailto:rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org">rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org</A>=
=20
    <BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 04, 2002 7:03 =
PM<BR><B>Subject:</B>=20
    [Rhodes22-list] Bahamas<BR><BR>&nbsp;<BR>Has anybody here sailed an =
R22 to=20
    the Bahamas?</BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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