Small Craft Warnings (WAS Re: [Rhodes22-list] An introduction)

[jbconnolly at comcast.net]

About ten days ago I had my R-22 out in what proved to be borderline small craft warning conditions.  Winds 15-20 out of the NNE (which provides least shelter in my harbor) with gusts near 30.  
The forecast (NW 10-15 gusts to 20) was in error.  I was single-handing.  When I went out saturday, I was not mentally prepared for the actual conditions.   I should have set up the boat differently also.  I scared myself a couple of times, and the best that can be said about it was that nobody got hurt and nothing broke.
I went out again on sunday in *slightly* less gusty conditions.  I lowered the boom to sitting on the pop top and kept the jib furled to about 100%.  Pointing ability was reduced (jib).  Things overall went much better.  It's nice to verify what you all have said that the boat can handle.  
One thing I noticed was that, with the boom in the lowered position, the traveler is relatively high compared to the boom end, and the mainsheet seems to exert less downward force on the boom.  This looks like it would produce a fuller sail shape, which is not what one might prefer in high winds.  Is my intuition correct, and, if it is, is there any solution for this?  In th absence of a vang, is there anything that can be done about this?  
This past saturday I was out in steady 5-10 kt west wind, cool temps near 70 and dry.  I had my crew with me (nearly 3 year old son and 8 month pregnant wife).  We all had a lot of fun on a nice easy sailing day.  If I had had them with me the previous saturday, and been stupid enough to leave the mooring, I would be sailing single-handed for the rest of my life.
It's a good boat.  The boat can probably withstand worse conditions than you can, but you probably won't enjoy the process.  
BTW, I have the vertical batten IMF main that looks the same as Rummy's though it is about a year older.  I have not sailed the "old" IMF main, so can't discuss relative performance.  
Jim Connolly
s/v Inisheer
'85 recycled '03
-------------- Original message -------------- 

> Dennis, 
> 
> The Rhodes 22 will handle small craft warnings on Saginaw Bay or Lake Erie 
> just fine. Consider that in July of 1991, my 2 sons & I did a week-long 
> loop of western Lake Erie. At the time, Daniel was 8 years old & Gary was 5 
> years old. We launched from the western side of Sandusky Bay & sailed out 
> to Kelly's Island. We stayed two days on Kelly's Island & then crossed Lake 
> Erie over to Pelee Island. After Pelee Island, we crossed Lake Erie again & 
> stayed on Middle Bass & South Bass Island. We ended up the week at the 
> Cedar Point Marina. We sailed in all sorts of conditions, small craft 
> warnings, dead calm, & even a thunderstorm! Dynamic Equilibrium took it all 
> in stride. 
> 
> FYI, visiting Cedar Point Amusement Park by boat is great. The marina has 
> its own restaurant, rest rooms, shower facilities, & its own private 
> entrance into the amusement park . You party in the amusement park until 
> they close, walk to your boat which is probably closer than your car would 
> be parked, & crawl into your bunk. There's no fighting traffic & no long, 
> tiring drive home. It truely a most civilized way to do Cedar Point! 
> 
> I recommend you 1st get some experience on the small inland lakes in your 
> area before you tackle blue water. I believe Whitmore Lake has a marina 
> which rents dock space. If you can afford it, take a slip for the season. 
> You will use your boat much more often if it's already in the water. The 
> Rhodes 22 comes alive when there are small craft warnings up. But, you do 
> need to know what you're doing or it can be pretty scary. 
> 
> Roger Pihlaja 
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dennis McNeely" 
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" 
> Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 7:15 PM 
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] An introduction 
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the welcome. 
> > 
> > I'll probably try to do some sailing in Saginaw Bay. I agree with Roger's 
> > comment that many local lakes are marginal in size for sailing the Rhodes, 
> > and Lake Erie is fairly shallow and seems to have small craft warnings up 
> > often. 
> > 
> > I'll do a bit of lurking and reading the list archives while working on 
> the 
> > boat. It'll have to do for now. 
> > 
> > Dennis McNeely 
> > 
> > At 09:26 PM 8/7/2004, you wrote: 
> > >Dennis, 
> > > 
> > >Welcome to the list! I'm probably the closest Rhodes 22 owner to you. I 
> > >have a 1976 model & I live on Sanford Lake, about 2-1/2 hours north of 
> you 
> > >up US-23 & I-75 to Bay City & then west on US-10 about halfway to Clare. 
> > > 
> > >Where will you sail; Ford Lake, Belleville Lake, Whitmore Lake, one of 
> the 
> > >many small lakes to the northwest of Ann Arbor, or? I've canoed on Ford 
> > >Lake, lots of power boat & PWC traffic. The only lake in that area I've 
> > >sailed on is Whitmore Lake, it's not bad, although a little on the samll 
> > >side for a Rhodes 22. 
> > > 
> > >Give me a shout if you have any rigging questions. 
> > > 
> > >Roger Pihlaja 
> > >S/V Dynamic Equilibrium 
> > > 
> > >----- Original Message ----- 
> > >From: "Chris Geankoplis" 
> > >To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" 
> > >Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2004 9:02 AM 
> > >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] An introduction 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > > Welcome to the list Dennis, 
> > > > You have indeed found the 
> > >fount 
> > > > of all things Rhodes (and a lot more). Be sure to check out the 
> archives. 
> > > > Again welcome to Da List. 
> > > > 
> > > > Chris G. 
> > > > Medford OR 
> > > > '83 Rhodes 
> > 
> > __________________________________________________ 
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> __________________________________________________ 
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