[Rhodes22-list] Rhodes 22 Review Survey

[stan]

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>>>  > Joshua Colvin
>>> Managing Editor
>>> Small Craft Advisor
>>> 907 Anchor
>>> Morro Bay CA 93442
>>>
>>> 805-771-9393
>>> www.smallcraftadvisor.com
>>> email: smallcraftadvisor at earthlink.net

One of the owners asked me to answer for him, so - for comic relief::
>>>
>>> ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BOAT:
>>> Your name:  Rhodes 22
>>> Your boat's name:  The Placebo Effect
>>> Boat make and length:  General Boats Rhodes 22
>>> Year of manufacture: I am a lady and don't give out that information
>>> Please tell us a little about the extent of your sailing experience. 
>>> Small boat sailing since 1938  Learned on a homemade 11' something or 
>>> other - then a wood Lightning until the wood mast broke then moved on to 
>>> a wooden abondoned Snipe which I took on a two week cruise up the Hudson 
>>> to see if my significant future other really liked sailing or was just 
>>> faking the screaming.   Never took any lessons and it shows but did win 
>>> my first race and immediately retired from racing to keep my perfect 
>>> record in tackt.  Hung up the pants used since learned by that seat. . 
>>> Imported Corsairs and Ponants and other French plywod boats to test the 
>>> US Sailboat market.  Finally came out with the Picnic 17 which was a 
>>> combination sailboat and a skiing boat that didn't do too well so gave 
>>> the idea to Roger.   Although I currently build Rhodes 22s I don't own 
>>> one because I charge too much.
>>>
>>> PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS:
>>> Please give us your general impressions on the following subjects:
>>> Ease of trailering:  No problem. Except when I looked out the widow and 
>>> saw the boat passing me.  Have towed the equialent of a dozen or so 
>>> times around the world without much excietment.  After awile you don't 
>>> know you are towing it until you notice in the mirror that you are being 
>>> followed by a boat. Ease of launching and retrieving:  So easy that if 
>>> you get challanged to race, make sure the race starts and ends with all 
>>> entries on their trailers. The boat self launches by applying the car 
>>> brakes - be prepared to swim.  For show offs like me sailing oto the 
>>> trailer gets lots of applause but the lowered centerboard deserves the 
>>> credit. Ease of rigging:  The instructions say that one man can raise 
>>> the mast - we just have not found him yet.   But at 79 I can do it 
>>> single handed - if I use the crosss oer mast hoist system. Lowering is 
>>> no problem - I just pull all the pins and run like hell. .
>> How the boat performs in light airs:  Light airs are its big number.  I 
>> am accused of having an inboard.
>>> How fast the boat is:  Can manage 65 on the trailer.  8 surfing and 5 to 
>>> 6 when the weather and I are at our best.  Have passed all sorts of 
>>> racing craft going the other way.  How well it points:  not as good as 
>>> my dog - but it is not a dog when considering it is a combination keel 
>>> centerboarder.

Initial stability:  Wonderful for a lightweight like me standing out on the 
hiking seat gunnels. But then very tender and then suddenly very stiff. 
Trully tried but never een able to turn one over under sail. Something about 
the flared hull..
>>> SEAWORTHINESS:
>>> How does your boat perform in heavy weather?  Heavy airs are its big 
>>> number.  How can you say that about light and heavey airs?  Easy: lower 
>>> the pop top, lower the boom (wich lowers the center of sail 
>>> efort),shorten the IMF and fly a hankerchief that can be made out of the 
>>> reefed 175 genoa, put the cockpit cushions away to expose the seats heel 
>>> grooves nd get the crew up on the flared gunnels and ou have a different 
>>> animal that is good for up to 29 knot winds..   Is the boat forgiving? 
>>> More so than my wife (but not as tender) Does it inspire confidence? 
>>> TheRhodes uncovered four niches:  The 45 foot ownr wo wants to get back 
>>> to the fun of small boat hndling but does ot want to give up the 
>>> amenities they have grown accustomed to on the big guy.  The beginner 
>>> who likes the foam floataiton and hard to turn over and throtability of 
>>> the sail to match their learning curve. The realistic sailer who does 
>>> not want to go bigger than 22 but wants the most 22 out there.  And the 
>>> the sailor who wants a boat so easy to sail he or she can stay home. 
>>> This group will really love next seasnon's model becuse it tells you if 
>>> you had a good time or not when it gets back.
>>> Is it dry-riding? With the flared hull there is no contest.  Not a fair 
>>> question. Does it exhibit a 
weather helm?
  You left no box for 
>>> neutral.  Tweaking can get you wither side of neutral.
 Is cockpit drainage adequate in your opinion?  Yes.  We never had a problem 
in ten
>>> years of sailing.  Attention is needed to keep the drains cleared if you 
>>> reside in an area where trees drop leaves.  Other than that, we never 
>>> had a problem despite Florida's heavy rains.
>>> ACCOMMODATIONS:
>>> How many can comfortably daysail, overnight , or cruise for extended 
>>> periods on your boat?   A day sailor's dream, a weekender's delight, an 
>>> extended cruiser's challenge.  The people who had the boat before we 
>>> acquired her routinely spent two weeks a year (and one year three weeks) 
>>> on the boat.  They would spend two to three nights out and one night at 
>>> a marina to take on supplies and water.  Are sleeping accommodations 
>>> comfortable?  Yes, high calss camping.
>> For how  many? Two comfortable, four a squeeze, and with the cockpit 
>> filler cushions, six at a streatch.
>> Is the head practical and convenient to use:  We had the porta potty with 
>> a privacy curtain.  Again for two, it was great.  Not bad with two 
>> grandchildren.  Beyond that, you have to be very friendly!
>> Cooking facilities?  Light meals, some prepared before hand, no problem.
>>> Storage? For this size boat, can't be beat.  The under counter space is 
>>> great and the rear lazarrette will hold two people.
>>>
>>> QUALITY:
>>> What do you think of the boats construction? Best in class.  We looked 
>>> for three years and stumbled on to the Rhodes 22 at the Miami Boat Show 
>>> in 1991 after looking at dozens of boats.  After 45 minutes on the boat, 
>>> I was convinced it was the best we had seen and ten years of ownership 
>>> proved it.
>> How about the stock rigging?  Ours came with the in the mast furling 
>> (IMF) and the General Boats Genoa furler.  It performed flawlessly.
>> Does the boat seem durable? Yes,  we did replace the outboard motor 
>> tracks once to accomodate a 9.9 Yamaha, and the Goose Neck bearings twice 
>> as we wore them out.  We sailed our boat at least once a week and more 
>> often two to three times a week while we owned her.  Average time out was 
>> in excess of four hours and our record day was over 14 hours.
>> Any noticeable oil-canning, flexing, peeling or delamination?  None at 
>> all.
>> Any obvious shortcomings or corner-cutting in the design? Our only 
>> complaint was that the material used for the floor of the galley storage 
>> area was not marine grade plywood but some synthic material.  But even 
>> this piece held up well for 15 years before we replaced it.  Replacement 
>> was a snap and I am not mechanically or carpenter smart.
>>>
>>> COMPROMISES:
>>> What stands out in your mind as a compromise an owner of this boat is 
>>> likely to have to make?  Size. But having said that, the R22 is the 
>>> "biggest" 22 footer out there.
>>> MODIFICATIONS:
>>> List any significant modifications you've made to your boat, how 
>>> difficult they were to execute, and how successful you consider them,
>>> particularly in light of time and money spent.  Our model did not have 
>>> the option of the motor mount coming up above the stern so with a heavy 
>>> long shaft 9.9
>> Yamaha engine, I was having difficulty reaching over the stern to tip the 
>> engine out of the water.  I therefore rigged a pulley system off of the 
>> rear of the engine and the stern rail to enable me to tip the engine up 
>> without having to reach over the stern rail.  Fairly easy to do and cost 
>> was less than $75.00.  Next to purchasing the General Boat's mast raising 
>> and lowering system, the best, and only needed improvement.  To me, 
>> sailing has to be "fun and easy."  The R22 fills that bill with no voids. 
>> When we can no longer handle our Tartan we will be back in a Rhodes 22.
>>>
>>> VALUE:
>>> Compared with other small sailboats (25' or less), how do you rate this 
>>> boat's value? We sailed our boat for 10 years and when we sold we 
>>> received close to what we paid for the boat.  Yes, we did replace sails, 
>>> motor, and a few other items but the value in this boat is with out 
>>> question.
>> A bargain? Yes, a bargin for what you get.
>> Average? Anthing but!
>> Pricey?  Some would call it so, but when you compare the boats out there, 
>> it is worth every penney.  The R22 was the best recreation investment we 
>> ever made!
>>>
>>> OTHER:
>>> Please feel free to share any other general or specific comments about 
>>> this boat.  She is indeed a dream.  At every port we were complemented 
>>> for the way she looked at the dock and under sail.  Our boat was over 
>>> sixteen years mature when we sold her and her decks still gleamed.  We 
>>> kept her in a marina as we found that we used her more that way.  We 
>>> were know as the "most used" boat people and the people with the best 
>>> kept boat in the marina.
>>
>> Stan, Rose and Elton Spitzer and their organization bend over backwards 
>> to assist their owners with any problems encountered (few).  Most of what 
>> I have seen in the way of problems, are those created by new owners who 
>> did not have much experience, or just flat made a mistake.  In any event, 
>> the Spitzer's go way beyond what could be normally expected to satisfy 
>> the most "picky" owner.
>>
>> My hat is off to them.
>>
>>
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