[Rhodes22-list] Generator

[brad haslett]

Bill,

Yeah, I started that discussion and pretty well got
lambasted for it.  The last issue of Practical Sailor
did a review on small generators and chose the Yamaha
by a slight edge over my Honda.  It was my intent to
take it with me on this trip but was one of a dozen
items left behind.  A small generator on board would
have definitely solved our problem of low batteries. 
I've thought about leaving it on the boat but it saved
our arse at home during hurricane Elvis last year, and
kept us from losing all our food after going without
power for three days.  

Brad
--- Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
> Brad,
> 
> Weren't you part of the small portable generator
> discussion?  The more 
> I've thought about it, (and after hearing how
> quietly they run) the more 
> interested I've become in that idea.
> 
> Did you decide against it?  Wouldn't that have
> solved your problem?
> 
> Bill Effros
> 
> brad haslett wrote:
> 
> >Anne,
> >
> >Let's not be to harsh on the Bohemians.  I'm
> beginning
> >to think of myself as a Bohemian sailor.  My oldest
> >boy and his friends survived Spring Break on the
> boat,
> >the boat didn't fare as well.  They stayed up all
> >night partying while I slept in the aft cabin.  The
> >second morning we cranked the engine and motored
> for
> >about 30 minutes until the wind picked up, and then
> >raised the sails and a few toasts.  When the wind
> died
> >down we stowed canvas and attempted to start the
> >diesel ginny.  Click, Click, Click!  My battery
> >charger quit a couple of months ago (it was a
> salvage
> >unit off the Mayflower), the replacement is on
> >backorder from Sailnet, and apparently we didn't
> motor
> >enough to recover from the gazillion hours of
> stereo
> >use.  "Not to worry boys!  Its a sailboat!"  The
> >current was drifting us pretty quickly to a rocky
> >shore so I unstowed the main, manned the helm, and
> had
> >Spencer man the halyard winch.  I'm not sure what
> >happened but when the main was fully-up it had
> about a
> >two-foot tear in the top panel.  We sailed back to
> the
> >inlet to my marina with what wind (and sail)we had
> and
> >then flagged down a pontoon boat for a tow.  Not
> just
> >any pontoon boat, a 350 cubic inch V-8 powered
> pontoon
> >boat (didn't know they made such a thing).  I
> pulled
> >the main off the boat, threw it in a sailbag for
> >repairs, and pressed on with the week.  I purchased
> a
> >cheap battery charger from Wal-Mart to finish the
> >week's frivolities and sailed on the ginnies, both
> >iron and fabric.
> >
> >Now here's the deal:  my old main was pretty tired
> >anyway.  Last year I debated replacing it but sent
> it
> >to SailCare instead.  It came back still somewhat
> >dingy and baggy, unlike the sails I sent to them
> off
> >the Rhodes-22.  You can only do so much with an old
> >sail.  Replacement costs run from $900+ to $2000
> >depending on the vendor and features.  I'm debating
> >going to a Doyle StackPack.  They haven't given me
> a
> >quote yet but I understand its quite expensive.  Do
> >you or anyone on the list have any experience with
> the
> >StackPack or know anyone who does?  If my boat were
> >newer I might consider boom-furling but it doesn't
> >make economic sense now.  Of course, I could just
> sell
> >the damn thing, get another Rhodes-22, and build a
> >cabin on the lake which is what I wanted to do in
> the
> >first place!
> >
> >Brad Haslett
> >s/v "CoraShen"  (Bohemian registry)
> >
> >
> >		
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> >
> >  
> >
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> 


		
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