[Rhodes22-list] questions/opinions

[Mary Lou Troy]

Ron,
Answers below. We've sailed  our recycled Rhodes 22 Fretless out of Rock 
Hall for the last 5 years. We live aboard every weekend from mid-April to 
early November. Some of the great advantages of a smaller cruising boat are 
the simplicity and economy. We keep the boat in a slip and then haul the 
boat home for the winter. Right now she's out in the backyard.

At 10:07 AM 11/16/2005 -0500, you wrote:
>1.  Stan suggested his 'take this '84 10K boat and over two years if you 
>want to up-grade the 10K goes towards the newer recycled boat.  Or, Take 
>this newer '89 or '90 for 20K (both would be recycled.  Which would you do?

If you can swing it, go with the later model recycle IF it has the interior 
you want. We wanted the semi-enclosed head with a porta potti rather than 
the enclosed marine head. I also like the teak and teak plywood interior on 
our 1991 better than the newer starboardy look. Recycling is good. You get 
a boat set up the way you want it with any and all the major problems fixed.

>2.  The cabin was feeling a little small to me as I pictured it with the 
>pop-top down over-nighting on a rainy week-end.  What is the Rhodes like 
>cruising?  The forward V-berth seems kind of cramped.  Is that a place 
>adults sleep.  I haven't seen the V-berth extension in action and don't 
>know if that improves things.  If you say that the pop-top cover makes a 
>difference do I consider having a ail cover maker fix one up or is Stan's 
>version the way to go?

We wouldn't be without the pop-top enclosure. It keeps us dry in the rain 
and provides a lot of room. We put screens in the doorway of ours so it 
also protects us from bugs while letting air through. We bought ours used 
from Stan. We have cruised for 9 days without feeling cramped although Fred 
and I are both short. We use the v-berth for storage and sleep on the 
settee which becomes a double with the addition of the tabletop.

>3.  I am in the Phila. area and have sailed mostly in the Chesapeake.  How 
>is the Rhodes in the Chesapeake, especially in one of those afternoon 
>thunderstorms that you, whoops, can't run from?

Where in Phila? We are in Fort Washington. We try not to be out in them but 
have done OK when caught out. It's solid, it has positive flotation but we 
still watch the sky and try to be in by 2 or 3 when storms are predicted.

>4. What do you think of Stan's used motors versus new.?  And what size do 
>you think is sufficient in a place like Rock Hall, Kent Narrows (Chesapeake)?

We have a 1998 8 horse Honda which we bought new. It's been fine through 
Kent Narrows and powering into a bid head wind with largish waves.

>I guess I better stop at this number of questions. I appreciate any 
>responses and even that you got this far in my e-mail.  Thanks.
>I will look on the list-serve for responses.

You're on my favorite subject. Ask away!

Mary Lou
1991 R22  Fretless
Ft. Washington, PA / Swan Creek, MD