[Rhodes22-list] Jerry and Carol Do Sarasota Bay

[cjlowe]

Sorry I took so long to reply to the list, but I wanted to talk to Luis and get the first week of March, 2007, reserved for next year's spring break.  Now, I can let the cat out of the bag.  On March 2nd, Carol (my wife) and I flew to Tampa and picked up a Chrysler 300 with a HEMI from Alamo and headed down the sunshine coast. (I always wanted to drive a hemi.) We played tourist until Sunday, when we met Luis at his boat.  It's an '83 with a standard main, 175 genny (GBI furler).  For the year the outside is in good shape and the cabin is in very good condition. It even has shelves under the sink.  All USCG equipment (and in good shape) was included.  It has 2 electrical panels and more lights than I've seen on a Rhodes.  The VHF (hand held), GPS, and tunes worked just fine.  We got directions from Luis to get to the bay--back out of slip, turn to port, starboard at the next "T", and follow the channel markers to Sarasota Bay. (About 1/2 mile)  We motored about a half mile past the last marker, since the wind was on our nose and I was a little rusty at that whole halyard-sail raising thing that the IMF has spoiled me on.  I didn't miss the extra power that the battened main sail provided.  It seemed to be a little more power than  my IMF main sail. I have the 135% genny on Country Rhodes, so that's about what I unfurled the genny to.

Now all you Northern Boys imagine this: it's March 6th, 74*F, winds are about 8-10 mph-steady, and I'm on a beam reach towards Mexico, on a Rhodes for less than it's going to cost me to sleep tonight!  We were doing 5-5.5 knots all day long, and still hiding 40% of the genny on the furler.

Monday and Tuesday we hooked up with Carol's brother an SIL for some sightseeing.  Wednesday, we took them sailing.  The sister-in-law is a little heeling impaired, so we cruised around all day long on just 150% of the genny, and we still made 3 to 5 knots depending on the point of sail.  I let her brother have 2 hours of tiller time. ( The last time he had the tiller in his hand in Ohio, we ended up on a sand bar.)  Thursday we went sightseeing.  Friday the motor trouble reared its ugly head.  We were heading out the channel, 10-15 knots of wind right on the nose, and the motor lost one cylinder, and  couldn't make way.  We kept losing speed and the wind would round us up, we'd circle and the motor would run a little better, just enough to make you want to try again.  About the time we started to get dizzy, the motor quit and we acepted a tow back to the slip.  On Saturday morning I met Luis and his mechanic at the slip and helped them put on another motor.  The motor  ran good in the slip, but  when the mechanic left and Carol and I  headed  out the channel, it died right by the fish cleaning station..  So we tied up to the dock there and gave Luis a call.  He got off work early and we decided we'd  call it a day.  Luis gave us the money back for the three days we missed sailing because of the motor.

Luis is as nice as they come.  He bent over backwards to make our time most enjoyable. I really enjoyed the 2 days we sailed.  It ended up being a great, relaxing vacation.  Thanks Luis!

I would strongly suggest that you Northern Boys get a healthy deposit to Luis real quick, before all the good weeks are taken up.  Kiss the full week of March 2007 goodby.  It's mine and my check is heading south tomorrow.  You Southern Boys might consider it ,too.  The sailing is great, there's lots to do in the Sarasota/Bradenton area, the food is great,too. ( I came home with an extra 8 pounds of seafood on me! ) Feel free to contact me with any questions.  Jerry and Carol Lowe