[Rhodes22-list] What to do...what to do?

[TN Rhodey]

Brad,

Well I was told the same thing when I got my R22....."you will sail a bigger 
boat less than your Bantam".  I actually sailed more and my wife joined me! 
It worked out great. I would move up in the hopes that we would also sleep 
more on the boat. I have friends who have boats in the 25 - 28 foot range 
and they sail about as often as I do. I would also have my day sailor. 
Cruising last summer on the Pearson 35 kind of spoiled Jenny! Me too!

I do know the perils. My marina is filled with large sailboats that never go 
out. I am moving slowly. I knew the board would give me some good advice to 
mull over.

Unless something changes with gas prices I don't see a conversion van in my 
future. Maybe a used Toyota pickup ......


>From: "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com>
>Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] What to do...what to do?
>Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 15:24:07 -0500
>
>Wally,
>
>You wrote, "The last thing I want to do is make a decsion that will cause 
>me
>to actually sail less."  Buy a bigger boat and you WILL sail less. Trust
>me! Keep the Rhodes-22.  Buy an older conversion van, say about ten years
>old, for around $4k.  You'll find a nice one for that price, big enough to
>tow your house if need be.  When all your unwanted relatives show up, you
>can drive them  to the river in one load (after that, your business). Tow
>vehichles are easier to find than really good boats.
>
>Brad
>
>
>On 6/23/06, TN Rhodey <tnrhodey at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>About a month ago the transmission on my 94 S10 Blazer started acting up.
>>I
>>purchased the vehicle used in 97 and it has about 230K miles. The
>>transmission was rebuilt 100K or so miles ago and it was getting ready to
>>go. I also needed new tires, brakes (with rotors), AC work (at worse
>>vacuum
>>leak, maybe compressor). After I got all of that fixed i would still have
>>a
>>motor with 230K miles. All in all way more than I wanted to spend on my
>>old
>>truck.
>>
>>So I traded in and I am now driving a 2005 , 2 Door 5 speed Civic Ex. This
>>is my third Honda and second Civic. What a great little car! I am getting
>>about 37 MPG in town running AC. I am used to driving my old Blazer or
>>even
>>older 84 Mitsubishi Pickup.  The Civic is fun to drive and quite peppy. I
>>am
>>saving about $130 a month in gas! So far so good.
>>
>>Now I have to make a decision about tow vehicle replacement. My beater
>>pickup is a 4 banger and in no way capable of safely towing my R22. It can
>>tow my Bantam just fine. So decisions time…..
>>
>>Option 1…..instead of buying tow vehicle I could sell my R22 and purchase
>>a
>>sailboat in the 28 – 30 foot range. I already pay slip fees year round and
>>it is $35 more monthly for larger slip. I realize haulout, bottom jobs,
>>sails and so on are all more exspensive. We are not towing the R22 at all
>>now. If I get the urge for new horizons we have free unlimited (other than
>>time) access to my Uncle's 35 foot Pearson in Cocoa FL.  We cruised up the
>>SE coast last summer and are just lacking time to put together next
>>cruise.
>>Most likely destinations are Bahamas or the Keys. Of course if my Uncle
>>ever
>>decides to sell his Pearson this option goes away.
>>
>>Option 2 ……Keep my R22, sell my 84 pickup, take my time and look for a
>>good
>>used truck for projects and towing. As gas and the cost of maintaining
>>dedicated tow vehicle keep going up this option is becoming less
>>attractive.
>>
>>Option 3 (most likely)….Keep my R22, keep my 84 pickup and don't purchase
>>replacement tow vehicle. Use the money I save to get R22 painted, new
>>breaker box, purchase all new cabin cushions and sails. Borrow or rent
>>pickup for local haul out.
>>
>>When I first purchased the R22 I was thinking I would tow more often. What
>>I
>>found is my local waters are so nice that we really haven't had the desire
>>to tow. The R22 has filled every need but we sleep on the boat a bunch.  I
>>must admit more room inside would be nice. I am not going to rush into
>>anything. The last thing I want to do is make a decsion that will cause me
>>to actually sail less.
>>
>>Any comments?
>>
>>Wally
>>
>>
>>__________________________________________________
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>>
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