[Rhodes22-list] New Sailor Fears

Tue May 10 14:17:34 EDT 2011

Bill, Welcome - I am an American Sailing School instructor and the capsize question comes up the first day of every class.  I can assure you that the boat will not capsize under sail alone.  Some serious inertia would be needed (not the kind you get from all but the most damaging winds - straight line stuff that take out trees and such)  I have a nice demonstration which is an audio visual so no good for an email.  I have had more than 200 complete rookies at the helm is all kinds of wind.  If Ruba could be tipped they would have.  We have had her so far on her ear that water came into the cockpit but then she would pop right back up.  After a butt soaking, I would assure everyone that "that is as far as she will go" which usually puts everyone at ease enough that they try to do it again.  As far as life jackets, any time I have paying clients aboard, I make them wear at the very least an inflatable Type V.  Stearns make one that looks like a fanny pack, you pull a cord and it inflates.  I doesn't not work on an unconscious person but in that instance I plan on going overboard after the victum.  With any new - to you - boat you should be cautious the first season with concern to weather.  Even an experienced sailor can look like a buffoon on a boat he is not familiar with in trying conditions.  It may be a good idea to send your kids thru ASA-101.  Kids always listen to other people better than their folks, they might take pride in their achievement which will help their enthusiasm.  Trust me you will get a lot more time to play on the boat if the rest of the crew is "on board" so to speak.  To find a school go to www.asa.com   If you are in the midwest and want the class to be on a Rhodes 22 contact me at www.OdysseySailing.com   Congratulations on your purchase.  

Bob Weber
SV Ruba

> From: R22RumRunner at aol.com
> Date: Tue, 10 May 2011 10:56:05 -0400
> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] New Sailor Fears
> 
> I don't adhere to the everybody wears a lifejacket rule, it's a personal 
> choice, but we do practice man overboard drills. On RumRunner if someone 
> goes overboard, everyone knows that the first thing you do is throw them one 
> of the seat cushions. Then I can take my time coming about to pick them up 
> and even lower the sails if needed. If time permits we might even swing by 
> and deliver a cold refreshment so they don't become parched or dehydrated.
> 
> Rummy
> 
> 
> In a message dated 5/10/2011 10:40:14 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
> bencittadino at gmail.com writes:
> 
> 
> Welcome Bill;
> 
> One more thought....I have come to the conclusion that the only real danger
> which comes from the boat heeling is "man overboard". I sail in a bay open
> to the ocean and have adopted an "everybody wears a life jacket all the
> time" policy. This is a tough rule to enforce on hot days in calm weather 
> in
> the summer but I am the Captain and it is enforced. With the risks 
> attendant
> to boom swings hitting heads, wakes from large vessels, and other 
> unforeseen
> hazards I just feel better knowing nobody will slip beneath the waves into
> Davy Jones' locker without giving me a chance to come about and pick them
> up.
> 
> The good news is that they make some very comfortable non-bulky life 
> jackets
> now. Your kids will definitely complain about wearing flotation devices,
> especially after they get a little confidence.
> 
> Practice "man overboard" maneuvers under sail until you get really good at
> it.
> 
> Oh yeah...have fun too.
> 
> Best,
> 
> BenC 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> bill pauer wrote:
> > 
> > Hello, Everyone,
> > 
> > My family and I are the proud new owners of our first Rhodes 22 (a 
> > 1980 Rhodes which you may have seen on the list about a month ago). I 
> > am working on a list of mechanical questions for the list, but for the 
> > moment I was hoping for some help with one of my crew. I have a 
> > twelve year old daughter and fourteen year old son. While we don't 
> > have much sailing experience as a family, my wife has had sailing 
> > lessons and has actually instructed on small boats and I have sailed 
> > for many years making it up as I went along. The trouble I am having 
> > is convincing my fourteen year old son that the boat is not going to 
> > capsize. I would like to say that it can't happen, but I am fairly 
> > sure that is not the case. I did read in "The Report on the Rhodes 
> > 22" on Stan's site that because of the flared sides, the boat will 
> > not capsize while under sail.
> > Does anyone have a story that I could share with my son that might 
> > instill some confidence that the chances of turning turtle and sinking 
> > to the bottom of the lake are slim to none?
> > Thanks for your help.
> > 
> > Bill
> > __________________________________________________
> > To subscribe/unsubscribe go to
> > http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
> > 
> > For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and archives go
> > to http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> > __________________________________________________
> > 
> > 
> 
> -- 
> View this message in context: 
> http://old.nabble.com/New-Sailor-Fears-tp31582138p31586143.html
> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> 
> __________________________________________________
> To subscribe/unsubscribe go to 
> http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
> 
> For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and archives go 
> to http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> __________________________________________________
> 
> __________________________________________________
> To subscribe/unsubscribe go to http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
> 
> For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and archives go to http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> __________________________________________________