[Rhodes22-list] Need advice on basic sailing of an R-22 in higher winds

[Robert Baldi]

Mark,
I agree with almost everything Stan said in his response to you. Stan also
said:


You ask about wind condition limits.  Judge Robert Baldi (Moses) sails
his Rhodes with IMF in the North Atlantic in search of high winds.  When
we went for our demo sail in Edenton, luckily the winds were 30 and he
insisted we go for it.  And we went for it:  Pop top down, Lowered boom,
IMF half out, a storm size furling Jib, cockpit cushions in the cabin
and crew sitting on the gunnels.  The Rhodes is a dry boat but we got
soaked.  The Rhodes comes about easily but we could not come about
normally and we had to jibe each time we wanted to change course.  No
problem with boat steering or IMF.  He ordered a new boat on the spot
and was last heard from on his way to Bermuda.


Stan has heard from me since then. When Hurricane Sandy hit Long Beach
Island my boat which I regularly sail solo was so excited to see the high
winds and was so annoyed with me for leaving her on the Island that she
chose to go off on a sail by herself. All the boats at the Marina were all
up on blocks and stands. Almost if not all of the other boats crashed into
each other and were left in a pile on top of each other. There was a
picture of the Marina and the pile of boats on T.V. My boat left them
behind, sailed ( actually the mast was down and tied to the boat for the
winter, waiting for the canvass cover) out the marina into the bay, out
around a point of land, back on to land, over a fence and then finished her
voyage gently leaning next to a house standing straight up as though
someone was storing her there for the winter. On further inspection she was
a bit scuffed and a bit damp inside. Stan took her in cleaned her up and
she now literally looks new. I told people she must have decided to leave
when she saw all the other boats jump on top of each other. My wife assured
me she (my boat) just got tired of waiting for me to take advantage of the
higher then normal winds and went out on her own just for fun.

Jay Friedland and I regularly go out together on one of our boats in 22+
winds. We will also go out by ourselves in high winds but as it hits 20 and
a little above  I sometimes choose to stay in rather then go solo. The
trick is to Reef the main .............. you can reduce it to a tiny
handkerchief, lower the boom, and reef the jib. The boat sails better in
high wind with some jib to balance the boat. It takes practice and you have
to feel secure with the boat when you start getting knocked about. When i
went out with Stan i wanted to test his advertisement regarding the boat's
stability. We went out in 30+ winds and he let me try to knock it down by
 holding the main sheet in and taking the wind full blast on the beam . the
boat got knocked down/ over but just as he  promised it righted itself
quickly. - i tested it twice and decided to purchase a boat. There was
another potential purchaser with us whose pants got very wet. I think he
also bought a boat but made Stan promise not to make him sail with me
anymore.

Start sailing in a little heavier wind and adjust the sails to get
comfortable with the boat. Sail the boat well healed .... just to be
comfortable with the boat and your own ability to control it when it is
healed way over ................ Healed way over is not the way you want to
sail, but when you know you can handle the boat when it heals way over,
when that happens in high wind you will be less panicked. If the boat blows
way over water might splash into the cockpit but at that point most of the
sail is leaning  over so far that there is little sail area catching the
wind and then the shape of the hull and the lead keel push the boat back
upright. The boat will not just blow over and lie on its side. Things can
get knocked about if they are not secure, but you will not sink or fill up
with water. Once you realize that the boat is not going to be left
permanently on its side filling up with water you feel safe and sailing in
high wind feels less frightening and more doable. The more you do it the
easier and safer it is.

By the way, i keep hoping to meet Rummy one day..... If memory serves me
well ............ he is nuts when it comes to high winds and he
has accomplished what i failed to do. But that is his story

rob

-- 
Robert O. Baldi