[Rhodes22-list] Recent R22 review from practical -sailor

[Stan Spitzer]

I am pleased with those times being characterized as "recent"; wants to 
get me out of my chair and make a few more improvements.  In fact, if 
the PS writer could get out of his chair to see and sail that early 
Rhodes's 2018 granddaughter, he would be looking for his pen to write 
the sequel.

Funny story how it came about.
An envelope arrived from PS that looked different to me. The address was 
hand written.  I sensed I was in trouble.  They wanted to do a review.  
I wrote back, "over my dead body".  They were a conventional lot.  They 
would hate the large cockpit, the double back stays, the pop top, the 
sails going inside the mast.  And the flare in the hull would have them 
puking.

That triggered a series of back and forth missives that eventually 
turned hilarious.  They said the Rhodes was the only boat in their 
history to fight so hard */not/* to be reviewed by prestigious Practical 
Sailor.  They commanded me to bring the Rhodes to Rhode Island.  I said 
I would see them in Miami first (which was the next best thing to hell 
in those days) before I would ever visit them in RI; heard no more and 
thought I was done with them.

I did go to the Miami Show, sailboat section at Watson Island at that 
time, one Rhodes on the beach, one demonstrating in the water. Among the 
gawking faces, I noticed one with his nose on the gunnel, reminding me 
of Kilroy was here.  I pointed at that face and said, "Practical 
Sailor".  Surprised, the face said, "How did you know". I told him it 
was written across his forehead.  He said that I was giving demo sails 
and legally could not discriminate.  It was a howling 18 knots that day 
so I took him out with the thought that he may fall overboard and 
disappear.  No such luck. We did not have motors in those days so sailed 
him back to the crowded dock where he found his footing, took a few 
steps while I was thinking, I am not going to read his review, even if 
his editor does think it fit to print. But he stopped, turned to me and 
uttered a few words, "I think I should buy one."

For the first time in all our ongoing war, the thought that PS may 
actually give us a fair hearing, entered my mind. I couldn't believe 
what I was reading when I read it.  Of course, wanting his review to 
appear even handed he had to find something negative to squeeze in. And 
he did, "The Rhodes does not come with a boom vang".

He must have gotten through to the editorial board since, years later, 
when a reader wrote to PS saying he was looking for a boat to buy and 
listed his short list, PS gave their nod to our collective favorite.  It 
was that casual letters to the editor that finally got me to subscribe.

stan, still looking for partnering, but hurry, 92 in a few weeks.


On 2/16/18 2:14 PM, joseph doucet wrote:
> https://www.practical-sailor.com/reviews/boatreview/RHODES22.php
>
>
> -------------- next part --------------
> A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
> Name: RHODES22.PDF
> Type: application/pdf
> Size: 159774 bytes
> Desc: not available
> URL: <http://rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attachments/20180216/22836294/attachment.pdf>
> -------------- next part --------------
>
>
> Joseph Doucet
> 70 pumping station rd
> Ridgefield , ct USA
> 1-203-512-5629
> __________________________________________________
> 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
> __________________________________________________