David Culp bought this 1998 Rhodes 22 in June of 2006, so I met him at the LCRA ramp by the dam on Lake LBJ to help step the mast. The Rhodes 22 has a shoal keel with a centerbord. Hopefully I'll get to sail it soon, this trip out the wind died soon after we unrolled the sails. The Rhodes 22 has an in mast furling system for the main and a roller furling genoa.
The aluminum mast crutch has a roller to ease moving the mast back, and simply slides over the transom and stern pulpit. I noticed it was very light when I took it off the boat later.
The cockpit is spacious, in this pic the cushions aren't out yet, and you can see the water drainage channels. It was hot the day we went, so the self-bailing cockpit made it easy to dump a bucket of lakewater over us to cool off when the wind died. The jib winches are convenient for single handing, really the whole boat is convenient and well laid out.
The two front hatches are great for ventilation, and this boat had two solar panels mounted on the cabin top to keep the battery charged. The pop top can be up when sailing, and we put it up. Nice touch.
This video is David stepping the mast, remember this is his first time ever on the Rhodes 22! With the main sail inside the mast and the roller furling genoa attached, the mast weighs a little more than the average mast. While moving the mast back to bolt it to the step, 3 things hung, a shroud on the trailer, the topping lift was cleated, and the top shrouds were inside the mast crutch. After attaching the mast, it was just two bolts and two lines to mount the mast hoist and raise the mast. Click the play button to start the video
This is an experimental broadband video, give it a try and let me know how it works. Same as the one before almost, but bigger picture and bigger filesize. You may need a very fast computer, I'm not sure yet. Click on the play button twice.
After attaching the mast to the step, it was just two bolts and two lines to mount the mast hoist. I held a shroud to keep the mast centered while David cranked it up. Once the mast was up we attached the two forward shrouds and tightened the others, attached the forestay with genoa, the backstays, rudder and motor, and launched the boat. Click the play button to start the video
Port side of cabin and V berth access.
Starboard side of cabin with enclosed head and countertop with sink and stove top.
I wish I'd measured the depth needed. You can see the water isn't much above the fenders, but the extended toungue was needed. Click the play button to start the video
We got out of the cove and raised the sails. We didn't go far before the wind died completely, so we motored over to the slip at the marina at the Waterfront and put her in her new slip in Horseshoe Bay. You can see how high the poptop is and still under the boom.
These videos were taken with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ2. A $200 camera designed mainly for still photography, it will take a 30 minute video with sound if you have the 1 Gig memory card. The built in microphone is not extremely good, but it does work.