Hi Paul,

Welcome aboard!  I too am a member of the Rhodes 22 standard mainsail crowd.  We are a tiny minority, the majority favoring the IMF mainsail.  As far as I can tell, the numbers on the sails don't correspond with the hull ID numbers.  For example, my Rhodes 22 has hull ID number: GBX220046D76.  GBX22 refers to the manufacturer and model.  0046 is the sequential hull number.  D76 means my hull was built in the 4th month (A, B, C, D = April), 1976.  The hull ID number should be stamped into the starboard corner of the transom, just above the rub rail.  Your boat's title should also have the hull ID number on it.

The boat sails best if the rub rails are kept out of the water.  It's like a big planning dingy in that respect.  The boat develops weather helm as it heels.  To counter this, it's best to reef the mainsail 1st to keep the center of pressure as far forward as possible.  I'm surprised to hear a boat as new as 1990 didn't come with any provision for reefing the mainsail.  The boom is not set up for roller reefing.  You should consider adding 2 jiffy reef points + the associated hardware.  On my boat, each reef point shortens sail by about 1/3 the mainsail area.  If your estimate of 12-15 mph is correct; then, yes, that is about the point where you need the 1st reef in the mainsail.

You will probably be better off having a local canvas shop make your bimini top, pop top enclosure, and boom room.  All of these things really need to be custom fitted to an individual boat.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
1976  Sanford, MI

________________________________
From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> on behalf of Paul Rhodes <plrhodes29 at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 11:44 PM
To: The Rhodes Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Shortening Sail

Hello All,

I’ve finally gotten our new-to-us 1990 Rhodes 22 out on the water, and it was a blast!  Two separate days on Lake Murray near Columbia SC, both with forecasted winds of 8-10, yet very different actual strengths.  First day out, my elder son and I discovered that “New Mercies” moves very well in light to moderate air.  Second day out, a friend of his and I discovered that her full rig is way too much for whatever we had, which I would guess at 12-15 mph, if the first day’s 8-10 was accurate.  However, the flared gunwale held firm and we flew!  Our rails are well washed.

Given that our two sailboats for the last 4 decades were a heavy wooden 22ft gaff fractional sloop and a 40 ft yawl of a more classic Phil Rhodes design, I found the Rhodes 22 to be much more responsive both to me and the weather, for better and for worse.  She’ll make me a better sailor too.  And I have some questions:

First, I’m curious to know if the sail numbers relate to the order of construction, as they do in many classes.  “New Mercies” wears #444, and we don’t have any evidence of a different number or previous name.

More importantly, when the Commodore comes aboard for a cruise, I’m pretty confident that she will prefer a more level boat.  For those of you like us still using a non-furling main, how do you shorten sail?  As we needed to on our second day, we simply rolled in the jib a bit.  It worked, but was pretty sloppy. Any thoughts on keeping the jib shaped when it’s partially furled?  Our jib furler is very simple: just the sail track with a disk on the bottom that for the most part keeps the furling line off the deck.  Not sure whether this is what other boats have, but so far it works.

As for the main, there is a second grommet that could serve as the tack for a first reef, but no reef points.  However, the fittings on the boom are only at the ends.  It seems like I could reef to any amount (at least up to the first batten) by simply taking the boom out of the mast track and rolling it to take on the sail.  I like the concept - similar to what was on our yawl.  Yet with the boom detached unlike on the yawl, I could see that this might become a very lively operation if we didn’t reef early enough.  Does anyone have experience or thoughts about this?

Finally, we’re in the market for a Boom Room, Bimini, and boat cover.  I’ve left a few messages and sent a few emails about them with no replies.  It seems likely that we’ll need to have them made.  Does anyone have plans or patterns we could use?

Thanks so much.

Glad to be part of the Rhodie band,
Paul and Nancy Rhodes
S/V New Mercies
Chapin, SC and Savannah, GA

Sent from my iPhone