I am on my 3rd Rhodes 22 since 2003. Your partner is correct as most sailboats have halyards that allow you to lower any sail. The Rhodes 22 is the exception. No halyards for main or Genoa. The only way to drop the main is to lower the mast & remove to sail assembly out the bottom.


Stay Well,
Stephen Staum
s/v Pinafore
Needham, MA

On Mon, May 4, 2026 at 5:29 PM BARRY RUEHLEN <ruehbl at msn.com> wrote:

> As some may recall, a friend and I took an '87 in over 4 years ago, At
> that time we thought it was in need of substantial TLC. As we got into it,
> things got worse. We then found termites. everything down to the stringers
> had to come out. Even the stringers had to be redone. We got most of that
> work done, and she got hit while on the trailer by hurricane Ian. The keel
> dropped and snapped, and she sustained some body damage. That has been
> repaired and we put on a beautiful application of Alexseal red paint. We
> are now sailing and working on understanding the rigging better. I recently
> put out a thread about out outhaul car and or rigging issue. We just got a
> new car from Charles today and will give all that a go tomorrow. Will let
> all know how that works.
>  This thread is to address the fact that our rigging did not come with a
> halyard. My partner in the boat says that is absolutely wrong and has never
> sailed a boat without. (Back story, my partner has sailed all his life and
> raced professionally. I know jack, really) The question is do you all have
> a halyard to drop the head sail, and does anyone have a picture or diagram?
> I assume the main sail can't have one because it's inside the mast?? This
> actually came to the surface as we were talking to Art C. about purchasing
> a headsail from him. BTY Art, we are still interested if you would like to
> get back to me. My friend said you normally can change headsails without
> dropping the mast.
> Best
> Barry Ruehlen
> SV perseverance, Rhodes 22
> Saint James City, Fl
>
> [ Sent From rhodes22.net ]
>
>