Hi Shawn,

In my experience, the Rhodes 22 develops weather helm under full sail as it heels.  The solution is to reduce sail area aft of the center of lateral resistance; ie, reduce mainsail area 1st.  My conventional mainsail has 3 jiffy reef points.  Because the genoa’s sail area is so far forward, the boat won’t develop weather helm as it heels over.  In fact, you have to be careful not to carry this strategy so far as to develop lee helm by having too little mainsail area relative to the foresail area.  Balanced sail area fore and aft is the key.  Unlike most sailboats, the Rhodes 22 can be setup to sail with neutral helm even heeled over with the leeward rail in the water.

The boat is fastest when sailed as level as possible.  It is really like a big sailing dingy.  If you are consistently sailing with the rail in the water; then, you need more weight on the windward rail &/or less sail area, consistent with the above discussion re weather/lee helm.  By keeping the fore/aft sail area balanced, the boat won’t tend to round up or broach when knocked down by a gust.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
1978. Sanford, MI
Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 24, 2026, at 5:15 PM, Shawn Boles <shawn.sustain at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi all:
> 
> A gentleman on the Facebook Rhodes site posted the following:
> Yes
> I have owned my Rhodes for 33 years after Stan built it for me. He refused
> to take my order at the Annapolis Boat Show and insisted that I come to
> Edenton to sail a Rhodes before I bought a new one. During that sail in
> miserable weather he said, "When to wind is too high, roll up the main and
> reef the Genoa." Best sailing advice I ever had.
> 
> 
> This is the first I've heard of this tactic. I would have expected it to be
> in Stan's manual. I would welcome comments from others on the list.
> 
> Thanks,
> Shawn
> S/V Sweet Baboo