My $0.1 from Kent Island, Chesapeake Bay

I fell in love with the Rhodes 22 when I stepped onto the vessel at the
2005 Annapolis Boat Show, and test sailed it with Stan during the same show.


I understand that competition has arrived but I am concerned about using a
mailing list that was nurtured by General Boats over 50+ years and marketed
at boat shows around the US, including the first Annapolis Sailboat Show in
1970. The cost of marketing can be a significant barrier to entry against
an established brand. Using a competitor’s existing customer base and
mailing list avoids these costs, so I would expect that the ‘right thing’
to do would be to compensate GB for any Rhodes-related sales and services.
It’s not clear to me whether that arrangement has been made.


As a side note, I’ve sailed around the Chesapeake Bay for the last 15
years, after moving in 2003 to a neighborhood just up from Annapolis on the
Severn River. We moved across the Bay to Kent Island in 2018 and we were
very surprised last September when a dozen dolphins played around us while
we tacked across the Chester River. I suspect it was the beauty of the
Rhodes 22 hull that attracted them. Especially since some of these dolphins
appeared to have stopped over in Edenton on the way to the Chesapeake.


Regards,

Bob, s/v 2000 Sail la Vie

On Tue, May 28, 2019 at 11:36 AM Goodness <spreadgoodnews at gmail.com> wrote:

> $ 0.02 from Florida
> I really think all of this talk is in poor taste.  Stan is very much alive
> and still active CEO of a great boat company.
> Life constantly reminds me that no one is guaranteed tomorrow.
> My motto is “treat everyone like its your last day and theirs!”
>   I am an active certificate of support member having paid my
> penalty/membership to Stan who graciously allowed me to give him money
> after buying my boat from a sailboat graveyard in Georgia.
> When i needed a replacement hatch i couldnt get one without driving to the
> factory as it was too large to ship.  But as serendpity would have it, i
> bought another failing vessel with a functioning hatch before i made the
> drive.
>   Now we all wish there was a website where we could order parts to keep
> things operational right!!!???
> ... but Stan being a capitalist in the full sense of the word (despite
> claiming to be a socialist lol) decided it best to let the boats age out
> and be repurchased for recycling.  Its a brilliant idea especially
> considering GB was only a “one design” company (i know there was a
> prototype).  Also in His defense he does occasionally fill and ship an
> order for soft and small parts.
> This business tactic probably profited the same as a parts store.
> Competition has arrived...it is inevitable. Competitors in the same market
> often dont do well so i cant see that there is much money in this endeavor
> so be not dismayed.  Another issue is the fate of the abandoned R22’s that
> have the thick heavy hulls that are not suitable for the recycling
> program.  I love all boats and hate to see them go to the dump.
> But all of this rambling brings me to my next statement to Stan....if you
> are still reading.
>
> Stan! Keep eating organic and live to be 120!!
> Lets redesign the keel into a ballasted diamond board and put a rudderpost
> in the cockpit drain area and mount a 30-40 hp honda on the midline and
> show MacGregor that your power sailer is superior to his 26  and looks much
> better!  It would sell like hotcakes and sail like an R22!  After all that
> WAS your idea!
>
> Bob (Palatka)
>
>
> > On May 26, 2019, at 4:43 PM, Art Czerwonky via Rhodes22-list <
> rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> >
> > It is probably an opportune time for me to get into the fray.
> > I cannot imagine the sale of GB to anyone under any circumstances,
> fellow skippers, no discredit to anyone.  I suspect the business will pass
> to Stan's daughter through his will. My suggestion would be to drive to
> B'more and see if you want to be her business partner.  You may find she
> has little intention of becoming the CEO, therefore creating this option.
> > Remember that time flies.
> > Art Czerwonkys/v MaryJane (soon available)
> >
> > Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
> >
> >  On Sun, May 26, 2019 at 8:51 AM, michael meltzer<mjm at michaelmeltzer.com>
> wrote:   Considering my bottom painting just got rained out. What going on
> here?
> > Anyone have a summary (no axes to grind please), been following but not
> > understanding
> >
> >> On Sat, May 25, 2019, 9:28 PM Todd Tavares <sprocket80 at mail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> I've been on the list probably longer than most. The new admins keep
> >> bouncing my emails saying my freebie email must be sent as plain text
> >> instead HTML. I hope this email gets through, because I can't stand
> Nabble.
> >>
> >> I'm a nice guy most of the time but I can be quite abrasive at
> >> times...just ask Roger P (welcome back BTW). And this email will
> probably
> >> cost me a few friends here too but I don't care . My 2 cents; which is
> more
> >> vinegar than sugar:
> >>
> >> I first got on list before we left Sailnet and MJM started this list for
> >> us Rhodies, so I've been here since before the beginning. Early on I
> bumped
> >> heads with Stan and got grilled by a few of the hardcore
> >> Rhodies...especially Rummy (may he rest in peace). I went off because of
> >> Stan's reluctance to stop the production line to field my calls and
> parts
> >> requests. Stan made a comment to the effect of 'I'm not in the parts
> >> business so go talk to the guy you bought the boat from. Why should I
> stop
> >> trying to make money to help out someone who has never put one dime in
> my
> >> pocket?' This is partly the genesis for the Certificate of Support
> program.
> >> I had never dealt with a struggling "one-off" organization before, but I
> >> eventually understood the mindset and now I have to step up and defend
> Stan.
> >> I'm sure he'd love to sell his business and finally retire...before he
> >> turns 100 or reaches his "expiration date". I thought about making him
> this
> >> offer--- I wouldn't buy his business or infuse any cash. But I could
> drive
> >> down to Edenton bimonthly or so and tell him how to run the business
> >> better, in exchange for him giving me the business and property in his
> Will
> >> or something like that. Unfortunately though...somebody had already made
> >> him that offer.
> >>
> >> CC's endeavor is his own and I wish him luck. But Charles's supportive
> >> email and choice of phrases are ironic. I'm at a loss to understand how
> a
> >> directly competing business, especially one advertising HERE, is
> supposed
> >> to put one dime in Stan's pocket?  Is that how you perpetuate a brand? b
> >> Competing and taking business by soliciting to the list members who've
> >> supported Stan for so long? I'll stop just short of saying this is
> Stan's
> >> list, but we started it to drive interest in the Rhodes 22 and we've
> >> promoted General Boats with some success.  CC's business may certainly
> >> propel OUR interests in (your) Stan's invention" but it is certainly
> not a
> >> faithful "continuation of the brand"?
> >>
> >> I'm sorry if this offends anyone, and I don't want to make enemy of
> Chris
> >> or Charles, but this is not the place to be asking for or looking for
> >> support to cripple the struggling business of the aged Admiral of our
> fleet.
> >>
> >>   Todd Tavares (Todd T.)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2019 at 7:17 PM
> >> From: "Charles Nieman" <blue66corvette at hotmail.com>
> >> To: "The Rhodes 22 Email List" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Cowie/GB storm clouds
> >> Stan;
> >> I would normally not make any public comment in a situation such as
> this,
> >> but you have asked. I support what CC is doing and think it actually
> helps
> >> to propel our interests in your invention. You have not provided any
> >> evidence of any solid plan for the continuation of the brand. And while
> >> your longevity is amazing (but I’m pretty certain you do have an
> expiration
> >> date as the rest of us do, if I’m wrong here I applaud you but could you
> >> please share some insight and some evidence) there needs to be some plan
> >> for the future. It appears to me that CC is attempting to provide such.
> He
> >> therefore will receive the same support from me that you have. I wish
> both
> >> endeavors all possible success.
> >>
> >>
> >> Charles
> >> 98 R 22
> >> s/v DayDreams
> >> Joe Pool Lake, DFW Texas
> >>
> >>> On May 25, 2019, at 4:24 PM, stan <stan at generalboats.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> For 50 years Rhodes owners have been our sales force and our board of
> >> directors. So before we submit a book size White Paper response to Chris
> >> Cowie's "new" business, made clear by the following two emails, we feel
> we
> >> should give voice to the cooler collective heads of the List, before a
> >> declaration of war:
> >>>
> >>> "/Hi Chris, /
> >>>
> >>> /Rumor (Ted) has it that you may know of used Rhodes 22s for sale
> >> especially in the Mid Atlantic region. My wife Emily and I are seriously
> >> hot to trot! Jeff: Contact me//**//via email - we//**//have several
> >> refurbished Rhodes 22 ready to sail."/
> >>>
> >>> If you own, or are thinking of buying a Rhodes, what is happening here
> >> truly affect your interests. Any and all input from the List will be
> >> thoughtfully responded to.
> >>>
> >>> thanks for hearing,
> >>> stan
> >>>
> >>
>