I have purchased an RL24 and have some questions. Does anyone know these boats? This will be our first sailboat. We will be using the boat in and around the Fl Keys. Will this boat be able to handle the conditions down there? Any info will be greatly appreciated.
Rl24 Mk Iv...
- Thread starter DannySonja
- Start date
Huh. Have not heard of those: http://www.rlyachts.net/index24.asp
Being as it's an Australian boat, I figure it'll be beefy enough to handle stronger winds, and it's swing keel, so it can deal with the skinny water in FL… I bet you'll be fine.
Remember, most sailboats can handle the conditions better than the people on board. And, a lot of "Can my boat handle X?" really may be better phrased as, "Can I deal with these conditions appropriately, and make good decisions before the excrement contacts the rotary airflow device?"
Being as it's an Australian boat, I figure it'll be beefy enough to handle stronger winds, and it's swing keel, so it can deal with the skinny water in FL… I bet you'll be fine.
Remember, most sailboats can handle the conditions better than the people on board. And, a lot of "Can my boat handle X?" really may be better phrased as, "Can I deal with these conditions appropriately, and make good decisions before the excrement contacts the rotary airflow device?"
Very good point. I have sailed some in the past but I am going to take some courses in sailing before we go out.
you'll want a chart plotter and depth finder. -if not already aboard. watch for sales over the holidays... -garmin is great, but the charts are expensive!
I really like the motor well. that should avoid some of the problems with trailer sailors and channels. (cavitation).
see if the owner will take you out, and show you how its rigged.
as always, with a heavy swing keel. the pivot point /bearing is a critical item. I would see if its in good shape, or could fail and you'd loose it.
-loosing a heavy iron/lead keel is almost terminal... however yours doesn't look as bad to re manufacture as others. I'd try to check that, and the cables that control it...
GL!
I really like the motor well. that should avoid some of the problems with trailer sailors and channels. (cavitation).
see if the owner will take you out, and show you how its rigged.
as always, with a heavy swing keel. the pivot point /bearing is a critical item. I would see if its in good shape, or could fail and you'd loose it.
-loosing a heavy iron/lead keel is almost terminal... however yours doesn't look as bad to re manufacture as others. I'd try to check that, and the cables that control it...
GL!
We nearly bought an RL 24 sight unseen back in the day before we knew anything at all about sailing. At the time someone had two boats that had somehow been unloaded, but could not be sent to their intended destination. In my phone research (no computer/internet info at that time) I talked to a dealer of another brand. Of course his comment was that the boat "seemed to be designed to be long" and he thought it might be tender due to its narrow beam.
Anyway, at just under a ton it is a reasonable weight to haul with an SUV of the 6 cyl variety. Sleeping 4 comfortably is a stretch of the imagination. 2 with gear is OK I think. Shallow ramps in places might require a trailer tongue extension or some ingenious launching techniques, who knows.
Sail it as much as possible before hauling it to the Keys. Don't skip Charlotte Harbor on your way south! Plus 1 for the need for paper charts (in a chartbook format) and a GPS. A handheld GPS might be a good choice so you don't need to mount the unit in the boat. Check on launch ramp locations. Bahia Honda has a nice harbor and ramp from which you can go into the Florida Bay or to the ocean if the weather is favorable.
Engine: an electric start, 4 stroke model would be nice. It could charge a battery to be used as a start/house battery. You will need proper lighting on your boat even if you do not plan to move at night. Anchor light for sure.
(added thought) If the outboard is in a compartment you may need to vent it or leave the hatch open a small distance in order to let the OB breathe. I have heard of outboard motors being troublesome when in confined spaces and not getting enough oxygen to run well.
Enjoy your new boat!
Anyway, at just under a ton it is a reasonable weight to haul with an SUV of the 6 cyl variety. Sleeping 4 comfortably is a stretch of the imagination. 2 with gear is OK I think. Shallow ramps in places might require a trailer tongue extension or some ingenious launching techniques, who knows.
Sail it as much as possible before hauling it to the Keys. Don't skip Charlotte Harbor on your way south! Plus 1 for the need for paper charts (in a chartbook format) and a GPS. A handheld GPS might be a good choice so you don't need to mount the unit in the boat. Check on launch ramp locations. Bahia Honda has a nice harbor and ramp from which you can go into the Florida Bay or to the ocean if the weather is favorable.
Engine: an electric start, 4 stroke model would be nice. It could charge a battery to be used as a start/house battery. You will need proper lighting on your boat even if you do not plan to move at night. Anchor light for sure.
(added thought) If the outboard is in a compartment you may need to vent it or leave the hatch open a small distance in order to let the OB breathe. I have heard of outboard motors being troublesome when in confined spaces and not getting enough oxygen to run well.
Enjoy your new boat!
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I can tell you the third time I had my RL out, and my families first sail, we had winds in the high teens, peaking probably 25 mph. It was really not a big deal. We only had the main up, and eventually reefed. At no point did I have any concern about the boat and its ability to handle the conditions. The boat is fast. Speed reduces the load on the sail. When the boat does finally heel, there is plenty of warning, even enough warning for me to wait for the dirty look from the wife, before reaching down and spilling the main. So as far as wind goes, while some claim the boat is tender, I do not know any better, so I think it does very well.
Now I do need to qualify my statements. When I was out in those conditions, this was on a 20k acre lake, which does not get huge waves. Yes, there were some, but nothing big. We did get a little wet sometimes, but that is part of the fun.
In the land of OZ, most are sailing coastal, so they are out in the ocean. There are very few inland lakes. If you search on "out through the southport bar RL 24" you can watch a youtube video of a guy motorsailing through rough water.
Since it will float in less than a foot of water, launching is easy. Setup takes about 35 minutes or a little more if you are lazy. The key is to prepare the boat for easy setup. I've added some extra u-bolts on the cabin top to stabilize the mast when stepping. Everything is on caribbeeners, so it sets up fast.
As far as depth finder, the place where I normally sail, I usually hit bottom at least once every time I go out. The average depth is 5 feet. Either you turn, or reach into the cabin and give a couple of cranks on the centerboard. Its a swing keel, so hitting bottom is uneventful.
Here we are in some wind:
Now I do need to qualify my statements. When I was out in those conditions, this was on a 20k acre lake, which does not get huge waves. Yes, there were some, but nothing big. We did get a little wet sometimes, but that is part of the fun.
In the land of OZ, most are sailing coastal, so they are out in the ocean. There are very few inland lakes. If you search on "out through the southport bar RL 24" you can watch a youtube video of a guy motorsailing through rough water.
Since it will float in less than a foot of water, launching is easy. Setup takes about 35 minutes or a little more if you are lazy. The key is to prepare the boat for easy setup. I've added some extra u-bolts on the cabin top to stabilize the mast when stepping. Everything is on caribbeeners, so it sets up fast.
As far as depth finder, the place where I normally sail, I usually hit bottom at least once every time I go out. The average depth is 5 feet. Either you turn, or reach into the cabin and give a couple of cranks on the centerboard. Its a swing keel, so hitting bottom is uneventful.
Here we are in some wind:
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