The Voyage of Sweet Medicine

This is the pictoral story of the voyage of  my Rhodes 22 knockoff from its rescue from the Previous Owner's (henceforth known as PO) driveway to its first voyage.  The boat was originally sailed on the Chesapeake near the mouth of the Patuxent River.  A friend of ours bought it and after sailing it there for a few years brought the boat to St. Louis where he sailed at Lake Carlyle in Illinois.  The original name was Nervous Wreck.  Of course, I am changing it.  When our friend bought a Catalina 27, Sweet Medicine was left to languish in the driveway.  When we were looking for a trailerable cabin boat, our friend took pity on us and sold us Sweet Medicine.  The name Sweet Medicine comes from a wholely inadequate translation of  Motseyoef, the name of an important Cheyenne spiritual leader.  He predicted the coming of the Europeans. 



Here is a view from the port side.


As you can see from this view from my pickup truck bed, the boat is in need of a good cleaning.


Here is the aft end of the cockpit from the port side.  The PO told me that the black access cover is for routing gas lines etc. to the outboard.


A view of the hatch covers from aft.  I thought they were masonite at first but they are just really faded plywood.  The interior side looks awful so they will be replaced.


Here is the hatch from closer.  Note the winch.  I plan on replacing these the first time I loose the winch handle.


A view of the transom.  Note that there are no padeyes on the transom.  I plan to add them to allow me to strap the boat to the trailer.  Also, you can see the old style motor mount.


View looking into the cabin from the companionway.  The bottom of the track is missing on the sliding doors under the sink.  I have the pump in the house and it works fine.  There are not trim pieces on the portlights but I have them all.  Eventually I want to replace the portlights, especially the aft two so I can open them.  The PO had some kind of electrical problems which is why the light is dangling.  I have a lot of work to do there.


The settee.  The cusions don't seem to fit exactly right.  Also, note the weird orange wall covering.  Rather than replace it I think I will just paint it white.  The board on the left is the table top.  I have the fixture for the cabin sole but there aren't any screw holes so part of the floor must have been replaced.


Looking forward at the V-berth.  The material where the stain is seems to be rotten.  The trapezoid at the back is the shelf that is supposed to be screwed to the two cleats on the wall.


Here is a view of the galley looking aft.  The refrigerator parts seem to be OK considering the boat's age.


Looking aft along the settee from the V-berth.  Note the line cleated to the bulkhead.  This is the lazerette lock.  Is this standard?  I know the newer boats have key lock on the lazerette.


Here is a view of the cockpit from the cabin.  You can see the table socket on the cockpit sole.


So, this where I am starting.  As I finish a project I will add pictures, possibly side-by-side with the before view.