The Rhodes 77 is an American

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminolo ...

that was designed by

Philip Rhodes Philip Leonard Rhodes (1895–1974) was an Americans, American naval architect known for his diverse yacht designs. Life Rhodes designed a wide variety of vessels from 7' dinghies to 123' motor-sailors, from hydrofoil racers to America's Cup win ...

as a

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

and first built in 1947. The Rhodes 77 design, initially built from steel, was adapted for aluminum construction by

McCurdy & Rhodes McCurdy & Rhodes is an American naval architecture design firm, originally based in Cold Spring Harbor, New York and now located in nearby Oyster Bay, New York. The company specializes in the design of fiberglass sailboats. The company was fou ...

in the 1980s.

Production

The design was built by

Burger Boat Company The Burger Boat Company, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, US, is a builder of custom-designed, hand-built pleasure yachts. The company also produces commercial vessels. Henry B. Burger founded the H. Burger Shipyard in 1863 in Manitowoc, WI. It produced ...

Manitowoc, Wisconsin Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with ove ...

, United States, who built five boats starting in 1947, but it is now out of production. A single boat was built in aluminum in place of steel in the 1980s after being redesigned for that material by McCurdy & Rhodes.

Design

The Rhodes 77 is a recreational

keelboat A keelboat is a riverine cargo-capable working boat, or a small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yacht. The boats in the first category have shallow structural keels, and are nearly flat-bottomed and often used leeboards if forced in open w ...

, built predominantly of steel, including a steel superstructure, with wood trim. It has a staysail

ketch A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch fr ...

rig; a spooned,

raked stem The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. Description The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to ...

, a raised counter, angled transom, a

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...

controlled by a

wheel A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle Bearing (mechanical), bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the Simple machine, six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction wi ...

located in a wheelhouse and a fixed fin

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

with a retractable centerboard. It displaces and carries of ballast. The boat has a draft of with the centerboard extended and with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water. It is fitted with an

inboard engine Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a watercraft through water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting of an electr ...

for docking and maneuvering. The design has a

hull speed Hull speed or displacement speed is the speed at which the wavelength of a vessel's bow wave is equal to the waterline length of the vessel. As boat speed increases from rest, the wavelength of the bow wave increases, and usually its crest-to-tro ...

of .

References

{{Reflist Keelboats 1940s sailboat type designs Sailing yachts Sailboat type designs by McCurdy & Rhodes Sailboat types built by Burger Boat Company

Production

Design

See also

References