Home Page for the first Velvet Elvis

The first Velvet Elvis was a 1998 Rhodes 22 manufactured by General Boats. She spent her first few years as a demo boat, going to boat shows and being sailed by her loving manufacturers.

(2023 update: from here on, I'm keeping the content what it was back in 2005 - 2012. You'll see some present-tense language that is dated.)

In 2000, General Boats decided to let her go to the poor youngish sailers in Louisiana who were buying on credit and couldn't afford an entirely new boat. Within a day, she had damage. Within a month, she had a name.

/img/velvetelvis.jpg
Velvet Elvis at anchor

We sail Velvet Elvis on Lake Ponchartrain, which has some advantages. There are a number of good destinations for an overnight trip, but the lake is so big, that each one requires a full weekend commitment. Most trips (and some daysails) include a minor fiasco or two that might make for a good story now and then.

Easter Cruise 2012 (I haven't written about a trip in four years??!!!)
Easter Cruise 2008
Bringing Velvet Elvis Home After Post-Katrina Restore
Driving to Edenton for a post-hurricane overhaul.
Photo Gallery: Damage Photos After Hurricane Katrina
God Looks out for Incompetent Captains
Boat Maintenance, Spring 2005: This is a short tale of chores and a little sailing at the end of March and the beginning of April. I had quite a stretch, and took some killer photos (most of which aren't posted, but the prints are great). Sorry to subject you to a bunch of puppy shots, but they're only small and cute for a short little while, and this trip happened to coincide with that stage for Lily.
See the whole Captain's Log
/img/ve/bensolo.jpg
This is a self-portrait during a solo sail on the evening of March 8, 2005.