O'day 40

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
24,531
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
This intro into the world of YouTube by Practical Sailor is interesting. I thought it may have triggered a dream for you.

I like my 35ft boat. It is a great balance point for me. Not all the space of a 40 or 45, but more manageable when solo sailing. Certainly the 34-36 foot range provides many comforts and easier on my pocketbook.
 
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Likes: eherlihy
Aug 17, 2010
360
Oday 35 Barrington / Warwick RI
@jssailem - Your post echoes my posted comment to the video on YouTube;
"I am a former ASA Instructor (over 10 years) and charter captain, so I have sailed a lot of boats. I have owned my O'day 35 since 2010. Every time that I sail aboard some newer catamaran or monohull, I can't wait to get back to my O'day 35. The size is perfect for me to single hand, and it is comfortable for up to two couples or 3 single adults...."

If I were to come into a couple of million disposable dollars, I would look very closely at a Sirius 35 DS. I feel that 35 feet is the best compromise size to allow room aboard and still have maneuverability. However, because I don't play the lottery, I very much doubt that will ever happen.
 
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dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
1,330
Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Playing the lottery would only increase your chances ever so slightly :)
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,985
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
We sailed on an O'day 37 on a crewed charter for a week. It had the aft cabin (For charters). The couple who owned it sailed to St. Thomas from Rhode Island. I guess that's not regarded as Blue Water but just two of them did fine.
 
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Apr 22, 2011
974
Hunter 27 Pecan Grove, Oriental, NC
I co-owned an O'Day 37 that we kept in Key West for several years. Excellent build quality for a production boat of that era. The center cockpit was it's best feature,, nice and dry with easy access to all the lines. It did have an iron keel, but we never had any problems with it..
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
24,531
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I would look very closely at a Sirius 35 DS
When I saw an introduction of the Sirius 35 in 2015, I was amazed. They hit on all the improvements I would make to my Cal35Cruiser if I had the time and money. Such attention to detail. Engineering and imaginative design that packs a lot into a boat but does not forget the importance of sailing.

Beyond my budget.

That dream is replaced by the joyful reality of my boat. I in my bunk right now preparing to take my grandson for his first overnight as a crew member not a guest. It’s blowing 25 plus in the rigging. Fortunately the rain squalls passed through. Gale warnings should be over in about an hour. The barometer is beginning to rise. Our expectations are high that we’ll untie the lines about 9AM.
 
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Aug 17, 2010
360
Oday 35 Barrington / Warwick RI
Way back when I was boat shopping, I had three boats on the top of my shopping list: Pearson 38 (good luck finding an unmolested one of those), O'day 35, and the Cal 35 (very scarce on the east coast).
 
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jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
24,531
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
There were a couple iterations of the CAL 35. The Cruiser version was designed as a sloop and a ketch. I have the sloop version with rigging set up for a staysail should I add the necessary deck gear. There were 120 built in 1973-74. Hadley is boat # 21.

The Salon seating is an L shaped bench on the Port side and a Linear galley on starboard. Cabin feels open and large with 6’6” head room. Ten large windows (ports) surround the cabin and eye level. Great for the conditions up here in the PacificNW. You can stand in the cabin at anchor, sip coffee and survey the anchorage 360º. Some later boats have 4 person booth seating in the cabin.

I suspect with all the glass they would over heat the cabin in the Caribbean. I would not gone for an ocean passage without putting up outer strong coverings that could easily be used. Even though tempered glass is used being hit by a green water wave on the beam would not have a good outcome.

Bunks include a 6’9” pilot quarter berth, The table makes into a double in the cabin and 7’ V-berth in the bow.

I have seen 2 others in the Puget Sound, I saw one on the hard, for sale in Maryland, and one that was in Mexico.

In the 1979, they used the 35ft hull to build a more traditional small port design similar to the Cal 40 or the Catalina 36.
 
Aug 7, 2015
124
Oday 34 previous, O’Day 40 current Annapolis
I’m not sure why you wouldn’t trust Tim’s reviews, they seem well balanced and he calls balls & strikes? Where’s he’s not a fan, he’s not proud to let you know.
 
Jan 11, 2014
14,002
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I’m not sure why you wouldn’t trust Tim’s reviews, they seem well balanced and he calls balls & strikes? Where’s he’s not a fan, he’s not proud to let you know.
Much of what he states is based on little experience is and is just wrong. Two examples.

Recently he did a "review" of diesel additives which consisted of showing ads for the products and reading verbatim the ad copy. There was no attempt to provide any more guidance on the additives beyond the marketing hype. Before he became editor of PS, the publication actually tested the additives and provided data based information.

Immediately after the Key Bridge disaster in which 6 people died, he claimed with no data to substantiate his claim nor an understanding of how a large freighter's electrical system differs from a recreational boat, that the cause was due to dirty fuel which caused the generator to go offline. The CG's investigation revealed the real cause, a critical wiring connection was faulty. The wire's label prevented the ferrule from fully engaging in the spring clip connection resulting in intermittent power losses and eventually a total power loss.

These two examples stick out in my mind. The Key Bridge example was particularly egregious and in extremely poor taste. There are other examples, like a recent video about Lithium batteries that contained inaccurate information, which xv I cannot exactly recall and am not going to waste time rewatching the video.

When Tim became editor, I cancelled my subscription to PS, a subscription I had for decades.
 
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Aug 7, 2015
124
Oday 34 previous, O’Day 40 current Annapolis
I beg to differ, also a long term P/S subscriber I still find value in the publication & only wish it was longer- nobody else provides the service & in depth reviews they do. You may not like Tim but I quess I feel a little more generous; even the Post & NY Times sometimes get things sideways. As I’m in the process of selling my O’40 I’ve been watching many of his reviews and have found them authentic and reasonable. He doesn’t shirk away from pointing out issues while extolling virtues of others- if there are other sources for in-depth reviews please let me know, I’d like to see them (Aside from MaineSail who doesn’t review boats). As you won’t find them in the standard trade magazines. As a closing thought, P/S appears to be undergoing something of a makeover now, I’d suggest giving them the benefit of a doubt while they find their footing.
 
Aug 21, 2020
48
Oday 40 Dalhousie Yacht Club
Only comment the 40 is not deck stepped as described in the video, they are keel stepped