O'Day 23 - Ok to sail on Great Lakes?

Jackdaw · Feb 22, 2012

J,
The O23 is a decent little boat. Your concern is valid; of course the boat will be fine in most of the conditions you personally would feel comfortable in, but that's not were the issue might be. Conditions change, and and can change fast. How far out would you expect to go? As long as you stayed close to the harbor and monitored the weather I think you would be fine. As you know that's a big long line of unprotected (typicality lee) shoreline, very unlike where you were last year. Going anywhere would be a 15 mile sail across open water. That rules out a lot of 'destination sailing' unless you had a VERY good weather window.

Good luck! ;^)

Jackdaw · Feb 22, 2012

Re the boat, its got a very moderate Sail Area / Displacement ratio, and lots of freeboard. So it would be fine. But remember its almost never the boat that gets into trouble, its the crew. I'm assuming you can safely reef/reduce your sail area.

I'd get to know some locals and load up on local knowledge, specifically about wind and wave patterns. Your weather starts in Door County WI! Watch what others are doing. Don't be the only 23 footer heading out. We see lots of 23 footers on Lake Superior. Just not all the time. You gotta know when its best to sit on the boat in the harbor and read a book.

Also make sure your OB is in tip-top condition.

NICK NAPPI · Feb 22, 2012

I have an O'Day 22 that I sail on lake ontario, I have a slip on a bay but can sail on the lake as long as there are no really big cresting waves, I have been on the lake in 20kt winds and have had no problem.

stevec22206 · Feb 22, 2012

Having owned a 23 for five years I can give you my two cents. Reef early, we handled winds of up to 20 with the 110 jib and the single reef in the main. We would have liked to have had a furling jib and a second reef in the mainsail. The biggest negative about our boat was the outboard. When it became necessary to high tail it back to safe harbor the waves became the big issue. We encountered days when the wave action would lift the motor out of the water. It was tough maintaining decent forward progress with a 7.5 hp outboard. Have a plan of action and keep an eye to the weather. We really enjoyed the boat. Good luck!

mreiland · Feb 22, 2012

oday 23 is good

I used to own an Oday 23 pop-top model for many years and I sailed it on the bay of Green Bay. She handled great. But with the wave sets so close together, it'll be best to get into an anchorage or marina for expected storms.

I moved up to an Oday 27 and my Oday 27 has handled many a storm squall. But, your Oday 23 should do fine!

Flyboy69 · Feb 22, 2012

Yup... I sail my 23 on Lake Huron, which can be dodgy sometimes too. Just like Michigan, We spend a whole day out there in 15 - 18 kt winds. Being on the west coast of the lake though can really whip up to some knockers in a hurry. we tend to always stay in sight of the shore at least as there are plenty of harbours on the Canadian side to duck into when/if it does get too rough. I love my 23 she's a great boat!!

AndyS22 · Feb 22, 2012

We sail a Oday 22 out of holland mi mainly close to shore (upto 5 miles) watch the weather and forecast and only sail in what your comfortable with. Typically we sail in less 15mph winds and if the waves are too much we stay in on lake mac. We've also sailed out of charlevoix. So I'm sure you'll be fine in a 22.
But lake mi deserves respect.

triathjohn · Feb 22, 2012

I just bought an O'Day Daysailer in November. I live in Buffalo NY and plan to try it out on Lake Erie. From this conversation I'm thinking that I'm a little too nieve(sp?). I can sail alittle but not much experience. Anyone have any advice for me?

dparilla · Feb 23, 2012

I learned in a Sunfish, Laser and a 420 on Lake Erie and Michigan. Watch the winds and waves, but get out there and enjoy. Just stay where you feel comfortable, so that when Erie does decide to turn green, you are able to scoot ashore and watch the storm roll past. In all my summers in Huron, OH I rescued several rafts, a laser and even a catamaran that all decided to wash up on our beach following a storm. But the best was the seaplane that parked on the beach because of a failed landing gear. So in the end, sailing in a 23 or a daysailer on either lake should be an absolute blast. Speaking of all that, it is supposed to be 70 here today so I may have to head out.

SchwarckT · Feb 23, 2012

I've had my O-Day 22 out to the Manitou Islands 4 or 5 times. The boat did fine. Usually a lack of wind was more of a problem than too much wind. Last year I met an older couple in St. Ignace where I was putting in who told me that they had taken their O-Day Mariner out to S. Manitou island.

Sunbird22358 · Feb 23, 2012

With a Day Sailer the secret is to ALWAYS sail with the mainsheet in your hand, use the provided camcleat to hold the tension, but keep the mainsheet in hand at all times to allow releasing it is puffs to spill the wind before it "spills you". Get a tiller extension/hiking stick, it is amazing how much more the DS can take with the skipper on hte side deck instead of the cockpit seat. Don't hesitate to sail without the jib if it may get windy, just raise the CB a bit to balance the helm and she will sail great (and tacking is easier without the jib, especially in windy conditions). If your boat doesn't have one already, get a sailmaker to add a set of reefpoints to the main, being able to reduce sail area easily makes sailing on a windy day safer and more comfortable. The Day Sailer has the capibility to roller-reef the main by rolling the sail around the boom like a window shade, but that requires a reefing claw to attach hte mainshet to the boom since hte sail will cover the bail on the boom where the upper sheet block usually goes. Reefpoints give a better sail shape as well. Finally, if the boat doesn't already have one, get a boom vang. It will stop the boom from rising as you release the sheet and wil lkeep the sail flatter, reducing heel.
I have owned my DS II since 1996, sailing on windy, Buzzards Bay near Cape Cod. I have made the above additions to my boat and found her to be a great sailing craft even in puffy conditions. On a broad reach, under just the right conditions....... I have felt the bow lift and felt the sudden acceleration that comes with planing! WOOOOSH! 7.5 knots indicated, perhaps more......my speed indicator only reads to just over 7 knots, then water shoots out of the top.

triathjohn · Feb 25, 2012

Thanks Sunbird 22358. That is GREAT stuff. Just the kind of info I'm looking for. I may go to one of the local sailing schools and get a lesson or 2 on my boat. My first and only other sailboat was a Sunbird that I owned for 2 years back around 1980. I had a young family so I only sailed 5 or 6 times.

Technodad · Feb 25, 2012

Hey there Jclark29
Did you buy your boat from a fella in Traverse City?
I went to see an O'Day 23 in Traverse City early last year that was for sale, I did not buy it although it was a great deal and the owner Ron was a great guy.
What year is yours?

Sunbird22358 · Feb 25, 2012

triathjohn said:
Thanks Sunbird 22358. That is GREAT stuff. Just the kind of info I'm looking for. I may go to one of the local sailing schools and get a lesson or 2 on my boat. My first and only other sailboat was a Sunbird that I owned for 2 years back around 1980. I had a young family so I only sailed 5 or 6 times.

The Alcort SUNBIRDs were nice boats, a little smaller than our Day Sailers, but they were a great little boat with several "big boat" features. Actually, I could say that is was the sight of an Alcort Sunbird that helped me to decide to go back to having a sailboat (I made a temporary change to a powerboat after rebuilding and old 14' Chrysler "Cadet" runabout), I was out one Saturday afternoon in my powerboat, getting soaked from the spray while running into the typical Buzzards Bay chop.....and an Alcort Sunbird sailed by, taking the waves so effortlessly....and DRY! I soon created an opportunity to ask the son of a former neighbor if he was interested in selling his 1979 DS II, he was and about a month later...... I was sailing my "new to me" O'DAY DS II, The name SUNBIRD comes from the fact that my previous boat, a 1969 O'DAY Widgeon was named BLUE BIRD (my choice of name) and somehow...... it didn't seem right to name a yellow boat "BLUE BIRD", so to keep the bird-brained line going...... my DS II was named SUNBIRD (thought about YELLOW BIRD.... but that was too corny, and I didn't like BIG BIRD either.... though the color was right)

Anyway....glad to help!

Siamese · Mar 4, 2012

I sail those waters in a Catalina 31, so I'm familiar with the weather and the location. I'm based in Muskegon, where the distance to the next port is less, and therefore offers a greater safety margin.

Looks like the prevailing notion is that you want to exercise caution and be weather wary.

You mentioned that you intend to sail close to shore. I'm not so sure that increases your safety very much. If things start to look a little bad, do you beach it before it gets worse, or head for the closest port? If all heck breaks loose, do you beach it? Good chance you won't survive the breakers.

I'm suggesting that as you plan your excursions, regard the nearest port as your refuge, and the beach as a place to be avoided unless it's calm.

O'Day 23 - Ok to sail on Great Lakes?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.