Oday 17 in shallow water

May 15, 2017
2
Oday 17 Emerald Isle NC
I am considering the purchase of an Oday 17 for use in the Bogue sound. Half the day, there is much water less than 2 ft. How does this boat behave with board half down? And when you begin to run into water that is too shallow. Thanks Harry
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Pretty much any centerboard boat will not sail well without some board down. I had a Harpoon 4.6 (15' daysailer) and I tried to sail in very skinny water with the rudder blade up, and the centerboard up. There was no CLR, so the boat just crabbed sideways (as I expected it to.) Made neat little vortices off of the rudder as it crabbed sideways, though.

If you are routinely sailing in very skinny water, you might consider building a Duck Punt. It's small, car toppable, and uses pretty much 1 oar and a hard chine for lateral resistance. Here's a great video of Dylan Winter sailing in 6" of flooded meadow in Oxford, England:


A spritsail rig like this Optimist rig could be built with hardwood dowling from a good lumberyard. Opti sails can be bought new for as low as $90 (http://www.intensitysails.com/saforop.html), or if you've got a club in your area with a youth sailing program, you can probably get a whole used rig on the cheap.
 
May 15, 2017
2
Oday 17 Emerald Isle NC
Pretty much any centerboard boat will not sail well without some board down. I had a Harpoon 4.6 (15' daysailer) and I tried to sail in very skinny water with the rudder blade up, and the centerboard up. There was no CLR, so the boat just crabbed sideways (as I expected it to.) Made neat little vortices off of the rudder as it crabbed sideways, though.

If you are routinely sailing in very skinny water, you might consider building a Duck Punt. It's small, car toppable, and uses pretty much 1 oar and a hard chine for lateral resistance. Here's a great video of Dylan Winter sailing in 6" of flooded meadow in Oxford, England:


A spritsail rig like this Optimist rig could be built with hardwood dowling from a good lumberyard. Opti sails can be bought new for as low as $90 (http://www.intensitysails.com/saforop.html), or if you've got a club in your area with a youth sailing program, you can probably get a whole used rig on the cheap.
Thanks Brian, An interesting boat, that Duck Punt. The thing is... that some of the time I can put the board most of the way down, so I am looking for someone who operates an Oday 17 in water that wont permit the full board. So one has to adapt to hitting shallow spots and Im trying to determine how well I can expect to do this.
 
Jul 26, 2009
291
. . .
I am considering the purchase of an Oday 17 for use in the Bogue sound. Half the day, there is much water less than 2 ft. How does this boat behave with board half down? And when you begin to run into water that is too shallow. Thanks Harry
You won't go to weather well, but downwind will be OK. Ruddercraft makes a "kick-up rudder" for O'Day's (and others) but they aren't cheap. Won't help at all when trying to point, but would protect the rudder from grounding.
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
Like all small O'DAYs the Day Sailer came with a kick-up rudder already. You can sort-of sail OK with the CB about 1/2 way down, you may find that the boat develops a "lee-helm" (bow wants to turn away from the wind), but I have sailed with the CB less than full down, although in less than 2' of water you will be on the edge of not having enough water. (AND watch out for ROCKS!!) I would not consider his even close to "ideal" and might seriously look for a boat with shallower draft, there are a few boats in the size range of the Day Sailer that have fixed keels (with or without wings) that draw 2' or less.
Sailing through a shallow area with less than 2' of water with a Day Sailer is very much doable, but she really needs close to the full 3'9" draft to really be worth sailing, I really would not want less than 3' (with CB partly raised) for best results. The DS I has a lever-operated CB and will easily allow the CB to pivot up as it drags on the bottom, the DS II or DS III have a line-operated CB and can be sailed with the down line untied to allow the CB to pivot up, but if shallow water was a more often than not condition, I'd prefer the DS I.

One final thought just came to me, last Summer I went out at low tide and was sailing with the CB partway down (maybe 1/2 way or less). the wind was light and so the boat was not carrying much momentum...... we ran aground and due to the CB being partway up, the boat pivoted on the lowest part of the CB which was in contact with the bottom.... the force of the wind on the sails was obviously forward of this pivot point and the boat turned away from the wind, there was nothing that I could do but let out the sails and head downwind. Luckily no other boats or obstructions were nearby and we were able to regain control soon after. So, yes, I guess sailing in very shallow water is possible...... but not very enjoyable to me.
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
Tightened as tight as possible, it will STILL kick up. Mine comes up a little just from sailing normally. And it doesn't have to kick up much before you feel it in greater pressure on the tiller. I've never had a problem with the rudder blade not kicking up on either my present DS II or my old Widgeon. True, with a line holding the blade down on some of the newer boats the blade may not kick up, but on the older boats....... it is more of a problem PREVENTING the blade from kicking up.
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Go play with it. Learn from experience. I used to sail my Laser with one rail almost touching shore on the Atlantic. I would haul it close and sail a beam reach to induce as much heeling as possible.
I even capsized the boat onto the beach once! I stepped onto shore from the boat. It taught me how far I could heel the boat and how to sail in skinny water!