O’day 27 jib sail help

Joe · Jan 7, 2018

I'm sorry my friend, but your post makes no sense... When you say the sail doesn't work.... can you be more specific? Is it too big or small.. or is it because you can't attach it to the forestay? I suggest you do your own research instead of asking these people who seem to confuse you more than educate your. Go to this site: The Sail Warehouse and study the "how sails are measured" section. They also have a database that allows you to see what inventory they offer for your particular boat. Note that you must specific "furling" or "hank on" sails. It will be explained if you take the time to read....

justsomeguy · Jan 7, 2018

You'll need a #6 luff tape built into the luff of the jib to fit into the groove of your furler foil.

https://www.sailrite.com/PDF/FF2-Online-Manual.pdf

Scott T-Bird · Jan 7, 2018

Do you guys see that "Home Advisor" commercial on TV where neighbors meet at their mailboxes and the one neighbor asks the other if he knows anybody who can fix his roof. When the other neighbors starts to say he may know a guy, the first neighbor breaks in and says "great, now get me 3 quotes, evaluate the quotes, check references, and get me a contract for the most qualified to show up next Wednesday ... no Tuesday's better."

Whatsit, is it fair to say that you need to do some preliminary work in order to know what you are asking? Short answer is that there does not appear to be any sails in that inventory that will "work" (or properly fit) with your O'Day 272 with CDI furler. Perhaps there is 1 or 2 that might be suitable. I'd guess that any sail indicated for a smaller boat is no good. First thing to check is the luff dimension, but that is not the only thing that you need to know. It looks like they list length dimensions in inches but I don't know for sure based on the list. I'd be guessing, but anything with luff less than 380 or so is probably not a good fit. Anything with hanks is not going to work for you if you have a furler. What is the length of your forestay? Sailboatdata will tell you but you need to know which model of O'Day that you have. I think there are various 27' models. Start by knowing all of your boat's dimensions.

You'll have to understand the dimensions and form of attachment to answer your own questions. You might even have to ask the sail inventory dealer for clarification (and then you'll need to understand the response) because most of us won't do that for you.

Siamese · Jan 7, 2018

Wow....thin skin?!?! I got curious and checked your previous posts, and noticed you've received many useful replies, including one I took the time to write you.

Scott was a bit on the harsh side, if you dig into his answer though, there's some useful insight there.

You have an older boat, with an older furling system, and you're looking to fit some used sails to it. You might not be in a position to do that at this point with your limited knowledge. Scott and many others are happy to help, but can be frustrated when the person asking hasn't reached a certain threshold in their knowledge.

You might be much better off having a new sail made, and leave fitting and adapting used sails to someone with more experience. How are you going to evaluate the condition of the used sails, anyway?

And yes, the previous owner lied a lot. That's to be expected. It's your fault for believing what he said, and failing to have a survey done on the boat. Look at what that is costing you already. The time to "ask, ask, ask" was before you bought the boat. Yeah, that's pretty harsh isn't it, but I don't see where sugar coating is going to serve you at this point. Now, it's a matter of cleaning up the mess, and a lot of helpful and knowledgeable members are willing to give a reasonable amount of their time towards that end.

You've been happy in the past with the help you've received from the forum members here, and I see no reason for you to abandon this forum. As a member of three sailing forums, I can tell you there are no appreciable differences in the overall membership, in fact, they probably have many of the same members.

Owning a sailboat ain't easy. But, it's a lot easier in 2018 than it was before the internet. Night and day.

Bottom line, you've been well served here, and will continue to be, but you need a thicker skin.

Scott T-Bird · Jan 7, 2018

Take it easy Whatsit, I admit that I wasn't very polite. I always expect a bit of rough treatment when jumping into the middle of a game without any preparation. It was kind of obvious that you hadn't bothered to even cull out the junk in that inventory list that isn't even close to fitting your boat. I don't know why you would expect somebody else to do that.
Perhaps if you stated that you didn't have any idea what the terminology or numbers represent, somebody would have helped you there. But we have all stated that the first step to helping yourself is reading and learning about the terminology and concepts. Once you show that you have made that preliminary effort, you will find that there is a whole world of knowledge where this membership can really help you.
If you are looking for used sails, go to the website for Bacon's in Annapolis. You can be led directly into a whole inventory of sails that are suitable for your boat, just by answering a few simple responses. It will help you even if you don't want to purchase from Bacon's.

Sunbird22358 · Jan 7, 2018

O'DAY built 2 very different 27' models, the original O'DAY 27 was a fin-keel sloop and built from 1973-78 (a few were built for 1979) there were various changes during the production run, but basic sail dimensions remained the same. The second 27' model was the O'DAY 272, with a wing-keel and most came from the factory with a CDI brand Furler for the jib, originally the "REEFER-1" and later the Flexible Furler (Reefer-1 had and aluminum foil and the FF had a plastic foil, both used the #6 Luff tape.) The 272 was built from 1986-89, there was also the 272LE, but that was the 272 with a few options made standard (Wheel, inboard Diesel, sail cover, grey color hull). Rig was same for all 272s.

Scott T-Bird · Jan 8, 2018

I'm so sorry, Mike! I never intended to hurt your feelings. You won't be the first person who bought an old sailboat and had to immediately replace the sails. It's pretty common. Usually, we all take a look at what we are buying and form an opinion about the value of the old equipment and sails and often conclude that it is $0. Hopefully, you planned on expenses going forward! I guess I didn't understand that you were a victim, and I hope that you take it up with the Seller with some success.

Scott T-Bird · Jan 8, 2018

Well, it does sound like you need some help to sort out the problems that you are facing. If you break it down, I'd bet there will be all kinds of advice forthcoming to help you make the best out of what might be a bad situation. It sounds like you purchased an older boat from a Seller who hasn't delivered everything that you are entitled to have. If you have confronted him, and it has led to a hostile relationship, why not back off a bit from the Seller and take stock of what you have purchased and what appears to be lacking. In the meantime, let the owner of the yard where you have your boat stored know that the previous owner should not have access to your boat. Take the first steps to set your mind at ease.
If you feel like you have made a bad monetary decision in purchasing the boat, remember that you have purchased the boat for recreation and it is an expense that is typically considered expendable anyway. Your focus should be on making future decisions that are reasonable and won't dig a deeper hole.
Your anxiety seems to indicate that the problems with the boat are a bit deeper than choosing a used sail. However, if that is all there is to the problem, then you are lucky because the remedy is pretty simple.
Why not reveal a few of your concerns? I'd bet that you would find some helpful advise.
All the best, Scott

Davidasailor26 · Jan 8, 2018

Whatsit said:
He Said it’s bad for the boat to plug into the boat during the winter.

Can't say I've ever heard that before.

Whatsit said:
He figured worse case it will need all new wiring and a circuit box which at the most is $300, but won’t charge me anything. He’s an elecrition.

That's quite generous. Re-running wiring through the boat can be a job. More complicated if you have a battery charger or water heater. In any case try to use Marine rated cable and follow Marine standards, which can be different than residential codes. Much more on that in Maine Sail's various posts over the years here.

Whatsit said:
. It’s leaking around the mast inside the cabin when it rains but the seller said an easy fix just need a new o ring but all his lies who knows. Does that sound correct?

There is often a boot around the mast that keeps the water from running down into the cabin. If the water is just running down the mast then that's probably the only issue. If the water is coming through the deck around the mast step then it's something bigger.

Whatsit said:
there’s two foot square spots on the deck that are a bit springy but rest is solid.

Try to figure out where that water could be coming from. Usually it runs in from some piece of hardware that needs to be rebedded, or from cracking in the gelcoat.

Scott T-Bird · Jan 8, 2018

Whatsit, how old is the boat you purchased? If it is 30 years old (like mine) or older, there are surely all kinds of issues that will need to be addressed. These boats are exposed to the elements, many without any kind of protection, for years, and with regular use, are bound to show signs of age and deterioration. This should come as no surprise. I assume that you have plenty of time before you are ready to sail in the spring.
Find out more about the sails the guy is offering for $300. Right from the start, the price is too low for the sails to be any good. Before you commit, make sure they at least fit dimensionally and find out how old they are. At that price, they are likely to be worthless from a performance standpoint. Perhaps, ask if they can simply be donated because if nobody else wants them, I see no reason for you to pay any money for them. Don't rush into the sails until you have looked into alternatives. Some really good used sails would probably cost from $500 to $750. There is a big difference between buying used sails that are worthwhile to purchase and junk that you shouldn't spend any money on. I generally classify anything in that price range as junk that the guy is just hoping you'll accept. He probably won't ever find another buyer for them. At a minimum, look them over with a critical eye. Don't get lured into buying something that somebody otherwise wouldn't be able to sell. Lots of people hang on to junk and hope to get a few bucks for it. Don't be that guy that pays for junk just because the price is appealing. Low prices should set off alarm bells in my opinion. My mother always told me that if I want value, I had better pay the price for quality. I think that holds true.
Make sure your electrician friend is well versed in marine electrics. If he talks about a "circuit box" he may not be. Your boat probably has an AC panel and a DC panel. Find out what you have - and pay attention to details. Does your DC system have breakers or does it have fuses? If you do an upgrade, make sure you know what you want. The wiring may be fine ... it may not be. If your friend starts talking about using solid copper wire and if you see wire nuts, you better get him off your boat. Just because he is an electrician doesn't mean he should work on your boat. The price you mention should be an alarm bell. $300 is way to cheap and free is a non-starter. You will be much better served if you get a copy of a marine electrics handbook in this store and read it before starting any electrical work. Who knows why you had an extension cord coming into your cabin. Perhaps you don't have an AC system after all. You should be able to determine yea or nay on AC systems on your own. If you are 2 hours away from your boat and it is on land and nobody is watching particularly, then I wouldn't be plugging into electric power, either. What would be the purpose? Do you need to keep it heated? Do you need to keep a refrigerator running? All the boats in our yard are unplugged for the winter, although the yard does keep the boxes energized so that we can come to the boat and heat it and use power tools in winter. Otherwise, electric off.

Davidasailor26 · Jan 8, 2018

Whatsit said:
I just noticed water around the floor. What would it mean if coming from below? It only has happened when raining to my knowledge anyways

There are a lot of places it could be coming from if you just noticed it on the floor. If it's running down along the mast that's probably the easiest to fix, just with a new boot or resealing the existing one. Sometimes the deck around the mast step gets waterlogged, which needs a bigger repair. If that's the case then you'd probably see water coming from the cabin roof, not along the mast itself.

To clarify my earlier statement about the electric, Scott said it better. What I meant is that there's nothing about the wintertime that makes it inherently bad to have the boat's ac system plugged in, but certainly on the hard boats are generally unplugged.

Scott T-Bird · Jan 8, 2018

If your boat has an AC electric system, there should be a "shore power" connection port that is usually a 3 pronged 30 amp service connection. From the connection port, your boat would be wired to the AC panel that houses the breakers that protect your boat. Find out what you have and be able to describe it when you are asking for help. The wiring should be stranded wire, preferably tinned. You should easily be able to determine the difference between stranded wire and solid copper wiring (which doesn't belong on a boat). You probably can't tell if it is tinned so don't worry about that so much. Stranded wire should terminate at connections with rings or captive spades. If you see wire nuts, they don't belong on a boat. You should be able to open your panel(s) and see what you have. Try to trace your wiring and see if you can make a diagram. It will be more helpful to you if you break down and categorize what you are able to see.