16ft to learn on

[John]

I am a complete novice who is looking to learn to sail. Locally there is a 16ft Oday for sale. Would this be a good first boat to learn in?TIA John

 

[MArk]

Starting small

John,I learned to sail on a Venture 17. The main advantages of a small boat for a beginner are:1. Easier/faster to rig. Less standing rigging and lighter mast.2. More hands-on. You can get the feel of sails by holding the jib and main sheets. You'll feel the effect of the wind on the rudder. You'll learn the advantages of moveable balast.Some people start small and stay small because they like the feeling of control it gives them. The important thing is to just get out there and do it!Happy sails,MArk

 

[henry hey]

even smaller

I would say that you should start on a a boat that you can capsize. Capsizing will teach you about the boat's limits. Sure. . you can capsize that oday 16, but it won't be much fun to get it up and running again -- at least without a lot of bailing. My first learner boat was a sunfish -- indestructable, and easy to flip back over. Not too much boat -- just a tiller, 1 sail, your balance and the wind. With a boat that size, you can really get a handle on a lot of different conditions without worry about your boat or whether or not you can flip it over easily and get home on your own. -- Just my 2 cents.- H. heyMontauk.

 

[Justin - O'day Owners' Web]

16' O'day

The O'day Daysailer is a terrific boat to learn to sail on. Its small enough to respond to control inputs immediately, letting you know what each action to take does, but big enough to spend all day aboard with a couple of friends. The daysailer is a pain in the neck to right if you flip it, but not so bad that I'd count it out. If I were you I might buy the daysailer then beg, borrow or steal a sunfish for a few days. After a few hours on the sunfish you'll be ready for the bigger boat.Justin - O'day Owners' Web