272 sled

[Odaysailer]

I thought my daughter's O'Day 272 was a dog. I raced it in the club beer can series and it would not even sail to its handicap. After adding traveler controls and moving the main sheet aft so the helmsman could control it, we started sailing to our rating. However, we were consistently among the last boats in to the dock. My attitude about the boat has changed now that I took it offshore to Bodega and Tomales Bays.
We had a nice week of clamming and oysters and some sailing. The weather forecast was for 25 knots of wind and 8' seas; so, we decided to come back before it got worse. Once we rounded Point Reyes, the conditions got serious, and my 36' buddy boat started clocking winds above 35 knots. We decided to make a run for it--passing the last refuge, Drake's Bay--and making a compass course for the Bonita channel. I am not going to argue that the seas were 8', but I now know that an O'Day 272 can surf! We consistently drove the boat down waves and recorded speeds from 9 to 11 knots for the 5? hours it took us to get from Point Reyes to the Golden Gate. Our top recorded speed was 12.1 knots!!!! We passed the bar in mild conditions at Tomales Bay at 10:45 a.m. and tight-reached west to Point Reyes for about 1 1/2 hours. We passed under the Golden Gate at 4:45! We exceeded the theoretical hull speed of the boat for about 4 hours non-stop! What an exciting ride!! --With no broaches and only one round-up... And we never got wet.

 

[WestIslandJohnny]

Sounds like a great time (except for the 8' rollers)! I'm on the other side of the country about to embark on my first relationship with a sailboat. Also an O'Day 27 (not a 272). Not sure mine will hit 12 knots but I'd like to try. What is your sail configuration? Any.thing special done with the main? Genoa or working jib? I definitely want to see what she'll do!

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Any boat sailing downwind and with the waves can reach exhilarating speeds. Going to weather fast while racing is another matter and that has a lot to do with the keel shape. I believe the 272's are shoal drafts and that is not good for sailing close hauled, but certainly will accommodate the downwind reaching. It sounds like you are having more fun cruising this boat than racing it. Perhaps stick to cruising and race on a different design.

 

[Odaysailer]

Sounds like a great time (except for the 8' rollers)! I'm on the other side of the country about to embark on my first relationship with a sailboat. Also an O'Day 27 (not a 272). Not sure mine will hit 12 knots but I'd like to try. What is your sail configuration? Any.thing special done with the main? Genoa or working jib? I definitely want to see what she'll do!

We hit those speeds with a full main only. Your 27 will definitely beat mine working to weather, and in normal conditions yours will beat mine downwind... We have the same weight and waterline, and you have significantly more sail area. The wing keel on my boat might enhance its downwind performance. Off the wind in more than 20 kts, the 272 is pretty quick!

 

[Odaysailer]

Any boat sailing downwind and with the waves can reach exhilarating speeds. Going to weather fast while racing is another matter and that has a lot to do with the keel shape. I believe the 272's are shoal drafts and that is not good for sailing close hauled, but certainly will accommodate the downwind reaching. It sounds like you are having more fun cruising this boat than racing it. Perhaps stick to cruising and race on a different design.

I will be racing a Mercury in our Spring series. I have put a spinnaker on the 272 to see how she will do on some downwind races. And, come-on, you have to admit that 12.1 kts is exceptional for a 27' displacement boat! The manager of the Berkeley Yacht Club said that the top speed for his 40' boat was 14.6 in two Pacific Cups.