Another New O'Day 23 Owner

[J&C]

Hello to all!

My husband, Joe, and I recently purchased a 1984 O'Day 23 in great shape. The person we bought her from only owned the boat a month. He picked it up from the original owner's estate.

We love our boat! The interior, for a 23 foot boat, is spacious! It just has a solid feel.

We took the boat out today and had a great time! Happy to report the bilge was dry, and everything worked as intended. We do need to replace the centerboard line, which is rather aged. Any help with the how to? Also, the previous owner purchased a second line for the centerboard and mailed it to us. How does this second line attach? I am assuming this needs to be replaced on a crane in a yard or in the water with diving gear, correct?

The cushions are original to the boat and I will be replacing them this winter. Any tips on what type of foam to buy? I have started measuring and need to calculate the yardage.

Thanks for any assistance.

Carla

 

[hman]

Welcome neighbor! Well, almost anyway....I think you are about the closest fellow 23 owner to me that I know of....We love our Oday 23 and mostly day sail it up here on Sco1tt's Flat lake, where we have a mooring ball. Maybe we could trailer it down to Folsom next summer and we can have a race? I've crewed on boats in the Camillia Cup down on Folsom Lake before. Did you buy that pretty blue one on Craigs list? looked like quite a good deal.

Replacing the line that pulls the keelboard up is easier in the water (do it while it's still warm!) Tie abt 12ft of fishing line on the new rope with a small fishing weight attached, drop it through the hole right at the step in the cockpit in front of the companion way, with someone with a mask and snorkel at the other end, pull the fishing line through until the rope is all the way down. Tie off the rope in the hole at the back of the swing keel and you are done! This would be impossible to do on the trailer. Just make sure it's tied off on top or the whole thing will slide through and you will have to start over!

Good luck and good sailing!

 

[Joe11688]

Hello to all!

My husband, Joe, and I recently purchased a 1984 O'Day 23 in great shape. The person we bought her from only owned the boat a month. He picked it up from the original owner's estate.

We love our boat! The interior, for a 23 foot boat, is spacious! It just has a solid feel.

We took the boat out today and had a great time! Happy to report the bilge was dry, and everything worked as intended. We do need to replace the centerboard line, which is rather aged. Any help with the how to? Also, the previous owner purchased a second line for the centerboard and mailed it to us. How does this second line attach? I am assuming this needs to be replaced on a crane in a yard or in the water with diving gear, correct?

The cushions are original to the boat and I will be replacing them this winter. Any tips on what type of foam to buy? I have started measuring and need to calculate the yardage.

Thanks for any assistance.

Carla

Carla,
If the old centerboard pendant line is still connected to the centerboard, you would be better off connecting a strong twine to the end of the pendant line in the cockpit and pulling the old line out and the twine through from under the keel. Use the twine to connect the end of the new pendant line to, and pull it up into the cockpit. The reason why I suggest this is because it is possible that there is a single sheave up inside the keel slot in which the pendant line rides over the small pulley. Most O'Day 25s, 26s, and O'Day 222s have this sheave. It is important for the pendant line to go through the sheave. This means that you'll need to remove the shackle from the pendant line that is attached to the centerboard and reconnect the new shackle of the new pendant line. Allow yourself plenty of twine so that you can make your new pendant line connection out of the water. I generally whip the ends of my lines and halyards. The whipping gives a solid connection for the twine. I run the twine through the the braid line in the center of the whipping with a sail or carpet needle using a pair of pliers or a Sail maker's leather Palm that is supplied in sail repair kits. You could tie the twine on and put one layer of masking tape over it, and pull the end of the new pendant line in. You may know someone who has SCUBA gear who could connect the shackle to the centerboard. My centerboard has a shackle, but I'm not sure how yours is connected. If you have a shackle, and it's still good, you can use it over again. I would use a new stainless steel cotter pin though.
Joe

 

[J&C]

Welcome neighbor! Well, almost anyway....I think you are about the closest fellow 23 owner to me that I know of....We love our Oday 23 and mostly day sail it up here on Sco1tt's Flat lake, where we have a mooring ball. Maybe we could trailer it down to Folsom next summer and we can have a race? I've crewed on boats in the Camillia Cup down on Folsom Lake before. Did you buy that pretty blue one on Craigs list? looked like quite a good deal.

Hman, you are pretty close! Yes, we picked up the boat from Craigslist about 2 weeks ago. The trailer needed new brakes, and a handle for the trailer crank, but otherwise was in great shape.

The motor just needed a new fuel line; is all. The centerboard line is still there and works, but it is old. The guy we bought it from called me the other day and indicated there were 2 lines that were in the centerboard system: 1)The older one at the bottom of the companionway, and; 2) the new 170 inch line with a U shaped metal shackle on one end and a bitter end on the other, that he had bought.

I do like your suggestion and also Joe's about creative ways to replace the centerboard line based on whether there is a line in place or not. Good info, thanks. But where does this other line go? Or is there only 1 line?

I do appreciate any help in towards my understanding. Thanks! Carla

PS: Hmmm... you have more experience with your boat and racing experience. Give us a year and we would certainly [attempt to] race you! LOL

 

[J&C]

Carla,
If the old centerboard pendant line is still connected to the centerboard, you would be better off connecting a strong twine to the end of the pendant line in the cockpit and pulling the old line out and the twine through from under the keel. Use the twine to connect the end of the new pendant line to, and pull it up into the cockpit. The reason why I suggest this is because it is possible that there is a single sheave up inside the keel slot in which the pendant line rides over the small pulley. ......... My centerboard has a shackle, but I'm not sure how yours is connected. If you have a shackle, and it's still good, you can use it over again. I would use a new stainless steel cotter pin though.
Joe

Joe, thank you for the photos and explanation. I have enjoyed reading your posts as I have been researching info on our O'Day.

The photo with the shackle looks exactly like one end of the new line I picked up from the previous owner, though I didn't know the correct term for this part. Next time I will upload a photo of the part in question.

One thing that still has me confused is if there are one or two pendant lines involved in the centerboard system- or is the only pendant line and shackle needed for this replacement project?

I appreciate your patience as this is my first boat. So glad it is an O'Day, we already appreciate how they were built and the design.

Regards, Carla

 

[hman]

Carla,

Even with my experience, with my kids as crew, they sometimes mutiny when it's time to tack cause they want to stay lounging on the deck in the sun....That evens it up a bit...LOL

To answer your question, there is only one line on the swing keel. If you have the new one with a clip on the end, you may want to use the old line to pull it up from the bottom instead of starting from the top. It's really not too difficult to do...

 

[Joe11688]

Joe, thank you for the photos and explanation. I have enjoyed reading your posts as I have been researching info on our O'Day.

The photo with the shackle looks exactly like one end of the new line I picked up from the previous owner, though I didn't know the correct term for this part. Next time I will upload a photo of the part in question.

One thing that still has me confused is if there are one or two pendant lines involved in the centerboard system- or is the only pendant line and shackle needed for this replacement project?

I appreciate your patience as this is my first boat. So glad it is an O'Day, we already appreciate how they were built and the design.

Regards, Carla

Hi Carla,
There is only one line. It enters from the companionway step in the cockpit and through a metal pipe in the cabin. This metal pipe may have a rubber hose connected to it where it enters the cabin from the cockpit thru-hull fitting . On my OD 222, the centerboard pendant line pipe enters a fiberglass hump under a removable soul plate board. On top of this hump is a small metal strap with two nuts and bolts visible. This is what holds the small sheave in place in a small recess in the keel slot. I have some pics that illustrate this.
I made my step detachable in the cabin years ago so that I could slip my 50 quart cooler in back of it easier. Prior to making this modification, I had to remove a Starboard mattress and slip it behind the step from the side.
These pendant lines don't really wear out all that fast, but the cotter pins that hold the shackle rigging pin in place can break. This past spring when I was bottom painting my boat in the yard, I needed to get at my centerboard and spot paint it. This is when I discovered that half of the cotter pin had broken off on the centerboard shackle, so I replaced it with a new stainless steel cotter pin. I hope that these pics help you in understanding just how simple this system is. The centerboards on these boats are only made of fiberglass and they are not all that heavy. They only require a single braid line with a long shackle attached to it that connects to the trailing edge of the board. The board pivots on a fiber pin which is set in a groove in the keel slot. Two fiberglass wedges which are caulked in place, hold that fiber pin in place, and two stainless steel plate with four bolts and two wood screws keep the wedges in place under the front portion of the keel. This has to be the best keel/centerboard system I've ever seen. I favor this over a swing keel system which is all together different than the keel/centerboard system.
Joe

 

[J&C]

Joe, Thank you for your clear explanation and pictures. I can't think you enough for so patiently explaining and educating Joe and I on the various parts. Glad to know there is only one shackle and pendant line.

Once again, thank you to both Joe and Howard on your replies and so kindly educating us. regards, Carla & Joe

 

[Joe11688]

The best of luck, Carla and Joe.

Smooth Sailing!
Joe