Crusing in an O'day 23?

[hman]

http://content.yudu.com/A1u0mu/48NOct11/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=

An article from 48 north on a couple that spent 104 days crusing in a 23! I'm impressed cause the longest I've ever been out on my 23 is over a weekend....

 

[hman]

Oops....I should mention the article starts on page 28.....

 

[HukilauMike]

Thanks. I was a little disappointed in the article; I was hoping for more insight into what it was like cruising and sailing a 23 for that length of time in those waters. Like you, the most time I have ever spent on my Oday 23 is a two day/one night weekender. And we didn't cook at all on the boat.

 

[Joe11688]

Thanks. I was a little disappointed in the article; I was hoping for more insight into what it was like cruising and sailing a 23 for that length of time in those waters. Like you, the most time I have ever spent on my Oday 23 is a two day/one night weekender. And we didn't cook at all on the boat.

My wife and I used to spend a week on our O'Day 222 back in the early 90's. We slept, we cooked and took showers on the boat and we always anchored everywhere we went. We stayed in Vineyard Haven Harbor on Martha's Vineyard Island and it didn't cost us too much money because we bought our food and ice at a local market and the water was free at the beach faucet. In all the years we cruised, we never rented a slip or a mooring. I've even washed clothes on board.
Your O'Day 23 has larger accommodations than my O'Day 222. If you haven't done a week on it yet, you really ought to try it. It just takes a little planning.
We used to stop at this place in Buzzard's Bay MA., that was tucked into a bunch of islands called Hadley's Harbor in the Elizabeth Island chain. It was absolutely beautiful in there. People lived in there all year round. There was a farm with horses, and a boatyard with big houses. You could anchor your boat and hop into your pram or your kayak and paddle any of the numerous streams and tributaries but you couldn't set foot on any of those islands save one named "Bull Island."
One day we got in there and it was beginning to rain. I got her anchor down and tied the tarp off over the boom and we stood in the boat under the tarp and watched people paddle around visiting their friends, un fazed by the rain falling. We had two of our stove-top ovens going on our Orego stove with baked stuffed Cod in one, and a cake in the other.
Man, what memories! :dance:

 

[HukilauMike]

Joe: sounds great! Unfortunately, I am the only one in my family with any interest in doing something like that. I did convince the Admiral to do an overnight, but it was at a marina, and we ate dinner and breakfast out. Baby steps....

 

[Joe11688]

Joe: sounds great! Unfortunately, I am the only one in my family with any interest in doing something like that. I did convince the Admiral to do an overnight, but it was at a marina, and we ate dinner and breakfast out. Baby steps....

My Admiral "swallowed the anchor" years ago so I know the feeling.

Years ago I worked with people who could drive anyone up a wall which caused me to want to get off by myself for a few days on vacation and my wife knew that I needed to get away to keep my sanity so she didn't have a problem with it. In fact, she would say something like, "Go ahead and go, as long I don't have to go." My boys never cared for sailing, and taking a dog with me on a long trip was out of the question, so I'd get in my boat and sail thirty or forty miles down to the Cape or go to Block Island for a few days.
The only time the Admiral will sail with me now is when I take the grand children and we only go out on the river for a couple of hours. Of course, my First Mate, Penelope always sails with me whether it's on the "Trinkka" or in the 9' kayak.

 

[billh]

Buzzard's Bay MA

Joe,

We will have to talk about Buzzard's Bay one of these days. It is on my short list. I hope to haul Impulse out there and sail around that area.

My reservation has been nerves I suppose. It is along haul for me to get there from inland. Takes about 4-6 hours to get to the Cape. Hauling a boat, well, a bit longer perhaps

Once I get this trailer situation shored up....

Bill H.

My wife and I used to spend a week on our O'Day 222 back in the early 90's. We slept, we cooked and took showers on the boat and we always anchored everywhere we went. We stayed in Vineyard Haven Harbor on Martha's Vineyard Island and it didn't cost us too much money because we bought our food and ice at a local market and the water was free at the beach faucet. In all the years we cruised, we never rented a slip or a mooring. I've even washed clothes on board.
Your O'Day 23 has larger accommodations than my O'Day 222. If you haven't done a week on it yet, you really ought to try it. It just takes a little planning.
We used to stop at this place in Buzzard's Bay MA., that was tucked into a bunch of islands called Hadley's Harbor in the Elizabeth Island chain. It was absolutely beautiful in there. People lived in there all year round. There was a farm with horses, and a boatyard with big houses. You could anchor your boat and hop into your pram or your kayak and paddle any of the numerous streams and tributaries but you couldn't set foot on any of those islands save one named "Bull Island."
One day we got in there and it was beginning to rain. I got her anchor down and tied the tarp off over the boom and we stood in the boat under the tarp and watched people paddle around visiting their friends, un fazed by the rain falling. We had two of our stove-top ovens going on our Orego stove with baked stuffed Cod in one, and a cake in the other.
Man, what memories! :dance:

 

[Joe11688]

Bill,
Years ago we used to trailer the boat to Mattapoiset. We couldn't park the car and trailer at the ramp area but there was a large trailer parking area at the corner of Depot Street and Railroad Ave. with free parking. We left the rig in the parking lot for a week and no one ever messed with it. It was a five minute walk from there to the ramp though. I haven't been there in years so I really don't know if that lot is still usable. There's an American Legion hall near this lot. It's been a lot of years so I really don't know if things have changed all that much. The ramp in Mattapoiset Harbor is very good and the harbor is beautiful. We used to sail from the harbor to Nye's Ledge Light about 14 miles across to Wood's Hole and sail up toward Cuttyhunk Island. These areas are beautiful. My favorites are Cuttyhunk Pond, Hadley's Harbor near Wood's Hole, and Vineyard Haven. Edgartown near Chappaquiddick Island is also great.
You really need to inquire about the areas of the Cape before you go down there though. There are a lot of ramps on the Cape but some are for residence only and others will not allow overnight parking of the truck and trailer. Most places on the Cape don't allow dogs. The Cape is ridicules with rules and restrictions. As much as I love the Cape, I very seldom go down there.
When it's steamy hot in the summer months on the mainland and cities, it's always quite cool and comfortable on the Cape though. Cuttyhunk can get pretty foggy in August. It's an island town of MA and it's like going back in time. They even make there own electricity on that island. All the wiring is underground on that island. The large wind mill on the island has since been torn down, but you could always know you were approaching the island when you saw it looming out of the high area of the island. There is so much to see on the Cape. You won't be disappointed by it's beauty. Here's some pics of Cuttyhunk.
Joe

 

[John Stevens]

Joe,

How do you anchor out with the dog? Do you ferry her to land or is she trained to go somewhere on the boat?

John

 

[Joe11688]

Joe,

How do you anchor out with the dog? Do you ferry her to land or is she trained to go somewhere on the boat?

John

I tow my 9'2" Keowii Aqua-Terra kayak behind Trinkka everywhere we go and Penny jumps in and out of it with ease. I anchor and take her to shore and she does her thing. At about 7 or 8 pm I take her over to the shore and she's good for the night. There's a couple of islands out in the middle of Mount Hope Bay that we like to spend nights anchored near. No one ever goes out there much at night. There's no mosquitoes and you can listen the birds on the island. My other First Mate, "Ziggy Pitbull" used to jump off the bow of my boat and swim to the shore. I'd put the swim ladder down and with a little help from me, she would climb the ladder. Her life jacket had a handle on the top which I could grab and help get her on board. She was a great swimmer and a better swimmer than miss "Penelope Pitbull." Ziggy could hold her breath and swim underwater if she had to.

 

[John Stevens]

Thanks for the info Joe. I've been thinking about a pup but wondered about the potty trailing on a boat. I read an article in "Sail" about taking a dog along. The cruiser talked about putting some artificial turf on the deck of the boat and training the dog to use it, probably easier than rowing ashore but harder to teach.

 

[Joe11688]

Thanks for the info Joe. I've been thinking about a pup but wondered about the potty trailing on a boat. I read an article in "Sail" about taking a dog along. The cruiser talked about putting some artificial turf on the deck of the boat and training the dog to use it, probably easier than rowing ashore but harder to teach.

A puppy won't be a problem on an O'Day 26 John, but as he gets bigger you may need to devise some kind of a plan to get him off and on the boat because of the high free-board on these boats.
Penny was able to jump out of my kayak one day and into my friend's Bristol 27 but I doubt if she could jump up into an O'Day 25 or 26. I'm sure that you could come up with some kind of a solution though. I can only get into an O'Day 25 or Hunter 27 from my kayak if I use their swim ladder. I've tried it.
If I can't take a beautiful young girl with me, I'll settle for taking my dog over anyone else. Besides, my wife won't allow me to have a girl friend.