Fixed Keel Conversion for O'Day 26 C/B

[Chuck]

Considering purchasing an O'Day 26 w/ inboard diesel. The boat has the standard short draft keel with centerboard. Has anyone removed the C/B and added a fixed lead keel? I believe the conversion would be worth it, to provide increased keel area and weight down low. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done it or knows something about it. I saw a fixed wing keel on an O'Day 272 that looked like it was mated to the stub keel by the factory, so perhaps even the manufacturer did it from their standard molds. Since the centerboard weighs very little, the added keel weight of a fixed keel conversion would certainly help initial and increased stability. (I think the standing rigging would correspondingly have to be increased in size). Thanks.

 

[R.W.Landau]

Some thoughts on this

I was looking at an O'Day 25 cb. I had the same thoughts of changing the boat to a wing. I bought the boat and have now sailed it for a season. I would not change it. I am happy with it's performance. In fact there are days (this is when no one is infront of me) that I never bother to lower the center board so that I don't have to worry about keeping 6' of water under the boat. It performs quite well with the board up.Remember that it is not just the keel weight that changes initial instability It is a combo of keel and hull shape. I think you will find that the boat has very good stability once it is on a tack. Few boats are solid from the 0 to 10 degree range. Most of these are full keel boats and they take 15 knot of wind to move themThis summer, my son and his girl spent the night aboard. I had only the 160 aboard and hanked on. In the morning the wind was howling. The 100 was in the car. So we put up a full set of sails and headed off. We sailed my O'Day 25 cb on a 40 degree heel for 15 minutes heading back to get the other sail. We probably would have sailed back te whole way but I saw the tiller delamination and dropped te genoa right away. It was that sail that convinced me that I should not worry about my boats stability. It was well designed.My advice, Sail the boat as is. If you like it, buy it. If you buy it sail it for a season before making any major changes. r.w.landau

 

[Harley]

try it you'll like it

My boat is a 23 k/cb it sails fine with the board up but it points better with it down.I leave it down if the depth is suspect (poor man's depth sounder).