Someone wrote to me recently with an Oday question that I couldn't help with, so I'm tossing it out to the fellow owners on this b-board: "My dock on a creek has 2 feet depth at low tide with a soft muck bottom. I am thinking of buying an ODay 25 with Centerboard. The Oday 25 Centerboard specs list a 2 ft 3 inch draft with centerboard up. BUT the fixed rudder draft is listed at 2 ft 8 inches. Are you aware of any modifications I could make to the rudder to allow me to dock it in this shallow water?? OR is it OK for fixed rudder to settle into the muck???" That's the question. Any help? (I'll pass along useful info to the guy who asked me in the first place.) Thanks. Pete s/v EmmieLou (O-322) Little Silver, NJ
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chancy
I think it is closer to 3' with someone on board. I think it would be OK if you didn't move the boat, but that would mean a sailing life of on or off the dock higher than low tide. McGregor makes a 25' with less draft, but I don't like the way they sail.
I think it is closer to 3' with someone on board. I think it would be OK if you didn't move the boat, but that would mean a sailing life of on or off the dock higher than low tide. McGregor makes a 25' with less draft, but I don't like the way they sail.
O'Day CB Rudder
First of all, I've heard this discussion before amongst people speaking "theoretically" (read - they didn't own or have access to an O'Day 25), and I'll say up front, the rudder is DEFINITELY deeper than the keel with the CB up. The 2 times I've run mine aground, it was the rudder that dug in the mud, not the keel. I also agree with the 3' "realworld" number rather than the 2'8" number. I would not recommend buying the boat PLANNING on putting the rudder in the mud, the factory built rudders are not the strongest. There are two additional O'Day 25's at my marina besides mine. The other two have split rudders. Mine doesn't, because I replaced it three years ago with a solid rudder from Rudy. Also, imagine the strain that would be put on the transom as the boat rocks against the gudgeons when the keel is out of the mud, but the rudder isn't. The rudder can be removed, but it's a balanced rudder, so about 1.5" of the rudder are under the hull of the boat. That means it has to be turned hard to one side or the other to remove it. Ida Sailor makes a replacement kick-up rudder, he may be interested in that. If I were in his position, I believe I would be looking at that instead of just planning on sinking the rudder into the mud.
First of all, I've heard this discussion before amongst people speaking "theoretically" (read - they didn't own or have access to an O'Day 25), and I'll say up front, the rudder is DEFINITELY deeper than the keel with the CB up. The 2 times I've run mine aground, it was the rudder that dug in the mud, not the keel. I also agree with the 3' "realworld" number rather than the 2'8" number. I would not recommend buying the boat PLANNING on putting the rudder in the mud, the factory built rudders are not the strongest. There are two additional O'Day 25's at my marina besides mine. The other two have split rudders. Mine doesn't, because I replaced it three years ago with a solid rudder from Rudy. Also, imagine the strain that would be put on the transom as the boat rocks against the gudgeons when the keel is out of the mud, but the rudder isn't. The rudder can be removed, but it's a balanced rudder, so about 1.5" of the rudder are under the hull of the boat. That means it has to be turned hard to one side or the other to remove it. Ida Sailor makes a replacement kick-up rudder, he may be interested in that. If I were in his position, I believe I would be looking at that instead of just planning on sinking the rudder into the mud.
In the muck
The previous owner of my O'day 192, which has a shoal keel centerboard arrangement similar to that of the 25, kept the boat behind his houseboat in Sausalito. At very low tides the boat would settle in the mud. The rudder on the 192 is a kick-up and wasn't a problem but getting muck in the centerboard slot would cause the board to stick in the up position. The PO told me he'd swum under a number of times to pry it free. When I bought the boat and brought it home, the board was pretty securely stuck and you would not believe the amount of icky sticky stinky stuff that I scraped and rinsed out of the slot before the board would drop. So, it's not a show stopper, but something to keep in mind for the fellow contemplating the shallow mooring.
The previous owner of my O'day 192, which has a shoal keel centerboard arrangement similar to that of the 25, kept the boat behind his houseboat in Sausalito. At very low tides the boat would settle in the mud. The rudder on the 192 is a kick-up and wasn't a problem but getting muck in the centerboard slot would cause the board to stick in the up position. The PO told me he'd swum under a number of times to pry it free. When I bought the boat and brought it home, the board was pretty securely stuck and you would not believe the amount of icky sticky stinky stuff that I scraped and rinsed out of the slot before the board would drop. So, it's not a show stopper, but something to keep in mind for the fellow contemplating the shallow mooring.
Rudder is the Kicker
You will definitely have a problem with the rudder. Most complaints about the 25 have to do with broken gudgeons and transoms. I just got the kick-up rudder from Idasailor, and it's very nice, if not cheap. My original rudder was "forcibly removed" last year when my mooring dragged.
You will definitely have a problem with the rudder. Most complaints about the 25 have to do with broken gudgeons and transoms. I just got the kick-up rudder from Idasailor, and it's very nice, if not cheap. My original rudder was "forcibly removed" last year when my mooring dragged.
Thanks
Thanks for the feedback. I've passed it along to the original questioner. Now it's up to him. Pete s/v EmmieLou (Oday 322) Little Silver, NJ
Thanks for the feedback. I've passed it along to the original questioner. Now it's up to him. Pete s/v EmmieLou (Oday 322) Little Silver, NJ
oday 25 rudder
I have a 1979 Oday 25. Everytime that I have gotten into skinny water the rudder is the telegraph. That being said, I would not moor my boat in any water that low, even with the rudder removed. Most boats sit a bit lower than the specifications, due to owner added weight, a second battery, outboard, coolers, and other misc. junk. If you take a look at the inside of the transom from the cockpit lazurette (sp), you will see that the transom is not beefy enough to put up with that kind of stress. Just me 2 cents. But, I can also tell you, putting on the rudder while in the water is a pain in the neck, and it sinks like a rock. Ross in Tampa 1979 Oday 25, Lola
I have a 1979 Oday 25. Everytime that I have gotten into skinny water the rudder is the telegraph. That being said, I would not moor my boat in any water that low, even with the rudder removed. Most boats sit a bit lower than the specifications, due to owner added weight, a second battery, outboard, coolers, and other misc. junk. If you take a look at the inside of the transom from the cockpit lazurette (sp), you will see that the transom is not beefy enough to put up with that kind of stress. Just me 2 cents. But, I can also tell you, putting on the rudder while in the water is a pain in the neck, and it sinks like a rock. Ross in Tampa 1979 Oday 25, Lola
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