Im probably overthinking this....

[ironchemist]

I recently stepped the mast on my O'day 25 to replace the halyards and rig her for cockpit sailing. I also replaced the turnbuckles on the shrouds and stays. I know the guidelines on tightening turnbuckles are given in turns based on hand tightening but I can't hand turn mine because of the age/state of the shroud threads. I have a second hand Loos gauge (and I'm a nerd) so I know the outer shrouds are equal tension and the inner shrouds are equal, slightly lower tension. My question is that I notice the boat has a slight starboard lean. Because I can do the math I know it's about 1.25° tilt to starboard. I have lots of possible reasons, the load in the cabin is pretty balanced, but the motor is mounted on the starboard stern. My real question is is this normal and if not should it concern me. I think I am just overly concerned because it's the first major maintenance I've done since I bought the boat. Any thoughts or advice? Thanks!

Chris

 

[justsomeguy]

Because I can do the math I know it's about 1.25° tilt to starboard.

It's been said that the most critical eye is that of the maker (or owner in this case).
My little boat also had this issue. I re-purposed the head and filled it with all the crap I had usually laid on the heavy side, and those few degrees of list disappeared.

 

[shemandr]

I don't think mast tune will create boat list. You do tune by measuring tension in the shrouds but you should do so after centering the rig by measuring, from one side to the other, the length of the shroud.
The shroud thread problem may (should) need to be addressed.
To your question: I think 1.25 degree of list is barely perceptible. What motor do you have?

 

[Jackdaw]

Shroud pairs are a coupled system!!

Means that the BOTH the uppers will always be the same tension, no matter the number of turns on each.

If it leans to port tighten starboard. Forget about keeping turns equal. The two tensions will always be the same. Trust me. If you don't, test with your Loos gauge.

 

[centerline]

As long as the mast is perpendicular to the boat and the rigging is tensioned properly, you are ready to sail...

As for the 1.5 degree starboard list, you can easily correct this by setting on the port side... or loading the hull with your collection of boat gear on the port side... in the lockers and such.

All boat hulls are designed to set level, but after adding an outboard, fuel tanks, water tanks, propane tanks, batteries and numerous other gadgets that hook it all together without some serious thought/planning, the boat can end up very well equipped and leaning to one side a bit.
It doesnt really hurt anything unless the boat is a sleek racing machine, otherwise you will never notice any performance difference.

You can shift some of the "fixed" weight within the boat to help lose some of the list, or just load all the coolers, food bags, coats, clothes on the port side.

The higher the weight is, AND/OR the farther outboard from the centerline, the more effect it will have on the amount of list.
and the lighter the boat is, the smaller amount of weight it takes to cause a list...

 

[ironchemist]

Thanks all, nice to have a little piece of mind before I set sail again for the first time.

 

[ironchemist]

I don't think mast tune will create boat list. You do tune by measuring tension in the shrouds but you should do so after centering the rig by measuring, from one side to the other, the length of the shroud. The shroud thread problem may (should) need to be addressed. To your question: I think 1.25 degree of list is barely perceptible. What motor do you have?

Admittedly I have an oversized motor, a 9.9 Mercury, so that's probably the biggest culprit

 

[centerline]

Admittedly I have an oversized motor, a 9.9 Mercury, so that's probably the biggest culprit

thats not oversized... its just the right size for a 25

 

[Sunbird22358]

Outboards are heavier now than when the O'DAY 25 was designed. Back in 1975, when the 25 was introduced, a typical 9.9 hp 2-stroke outboard weighed in between 72# to 82# for a 20" shaft with electric start. (Even the Honda 4-stroke 10 hp was only 77#) Now, the newer 4-stroke 9.9 outboards range from around 90# to 110#, a 15 could be 115#+. These outboards though will often have a 25" shaft and may even have power-tilt. Add in the weight of a good starting battery on the same side of the boat (if I recall the layout on a 25 correctly?) at around 50# and that 1.25 deg list is not surprising or really something I'd lose a lot of sleep over.
As someone else mentioned, use one of your halyards to measure from masthead to each side of the boat at the shrouds to be sure the mast is not leaning to one side or the other, but I figure if the mast was off enough to cause that list..... it would be clear without measuring. <GRIN!>

PS: My Day Sailer lists to port, it did get better after I switched to a smaller house battery and moved that over to the starboard side, just inside the cuddy, instead of amidships, just forward of the mast. I have a 38# outboard clamped on the transom, offset to port.

 

[agprice22]

Is your boat named Eileen?
Yes? That could explain it!
No... Rename her!
Problem solved!

 

[ironchemist]

Slight list or not, she sailed well on Friday. Everything seems balanced and trimmed out well, more to come but thanks to all for the advice. I did use the halyard to check distance to chain plates and found no measurable difference. Photos of some of the modifications soon! Happy sailing everyone