Keel issues on O'Day 322?
- Thread starter Tally Ho
- Start date
thanks for the update Greg.. seems like core construction common in the day was used in the O'days.. check out stanchion bases, pulpit, and chain plates, fore and aft stays at the decks.
Re: First winter with my 322
can you be more specific with serial number range. I'm looking at an '87 04tees grey hull?
can you be more specific with serial number range. I'm looking at an '87 04tees grey hull?
all I can tell you is my O322 is a 1988, serial number XDYG0149I788. I have not dropped the keel, but I also have not seen any particular evidence that concerns me. Also, my cabin top is dry, and I don't have any issues with wet core.
I pulled the boat specifically to have the surveyor look at the keel joint. I doubt he knew any more than me, and had no real way to check more than a visual look at the joint. But I slept a little better having gone through the exercise.
Greg
I have been following the keel bolt issue for a number of years now. This June of 2015 I also drilled my keel sump to find out the composition. The composition is all fiberglass. I drilled and analyzed the dust very carefully in stages as it came out. The drill lifted fiberglass dust until 13/16th of an inch, then very briefly caulk, and then lead at 14/16th inch. Therefore my glass sump floor is just shy of 7/8" inch. This gives me a reassuring confidence. I then refilled the small hole with epoxy. I believe all 322 owners should do this.
I have a dripless shaft seal, and so can have a dry bilge for months if I have no heavy rain. That means my keel sump caulk is still in good shape, There is no movement at the seam between the keel and hull.
My hull number is: STRSG129G788. That means: "STR" - Starcraft Corp (a division of Bangor-Punta marine at that time, the owner of the O'Day designs, "SG" - some unknown model designation by Oday, "129" - the 129th build of this model, "G" - built in July, "7" - the year of certification (1987 - I thought it was 1986 from the design drawings but apparently 1987), "88" - built in 1988.
The other gentleman's boat is 'XDY' builder, which is a code for both Bangor_Punta marine, and O'Day designation. Interesting that my hull is 129 and his is 149, maybe Starcraft finished up some hulls that were in storage, or perhaps there were two build teams for a while? Unknown. Anyway - Both are the O'Day 322 design. The run came to an end in 1989 when O'Day went out of business, a very few were said to be finished up by Pearson Yachts just at the end of the run, a couple labeled 1990.
There is no denying that the very small chord length of the vertical keel and the very substantial keel wings create a higher stress load on the keel/hull joint when heeled, but after my measurements I feel more comfortable about it. As other say, the O'day 322 has cruised New England and the Bahamas for decades. With an eye on the weather, and given a healthy keel joint, I feel comfortable with bay and settled weather coastal cruising. The keel performs remarkably well upwind above about 2 kts for an appendage with such a small square footage. It is competitive with other cruising boats of the day. I routinely pass other similar sized boats, but that is partially detailed attention to sail trim.
The comment about shroud termination at the hull is also true. The termination is via stainless steel rod chainplates in the open (no bulkhead plate) down to a threaded bolt and washer within the interior pan shelf, unfortunately the termination is too high in the pan, they should have taken it down lower in the pan more towards the floor. As a result the leeward shrouds have some flex, and over-tightened shrouds can pull the hull side in slightly. I keep mine moderately tensioned to not over-stress the hull or pan.
If I was to cross oceans, this design and other fin keelers like it are clearly not the design to choose.
For coastal/bay cruising however, go forth and enjoy this very ahead of it's time design.
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