Looking for advice on a boat

[artleyt115]

Hi! A friend and I are looking into getting into sailing. We found a 1984 Oday 26 with new rigging and sail as well as its on a trailer! The boat itself seems okay, it has a centerboard keel and had a inboard motor that has been taken out and replaced with an outboard option. My only concerns is this cracking in the gel coat on the deck. The Interior seems dry and well but I just dont know if this will be a issue. I would like your feedback and see what you think. Btw the rest of the hull seems really good, no other cracks and the inside is completely dry!

and any tips you would give to a new sailor would be appreciated

 

[dlochner]

Sailing is a great sport, one that offers a lifetime of engagement and enjoyment. Welcome to SBO.

This damage is a little concerning. Gelcoat cracks are typically not a big deal, but this one might be. One of the causes of gelcoat cracks is flexing of the gelcoat. The mast step is under a lot of pressure, if the deck underneath it is not firmly supported it will flex and could cause the kind of crack you see. There are three places that need further investigation.

The deck itself is likely cored with plywood or balsa wood. If the wood gets wet and rots it will not support the mast and the cracks will form.

In the cabin, there should be a bulkhead immediately beneath the mast step and there should be a heavier piece of wood running vertically from the top of the cabin to the sole. The purpose of this bulkhead and wood, more properly a compression post, is to transmit the downward force from the mast to the hull structure and keel. Look carefully at this area for damage or rotted wood which can no longer support the forces. This will cause the deck to sag a little which will cause the cracking.

The boat likely has a fiberglass pan that serves as a cabin sole. In the area beneath the mast and compression post there should be some support. If this support is damaged, then the compression post can settle and the deck sag. You may be able to see or feel beneath the pan for damaged wood. If this is damaged, then the deck sags, etc.

The looks like it might have been repaired earlier. The white gelcoat does not quite match the original gelcoat.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Those cracks are below the mast step, it appears, which is not a good sign. We get these questions all the time and you are going to get a lot of answers that go into depth about how to choose a boat and how to make repairs. The opinions are going to be all over the place, I'll predict! So I'll give you mine ...

We only see one picture of a very limited view. It's not a good sign. A critical area is cracked, which indicates a soft cabin roof. The deck is very dirty. We can only imagine the disaster that this picture may represent. If you are interested in sailing, find a way to sail on other people's boats until you know more about what you like. You'll get to go sailing and you won't have maintenance and repair projects on a 40-year old boat.

If this boat isn't costing you anything and you can dispose it easily when you figure things out, it can't hurt to sail this boat for a while. If you really want to spend money and time on maintenance and repair (many sailors love this aspect of boat ownership, me included), you've come to the right place for advise! Give us a bigger picture about what you and your buddy want to do, where you want to sail, your skills, and most importantly a bigger picture of the boat's condition and an avalanche of answers will come your way!

On that note .... Welcome to the site!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

As Scott said, the stress cracks it themselves are common on old boats - it’s the consequential moisture damage which is the problem and can be assessed better by a person competent in using and interpreting moisture meter readings.

what appears at the top is more troubling - an unsealed or poorly sealed chain plate (to which the rigging attaches). Rot there can be a show-stopper.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Is this the boat on SMG from Sterling, Mass? If so, your picture doesn't do any justice to it, I think. OTOH, the ad has only 3 photos and no description so the ad doesn't do anything to help describe the boat, either.

 

[artleyt115]

Thank you for the responses! The rest of the boat appears to be in really good shape, I'll have to check that support under it, I've heard nightmares about deck sag and soggy deck so I will want to make sure I am not in that boat. My buddy and I plan to take this to some of the near by lakes in PA and in NY. at the most extreme case we would take it to the great lakes and the Chesapeake bay when we are really comfortable sailing it. I myself am a pretty good mechanic, good with my hands and repairs and my buddy wants to get into this hobby.

This is the rest of the boat, in the listing he does mention that he had torn the carpet off the bulkhead, repaired and painted some parts. I quote "New teak bulkheads installed about 15 years ago"

Unfourtantly I don't have any other friends who sail often or at al :/ so I figured a cheep boat with some new thing would be great! and if it doesn't pan out how we want it will part ways with it.

Thank you for the welcome!

 

[artleyt115]

Is this the boat on SMG from Sterling, Mass? If so, your picture doesn't do any justice to it, I think. OTOH, the ad has only 3 photos and no description so the ad doesn't do anything to help describe the boat, either.

I wont lie I'm not too sure what that meant but I found it on FB market

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I wont lie I'm not too sure what that meant but I found it on FB market

I did a quick google search for O'Day 26 for sale and you appear to be from the "NE", so I leapt to the conclusion this might be the boat in the Smart Marine Guide ad. Oh, (delayed reaction) I now see this boat is from Pennsylvania!

 

[artleyt115]

I did a quick google search for O'Day 26 for sale and you appear to be from the "NE", so I leapt to the conclusion this might be the boat in the Smart Marine Guide ad. Oh, (delayed reaction) I now see this boat is from Pennsylvania!

Hahaha yeah, sorry when I when I put NE I meant the North East of the country. My bad

 

[Scott T-Bird]

That boat has the look of neglect and it doesn't appear to have been recently cared-for or sailed. I don't really get what the number "27" is all about. Is that a Lake Wallenpaupack boat? I know they have some dedicated sailboat racing up there. Perhaps it is a boat that was sailed a lot in the past but not recently. Depending upon your budget, I would be a little more critical in your selection. There isn't any reason why you can't find a boat that has been better maintained. If you reside in NE Pennsylvania, I understand your need or desire for a trailerable boat. There should be quite a few available if you expand your search in that area.

 

[artleyt115]

That boat has the look of neglect and it doesn't appear to have been recently cared-for or sailed. I don't really get what the number "27" is all about. Is that a Lake Wallenpaupack boat? I know they have some dedicated sailboat racing up there. Perhaps it is a boat that was sailed a lot in the past but not recently. Depending upon your budget, I would be a little more critical in your selection. There isn't any reason why you can't find a boat that has been better maintained. If you reside in NE Pennsylvania, I understand your need or desire for a trailerable boat. There should be quite a few available if you expand your search in that area.

I'm not too sure about the 27 either, but I do plan to sail on the wallenpaupack. Trailer-able is the main key so I can bring it to other lakes, I think I will look a little farther and see what else is out there. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Come on down to Barnegat some time to Mariners. There may be close to 30 boats or more, in the water and on stands or trailers that meet your needs and some may even be for sale. In one afternoon of looking around, you'll get a whole new perspective! I know of one O'Day 26 in the yard that could be a good find ... it's got some damage that should be repairable, I think, otherwise it might be a perfect fit.

 

[artleyt115]

Come on down to Barnegat some time to Mariners. There may be close to 30 boats or more, in the water and on stands or trailers that meet your needs and some may even be for sale. In one afternoon of looking around, you'll get a whole new perspective! I know of one O'Day 26 in the yard that could be a good find ... it's got some damage that should be repairable, I think, otherwise it might be a perfect fit.

Awesome! I'll have to grab my friend and take him down to take a look (he'll be like a kid in a candy store) I was also looking at some of the McGregor 26. I love the idea of the X and M but they are way too pricey but I do really like the D and S models. Do you happen to have any advice on those?

 

[Timm R Oday25]

As a long time owner of a 25 Oday ,hopefully some perspective might help . Our boat came with a number of gelcoat cracks . We were told many times that Oday used silicone to seal the through deck fittings . This is considered taboo today . There are a number of better sealants and adhesives on the market today . The fact that the bulkheads have been replaced "suggests" they were saturated with water and began to rot. I replaced ours ,not because of moisture intrusion ,but because after forty years the chainplates that were screwed through them had elongated the holes .
I also had a slow difficult to find leak . This caused the very shallow bilge to always have some water .
This water soaked up the compression post .
Replacement was straight forward . I made damn sure the bottom 8 inches of the replacement compression post was seriously saturated with epoxy .
There is a trapdoor that lifts out of the sole (flooor) that will show you what I'm referrring to .
My main point is that all the upkeep or repairs were doable and affordable . It took some time to figure "how " the repairs needed to be done .
We've had our 25' for almost 20 years and it has served us very well on Lake Michigan .
Stepping the mast might seem very intimidating until you have a system in place . The same goes for launching .
For us ,and how we use the boat it's been a great experiance . Big enough to be stable in larger waves ,roomy enough inside ,lot's of storage , enclosed head , and lastly ,the mainsheet in right in front of the helmsman. at first I thought I would hate having it right in the front of the cockpit. As I single hand most of the time ,it's right where I need it to be .

 

[artleyt115]

As a long time owner of a 25 Oday ,hopefully some perspective might help . Our boat came with a number of gelcoat cracks . We were told many times that Oday used silicone to seal the through deck fittings . This is considered taboo today . There are a number of better sealants and adhesives on the market today . The fact that the bulkheads have been replaced "suggests" they were saturated with water and began to rot. I replaced ours ,not because of moisture intrusion ,but because after forty years the chainplates that were screwed through them had elongated the holes .
I also had a slow difficult to find leak . This caused the very shallow bilge to always have some water .
This water soaked up the compression post .
Replacement was straight forward . I made damn sure the bottom 8 inches of the replacement compression post was seriously saturated with epoxy .
There is a trapdoor that lifts out of the sole (flooor) that will show you what I'm referrring to .
My main point is that all the upkeep or repairs were doable and affordable . It took some time to figure "how " the repairs needed to be done .
We've had our 25' for almost 20 years and it has served us very well on Lake Michigan .
Stepping the mast might seem very intimidating until you have a system in place . The same goes for launching .
For us ,and how we use the boat it's been a great experiance . Big enough to be stable in larger waves ,roomy enough inside ,lot's of storage , enclosed head , and lastly ,the mainsheet in right in front of the helmsman. at first I thought I would hate having it right in the front of the cockpit. As I single hand most of the time ,it's right where I need it to be .

I really appreciate you sharing your experiance with me, I still plan to take a look at the boat and see what I like and dont like about it. The inside is still very dry and doesnt leak from what he has told me but I will see.

 

[jssailem]

Welcome to SBO.
As observed by @dlochner concern about the location of gel cracks under the mast step is at least a 4 out of 5.
As @Don S/V ILLusion mentions the gel cracks on the surface leads to an inspection of the structure underneath. Gel Coat serves as the water barrier between the inside and outside of the boat. The boat primary purpose is to "Keep the Water outside of the boat".

I suspect it will be a "Pair of Kids in a Candy Boat yard". It would be a idea to take @Scott T-Bird up on his offer. I am certain when you head home you will either have found your boat or have a great knowledge about how to look for the boat.

Looking at the additional pictures, I would conjecture:

• the 27 leads me to believe the boat was used in a fleet of rentals. Either a youth program or a lake boat rental operation.
• the design of the hand rails would lead me to inspect how they are secured to the deck. I appears there is a screw or bolt running down from the top into the square base. This would be a path for water to get into the square block of wood or if through bolted into the cabin and or deck core. This would contribute to moisture destruction of the core and soft decks.
• The standing rigging (what can be seen) does not raise any red flags. This is another critical area. The way it connects to the mast and the deck are what holds that heavy mast in the air. These are a critical inspection area.
• @Timm R Oday25 explained about his boats issue with the "chainplate" connection in the boat. The critical point raised was his experience with wood rot. On these older boats it is a natural occurrence brought on by maintenance neglect or deferral.
• Sails are the engine power to your boat. They will cost more than a new outboard. Budget in new sails as there is a likelihood the ones on the boat are more blown out than grandma's bloomers.

Older boats can be a path into boat ownership and sailing experience. Like buying a wrecked car and rebuilding it. There will be expense and frustration. They are never an investment that will fund you retirement. They can bring a whole lot of fun to your life.

Come to some solid (perhaps even written down) agreement with your friend about the boat. The planned use and share of expenses. Good friends are more difficult to find than boats. Don't let a boat partnership get in the way of your friendship.

Have fun. Sailing is a great way to enjoy the water.

 

[markwbird]

If you can find a 40 year old boat without cracks in the gelcoat I'd like to see it because that ain't gonna happen. The big questions is: Is the deck soft? When you setp on it does it feel soft? Does it give? If it is solid then do not worry about it. The boat is 40 years old.

 

[Richard19068]

with new rigging and sail....

Just out of curiosity, how old is "new"?

 

[artleyt115]

Just out of curiosity, how old is "new"?

less than a year old

 

[artleyt115]

If you can find a 40 year old boat without cracks in the gelcoat I'd like to see it because that ain't gonna happen. The big questions is: Is the deck soft? When you setp on it does it feel soft? Does it give? If it is solid then do not worry about it. The boat is 40 years old.

It is very solid on top, also I'd like to see one too haha