looking for purchase advice

boblufkin · Jun 23, 2014

The furler is a great item to have - you will never go back.

Tim R. · Jun 23, 2014

You can easily add a furler for the difference.

31seahorse · Jun 23, 2014

Hello kb3pgo,

No experience with US Yachts, but we have owned 3 Oday boats over time. 30, 34, and now a 272LE. (1979, 1984, 1988 respectively) The boats have been fun to sail, but not over-built.

Older systems on any boat will need checking/repair sooner rather than later. The Odays were good looking in my opinion and that is always a good selling point for the future. A painted hull will look great if the painter is skilled. If he/she isn't skilled it might look like it was done by a trained monkey with a toothbrush! (No offense to the monkey.)

Do these boats require OB or do they have inboards. OB is a good choice because they can be changed easily, but the inboard models seem to move and (especially) back better.

Joe · Jun 23, 2014

If you haven't already, google "US yachts 27" To me the key information is determining it not to be a Buccaneer or Bayliner of the same era. It's a bit confusing, but a little research in this area will help you.

RECESS · Jun 23, 2014

The US Yachts made in the next town from me, Valdosta, we're poorly constructed. They cranked them out with little quality control. Not sure about all of them though. Some left the plant tagged US Yachts and some Buccaneer.

LANCE ON CLOUD NINE · Jun 23, 2014

I am fairly sure the O'Day would have at least slightly better build quality. If the trailer is decent, and well fit to the boat, that would add alot of value. The US boat is I think over 9 feet wide - which would make it hard to move on the road. You could save a bunch of funds by the O'Day being on a trailer during winter.
Why does the O'Day need paint? The gel coat is pretty good quality for a production boat. Is it just faded? Maybe you could make a much lower offer, as is, and buff it out. Check the decks of both for softness. Open all the sails and look them over well.
Good luck and good sailing!

bffatcat · Jun 24, 2014

time for my 2c

O`day is a well known maker with proven build quality for a production boat The US yachts is a company that built buccaneer sailboats and bayliner motorboats "not a top quality builder"
You pay your money and takes your chances. About the paint job: Is the hull chalked out? Is it scratched up? Tell us why the boat cannot be cleaned up and buffed out

Scott T-Bird · Jun 24, 2014

I'd be more careful than to paint US Yachts with a broad brush. Looking on-line at some comments, it appears that it may depend upon when the boats were built. If it is a Pearson build, it may have substantially better quality than O'Day.

The design pedigree of the boat looks to be superior in my opinion. Between the 2 boats considered, I suspect that the US Yacht 27 has more appealing characteristics. I've seen many O'Day's (admittedly smaller than the 27' model) which have appallingly light rigging characteristics (IMO). I wouldn't say that O'Day is a higher build quality than even the worst of US Yachts by any stretch of the imagination. I don't think O'Day's are remarkable for their quality, either. There is a reason why they aren't around anymore, I think.

I think Lance is right on one account ... check the condition of the decks and overall condition. That should be telling and is more important than any "reputational" concerns.

Ward H · Jun 24, 2014

It probably comes down to a couple of things:

1. What are you looking for? A trailer sailor or a boat that will be kept in a slip/mooring.
2. Do you need the additional space? The 26 is a slightly stretched 25. The 27 is not just 1' longer, more like 2'. It is about 1' wider.
3. Every increase in boat length adds costs to everything. Storage, Hauling, Sails, etc.
4. What about draft and your sailing area?
5. Then it comes to condition and how much can or do you want to do yourself. As Lance and Scott said, when you are dealing with a 30 year old boat, it is more about condition than reputation.

BTW, An early 1980s O'day shouldn't need to be painted unless someone has already damaged the gel coat. My 1980 buffed up real good. A good paint job will cost almost as much as most O'day 25's or 26's on the market in decent shape.

I do know the O'day 25/26s are great sailing boats.

SenecaDaze · Jun 24, 2014

Ahoy tim! not sure about that oday but I think dutchy has had the US Yacht since new,did you ask the dock master about the boats he knows plenty , check out this website for comparisons http://www.calculator.com/calcs/opr03JAL.html

see you at the lake

Scott T-Bird · Jun 25, 2014

That calculator is a pretty nifty tool!

cb32863 · Jun 27, 2014

The one that sails the best.

Ziggler · Jun 28, 2014

I upgraded boats last summer and would recommend actually sailing the boats before buying if you can. That's the test that really matters.