Looking for reviews on O'Day 28s...

TLW · Oct 18, 2013

GOOD OLD BOAT - Jan / Feb 2009 page 42 "A Tale of Two O'day 28s"

Two boats - two couples - one racing, one cruising.

I think this is the most attractive of all O'day designs. The lines just seem right.

noanker · Oct 18, 2013

I think owner reviews are the most valuable ones. it isn't very difficult to separate the chest pounders from the truthful ones. who knows a boat better than the one who has owned her and experienced her in all types of situations. to me a formal review as you call it is no better than the person giving it. does he or she not particularly like a manufacturer or model? if so...you can scrap that review. you owned an o'day. what did you think of it ?

dennisv · Oct 21, 2013

Steps,
TLW gave you some great words of wisdom.....If, in leaving your boat, you are compelled to look back over your shoulder just one more time to see her sitting there in all her glory - that boat is surely for you.
I know you are looking for Pro's and Con's. I'm not going to give you a professionals point of view, but I will give you some deeper reasons than "I love my boat". But just for the record "I love my boat".
I remember seeing one of the first advertisements for the ODay 28. They pushed it as great small/big boat for those sailors who want to downside. Small, but still big. This is a very accurate assetment of the boat. It is a very big, small boat, or a very samll big boat.
It might be interesting for you to know I moved up to this ODay 28 from a Catalina 27. It is amazing the difference in the two boats. THe 28 ODay is much bigger. PS: your 272 and my Catalina 27 are very similiar in overall size, both width and length.
Why the ODay 28...
1) Wide, actually very wide side decks. THis isn't a cute comment. Once you have had a boat with wide side decks, you will not go back to anything less.
2) Wide cockpit coamings. Very secure for footing. Wonderful for moving forward, especially going around a dodger. Both my 28 ODay and my 27 Catalina have dodger. Getting around the Catalina's dodger to go forward is a balancing act. On the ODay I can walk, with a cup of coffee, around the dodger.
3) The ODay's have a crowned seat for the helm. Sounds like a small detail, but put a dodger in front of you and it is not a small matter.
4) The cabin is enormous. It has opposing settees, which is a bit boring, but highly useable. Both settee are long and comfortable for sleeping, and you don't have to "convert" a dinette into a berth (not that is anything wrong with that). Just easier to use the settee.
5) The quarter berth is seperated from the settee by a small, but very usable cabinet. Gives the person in the quarter berth some privacy, and they don't have to sleep with their head in the other guys feet.
6) Big boat rig. Mast set on the keel.
7) Small head. That's right, that's a benefit. If I can go to the bathroom successfully, the head is big enough. I bought a boat to spend time sailing on, not go to the bathroom on. I'm a simple man.
8) The design of the outside and the inside are "current" even though they are 25+ years old. Modern, but not artizee.
9) O"Days clean up and shine like a new boat. People can not believe my boat is 25+ years old.
Hope this helps.

PS I do not know noaker. I'm located on Lake Michigan, he is in Conn, but wow. He updated it to get it ready for his retirement. New furler, genoa, all the awnings, the instruments look like a 747's, and the much desired swim platform ( don't take that lightly. Sign me up!!!!!

Pat · Oct 25, 2013

For many years before we bought our 272 LE we sailed on an O'Day 28 named Sundance. She is what convinced us to sell our Catalina 22 and move to the 272...(Sundance was not for sale or we would have bought her). She is a ballroom below and an extremely stable sailboat...we would agree with everything Dennisv says about his 28...still looks impressive in a slip. Patrick

EdOrlowski · Dec 28, 2013

I realize it is late in the game to weigh in, but I wanted to comment on the ODay 28. We bought a 79 this spring as our first sailboat after looking at boats in that range for nearly 2 years. The boat is a dream for us. Easy sailing, stable and comfortable. The cockpit is small, ample for 2 - 4 people, but that gives more room for the cabin. The deck is well laid out and as others have mentioned easy to get around on. The cabin is gigantic for the size of the boat which is what we were looking for.

After looking at many boats in the 27 - 30 foot range, we couldn't be happier.

The one negative is the OMC 15 hp gas saildrive engine. Being 34 years old it is undependable and I have spent more time, energy and money to keep it running than it is worth.

Davidasailor26 · Dec 28, 2013

EdOrlowski said:
The one negative is the OMC 15 hp gas saildrive engine. Being 34 years old it is undependable and I have spent more time, energy and money to keep it running than it is worth.

Later models have inboard diesels that should be more reliable, especially the mid-80s with fresh water cooling. Our '85 diesel is still as good as new, having just replaced a couple of water pumps over the years.

fourwhitesocks · Dec 28, 2013

Can't help it but I LOVE my 1983 Oday 28! This is my first sailboat and I could not be happier! It's easy to sail and just like everyone else has mentioned...the first thing people say when they come aboard is how big it seems below ;-) Mine has the Universal diesel that runs great and for a wheel for steering. I can't really think of anything on the boat that I don't like. Great choice ;-) I sail with a ton of friends in a variety of boats and they have all mentioned what a nice boat I have!