Looking for Swing Keel

Jun 25, 2011
3
ODay 30 Noank, CT
Hello O'day sailors,
I have a 1983 O'Day 30 that is missing it's swing keel. Fabricating a replacement is difficult. Already went to Fall River to see if I could locate a mold- no luck. Does anyone know of an O'Day 30 that is being sold for parts? Would really appreciate any leads. Would be willing to travel to pick it up if needed.... Thanks for your help!
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
When you say that you went to "Fall River", I assume that you mean that you talked to Rudy Nickerson at D&R Marine (Assonet. MA)? Yes, unfortunately, he doesn't have EVERYTHING we need, but I would have thought he might have some idea about finding something. You could get a new one made ($$$$) after getting a copy of the drawings for the Centerboard (very heavy, but technically a Centerboard, not Swing-Keel) by checking with the Library/Archives at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. I heard that they have all the old "blue Prints" for the O'DAY boats. Possible that a call to C. Raymond Hunt Associates (Designers of the boat) might give you a lead on the drawings? I have a copy of the 1978 Brochure, thought the drawing there might help, but not really...... I've posted a scan anyway.

If you did actually go to 878 Airport Rd. in Fall River, well...... I would think that any trace of the O'DAY molds and such has been gone for over 25 years. Still that building is still in use (New England Ropes) unlike the old PEARSON Factory down in Portsmouth, RI (a few new O'DAYs were built there around 1990-91) look like a scene from the old History Channel show "Life After People"! An abandoned eyesore!
 

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Jun 25, 2011
3
ODay 30 Noank, CT
Thank you for the information! Mystic Seaport did have the specs for the centerboard (thank you for the correct name) and we are in possession of them. Just thought we would make one more effort at finding one already built before we paid to have one fabricated. ($$$$$)
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
I wonder, O'DAY used to use the same Centerboard on different models from what I've heard (at least on smaller K/CB models?), maybe, just MAYBE.... the 28 used the same centerboard? I'm not sure, but Rudy at D&R might know. That would increase the potential number of used, surplus CBs around. Or maybe I'm total off on that.......... but worth checking? And, no.. I haven't heard of anyone parting out an old 28. Then again, making one yourself is not impossible, although I agree it would be a lot easier to make a CB for a smaller boat than the 30!
 

Pat

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Jun 7, 2004
1,250
Oday 272LE Ninnescah Yacht Club, Wichita, Ks.
Wasn't the O'Day 31 a 30 with a couple changes.....may or may not work....the 31 was a newer model I believe....
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
I don't think the 31 came in a K /CB model, only deep fin and shoal fin keels. However, you are correct, the 31 was an updated version of the 30, and in fact the Hull#s for the 31 start where the 30 left off. 31 added a molded-in swim step to the transom (that was most of the added LOA.) Interior is slightly different too if I recall correctly. BTW: The 35 was introduced at the same time as the 31 and was just an updated 34.
 
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Mar 2, 2011
489
Compac 14 Charleston, SC
I could never tell any difference on our Oday 26 with the board up or down. Always got the same speed. My wife actually said, "maybe you should dive under while she raises and lowers it to see if it's really there".
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
I could never tell any difference on our Oday 26 with the board up or down. Always got the same speed. My wife actually said, "maybe you should dive under while she raises and lowers it to see if it's really there".
Lowering the centerboard while beating increases lateral plane, reducing leeway. Since it's a foil shape, it will also generate lift, and allow for higher pointing. So, other than reducing leeway, thus making for better CMG, no, it wouldn't increase speed though water. Except: when sailing a deep reach or a run, raising the centerboard will reduce wetted surface area and drag, and the boat should go faster. I find that with my board up in light wind, I can sail much faster than larger boats with fin keels. Of course, when the wind gets up, it overcomes their increased drag, and then their longer waterline plays in, and they sail faster.
 
Mar 2, 2011
489
Compac 14 Charleston, SC
Lowering the centerboard while beating increases lateral plane, reducing leeway. Since it's a foil shape, it will also generate lift, and allow for higher pointing. So, other than reducing leeway, thus making for better CMG, no, it wouldn't increase speed though water. Except: when sailing a deep reach or a run, raising the centerboard will reduce wetted surface area and drag, and the boat should go faster. I find that with my board up in light wind, I can sail much faster than larger boats with fin keels. Of course, when the wind gets up, it overcomes their increased drag, and then their longer waterline plays in, and they sail faster.
I totally understand how a centerboard works but on an O'Day 25/26 the centerboard is a deployed under a shoal draft keel. With it up or "missing" this particular boat still has enough fix keel to provide good lateral resistance. The difference in pointing, VMG (speed) or whatever you like to call it was negligible if any.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
I totally understand how a centerboard works but on an O'Day 25/26 the centerboard is a deployed under a shoal draft keel. With it up or "missing" this particular boat still has enough fix keel to provide good lateral resistance. The difference in pointing, VMG (speed) or whatever you like to call it was negligible if any.
Ok, just checking. I have a shoal keel/CB combo, as do the Precision line of boats. I have heard it said about Precisions that the only time you really need to deploy the CB is beating. I have found that if I do not deploy my CB while beating or close reaching, I WILL make more leeway than with CB down. I generally leave it down until beam reaching, and anything deeper I pull it up all the way, because A.S.F. (Always Sail Fast :D )
 

Pat

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Jun 7, 2004
1,250
Oday 272LE Ninnescah Yacht Club, Wichita, Ks.
According to the brochure above, this boat came in either a shoal draft keel model or a centerboard model w/up and down drafts provided...or am I looking at this wrong....the drawing provided in the O'Day brochure almost always depicted all the possible options.
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
The Shoal-draft keel came later, after the K/CB model was dropped. It was deeper draft than hte K/CB model was with CB up.
Originally, the 30 came as either a deep fin-keel or the K/CB version, later the K/Cb model was replaced by a shoal, fin-keel. As far as I know this choice (Deep fin or shoal fin) was continued on the 31.
 
Nov 5, 2010
99
Oday 23 Stonington, CT
I am about to close on a 1982 30. I had the boat hauled to check the centerboard operation and condition. All are good. However, I heard from Rudy that there are no molds for the 30 board, nor the operating parts, so yes I would like to re-create the molds, and was even thinking of pulling my board, to check the shaft for one, but also to use as a plug for a new mold. Let me know if I can help. My current O'Day is a 23 on which I dropped the board when I first got her and installed a new shaft. And, oh please - if you really sail, I mean really sail to weather, YOU NEED THE CENTERBOARD!!
 
Nov 5, 2010
99
Oday 23 Stonington, CT
To be absolutely clear, O'Days have swing centerboards NOT keels. A swing keel is very heavy, usually of cast iron, operated with a winch, and are the sole source of ballast in the boat, in most cases.
 

Surf88

.
Oct 1, 2019
4
Oday 30 Massachusetts
Hello O'day sailors,
I have a 1983 O'Day 30 that is missing it's swing keel. Fabricating a replacement is difficult. Already went to Fall River to see if I could locate a mold- no luck. Does anyone know of an O'Day 30 that is being sold for parts? Would really appreciate any leads. Would be willing to travel to pick it up if needed.... Thanks for your help!
Hello

I have an O’day 30 with centerboard for sale in Boston Harbor.

Yanmar 14 hp, new holding tank and head, new exhaust

Let me know, if u want the boat

Jj
 

Surf88

.
Oct 1, 2019
4
Oday 30 Massachusetts
Hello

I have an O’day 30 with centerboard for sale in Boston Harbor.

Yanmar 14 hp, new holding tank and head, new exhaust

Let me know, if u want the boat

Jj

It is a 1978 O’day 30 for sale.
 
Mar 2, 2019
433
Oday 25 Milwaukee
First things first , Surf 88 , why don't you just sell him your centerboard ? Half the folks here think it doesn't do much anyway .
If I don't lower the centerboard on ours while beating we have a whole lot of slippage.
The other part I find about having a center board is when coming into a slip or alongside a pier . Without it not much is happening accurately with out a lot of overcompensating. I find it hard to believe the engineers who designed our boats didn't believe it was absolutely necessary . I choose to think they knew a whole lot more about hydro dynamics than any of us .
If it was my boat .I'd be making one . Not that hard .Time consuming perhaps . Hey winter is right around the corner . What else do you have planned ?
 

Surf88

.
Oct 1, 2019
4
Oday 30 Massachusetts
First things first , Surf 88 , why don't you just sell him your centerboard ? Half the folks here think it doesn't do much anyway .
If I don't lower the centerboard on ours while beating we have a whole lot of slippage.
The other part I find about having a center board is when coming into a slip or alongside a pier . Without it not much is happening accurately with out a lot of overcompensating. I find it hard to believe the engineers who designed our boats didn't believe it was absolutely necessary . I choose to think they knew a whole lot more about hydro dynamics than any of us .
If it was my boat .I'd be making one . Not that hard .Time consuming perhaps . Hey winter is right around the corner . What else do you have planned ?
I plan to sell the boat. Or I hope to sell it. Most brokers are saying “keep it — they don’t make fiberglass like that now”