looking

Erieau · Oct 4, 2013

Well, opinions will be biased because those who own them tend to love them, but...
I paid 5k with motor and trailer.
It took another 2k (so far) to fix up what seemed "minor cosmetics" and to make it the way I want it.
My bulkheads had to be replaced at great effort (would have been great expense if I'd not done it myself) due to water intrusion at the chain plate entries. This is a common theme with this model. Bring along an awl and press steadily into the plywood bulkhead next to the chainplate. If it's soft, don't sail like that. I dismasted thanks to bulkhead rot.
Also poke at the bulkheads at the floor. If they're soft there, water stood in the cabin.
Lift the floorboard and poke at the bottom of the compression post.
None of these deficiencies are deal-killers, but they are "work" to fix and should lower your offer accordingly.
It's been great fun making the 25 just the way I want it, and the size is perfect for us. Big enough to weekend on and keep in a slip, small enough to trailer to my yard for the winter to conveniently work on.

cb32863 · Oct 4, 2013

To piggy back on what Joe said, check your bulkheads and then check them again. I also swapped mine out and have a brand new centerboard hoping to get installed in a couple weeks or possibly in the spring. With the board stuck up, she sailed with lee helm, which is not all that fun. Once I got the board unstuck and down, I leave it down now, she sails pretty good. So once I get the CB swapped out she should sail even better as my current one is a bit battered and swollen and that whole foil shape is not the best.

You are not going to set any speed records but they have decent room and are nice boat to go sailing in. I like mine a lot and have had some great times on it.

Oh yeah, check the deck too. Mine was all rotty under the mast so I fixed that with a spring recore job. I had a couple little leaks at some spots along the toe rail too. Rebedded them and all good. Remember, these boats are not spring chickens but, they are far from dead too. So having some "issues" is going to be normal.

How old are the sails? Mine were original and have been replaced too.

svchickadee · Oct 4, 2013

I have an 1978 O'Day 25. The transom was rotten and I replaced that with 3 layers of 1/4 inch marine plywood. This was a very dirty job and would have been expensive had I not done the work myself. Materials were around $500. I too had rotten core under the mast step. I replaced a 3 by 4 ft area with 3/8" end grain balsa and covered up my lack of finishing skills with Treadmaster. My decks and the cockpit are solid, no problems there. Old boats are going to need work.

Ritdog · Oct 4, 2013

Concur with everybody above- wife and I got a 25 for $3K with the trailer and motor, and put about $2K into it, rehabbing everything- we pulled all the deck hardware, cleaned out and epoxied all the holes, cleaned it out top to bottom ( blew out all the overhead with compressed air, and mold-washed the bilge/ under-cabin floor 3 times) - took 6 months. LOTS of work, but SO satisfying to get into the water. Sailed well, good weather helm. Comfortable for two people WELL aquainted, or married....Last summer was the best of my life.
Had to do a transom job ala Svchickadee above - that WAS the nastiest thing I've ever done, start to finish, but it's rock solid now. Buy every tool you can think of, an air compressor is a BIG help for cleaning, dusting, and can run the impact wrench that willl be handy too. "This Old Boat" by Don Casey is a necessity- covers everything you need to know. If you are sanding/grinding fiberglass, I recommend a lint roller for your exposed body parts (I wore just shorts most of thetime, so imagine that!), then a shower, then a roller session after. Gets most of it off. Get a canister respirator if nothing else..... Bunny suit, Ear protectors, goggles, nitrile gloves.
I lost THAT boat in a divorce in April, but just bought another one, am working on it, and hope to splash it in May!

Ward H · Oct 4, 2013

Mine is an 80 and luckily had no core or bulkhead damage. the rub rail was damaged in spots and it turned out the hull deck joint was leaking due to loose rub rail screws. I was told this was common in the older O'days so I pulled off all the rub rail, filled the screw holes with thickened epoxy, backed out the joint screws and covered with 4200 and tightened them back up. New rub rail and no more leaks. I did replace the chain plates and standing rigging due to the plates and some fittings being bent but that was more my choice.

My sails are original but will last another couple of years with my style of sailing (relaxed).

We find the 25 easy to sail. We like winds around 10 but have been out in 18 to 20 with no real issues. One reef in main and jib furled to about 75%.
When winds are light we enjoy just floating along but we do keep moving.

I paid $3800 for mine and that was with a 10 yr old Yamaha T9.9.

RichBone · Oct 5, 2013

I spent a year and a half rebuilding mine. Spent a lot of money on the rebuild but I got just like I want it. New hull liner, new main bulkheads, tore out the mid vanity, the table, the port slideout bed, new and better steps, new wiring and power center, charger, new trailer winch and tongue jack, sandblasted bottom and epoxy paint barrier coat, new outboard, new Idasailor rudder, running rigging led back to cockpit, 4 new winches, new sails, internal halyards, internal reefing and outhaul in the boom, new running rigging, all new teak, new traveler, new radio, new instruments and compass. I'm sure I'm forgetting some. I probably put more into it than what it's worth but I'm not a cruiser, just a day sailor with an occasional overnighter and the boat suits the area I sail in- Mouth of the Detroit River and Northwest Lake Erie. Thin water and lots of weeds. I'm sure I could find a larger boat at a good price but I wouldn't be as intimately familiar with it as I am with mine. Rebuild a boat and you'll eventually end up in every nook and cranny and get to know what' s wrong and what's not. Plus I only have an outboard to worry about and if it gives me trouble I can pick it up and have it fixed.
For a 25' trailerable boat it sails like a "big boat", is forgiving and tracks well. For my situation and my time of life it's as perfect of a boat as I've seen. It has an easily raised centerboard and not a heavy drop keel like a Catalina 25, is shoal draft- about 2 1/2'- kickup rudder and 1800# of lead in the keel. I keep it at a dock in the summer and store it on a trailer in the winter. I For the last few years I've raised and lowered the mast while the boat is in the water. I built a framework with standing headroom for the shrinkwrapped storage.

http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=1049

Brian S · Oct 5, 2013

Rbone, the link for your album on the shrink wrap frame didn't come through. Let's try this: http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=1049

Brian

RichBone · Oct 5, 2013

Thanks

cb32863 · Oct 7, 2013

RBone, be nice to see your plans to make that frame. Like to have one for mine.

Joe11688 · Oct 9, 2013

We have a 1975 O'Day 25 at our club that's got to be the fastest 25 in the club. I sailed it up from the Cape to our club on the Taunton River years ago and noticed the speed myself. The 1975s have the centerboard pendant line cable down below mounted on a winch on the table stanchion.

Apex · Oct 9, 2013

whats your price point Jess?

Catalina 25 fin keel is available

Joe11688 · Oct 13, 2013

I'd check the O'Day 23 built after1974, preferably 1980s. I love the galley set up in the older models, bare in mind that these older up to 1973 or 1974 were built with cast iron keels. Rust was a huge problem with these boats back and it still is. Anyone who has one of these boat and is up to the challenge should not be disappointed. This problem can be corrected and has been by other owners

O'Day never built a swing keel boat. They built a keel/centerboard and the later model O'Days going into the 1980s had a more improved pivot system involving stainless steel plates,wedges, a fiber pivot pin, and 4 bolt + 2 screws to hold the board up into the keel slot. the weights in the keel.

Indysailor · Oct 14, 2013

Jess, Was the ODay 25 you saw a 1976? There was one for sale, I saw it on the bulletin board at LMSA yesterday when I was there. There is also a Hunter 23 wing keel. See: http://www.lakemonroesailing.com/zephyr/sep13.pdf I can let you know if I see for sale signs down here. It wouldn't surprise me if a couple go up for sale next Spring.

justsomeguy · Oct 14, 2013

Jess, have you thought about parting out the remainder of the Mac 25?

I'd expect the keel to be worth something, at least.

looking

trainmanjess

.

Erieau

.

cb32863

.

svchickadee

.

Ritdog

.

Ward H

.

RichBone

.

Brian S

.

RichBone

.

cb32863

.

Joe11688

.

trainmanjess

.

Apex

.

trainmanjess

.

Joe11688

.

Indysailor

.

trainmanjess

.

justsomeguy

.

trainmanjess

.