New 1980 o'day 23 owner with a load of questions

Jfelkins · Jul 22, 2010

Rich,

I too have just acquired an Oday23. I can send pictures via email.

John

hman · Jul 22, 2010

Welcome to the wide world of Oday 23 owners! I don't have a lot of pictures because I'm usually too busy sailing! I can tell you though, it's a very stable boat in moderate to heavy winds, it will round up rather than flip over. That doesn't mean if you are out in 20ft seas a combination of waves and wind can't do it, just that it's unlikely.

We've sailed the San Francisco Bay in 25+ knots of wind and 3 to 4 ft seas with no problems.....(reefed main and small jib) so I think you would be ok.

Joe11688 · Jul 26, 2010

bella bu said:
new to me 1980 o'day 23
Im also new to sailing, I would love to see as many pictures as possible of the oday 23.
1.is there a original manual i can get somewhere?
2.it came with a 5 hp 4 stroke outboard, is this enough hp to get me in and out of the slip/harbor, and cruise if no wind?
3.Can this boat capsize easily?
4. the inside/bilges are very dry, and look to have never been wet, but i dont see any kind of bilge pump if water does get in.
5. Im located in Redondo Beach, ca Catalina island is about 30 miles away, if i tow my inflatable dingy, how far back does it need to be?
i appreciate any info i can get.
Thanks
Rich

Congrats on the O'Day 23! According to Rudy at D & R Marine, http://www.drmarine.com/ the O'Day 23 built after 1973 was one of the best boats that O'Day built. You should be able to download a manual for this boat on one of the web sites.
The 5 Hp four stroke seems kind of small for this boat for the area you'll be sailing. I think an 8 HP or 9.9 HP would be better suited provided the bracket will take a four stroke that large. Four strokes have a tendency to be heavier and put out more Torque than the two strokes hence the need for a more heavy duty bracket than what may be on there now.
I think you'll find this boat to be very stable with it's keel/centerboard and a capable little cruiser. Will it capsize? I guess anything can capsize if the conditions are right. It's up to you to be able to shorten the sail when the wind picks up, or head for the nearest protected harbor or cove if a serious storm is eminent. The more you sail this boat, the more you're going to know about her limitations. I truly believe that a good sailor should avoid any storm he can't weather, and weather any storm he can't avoid.
If the bilges are dry that's good. My O'Day 222 never came with a bilge pump. I added a manual pump that I can control while sitting in the cockpit. I've never had to use it.
If you tow an inflatable of any kind, your speed will be drastically impeded. I've been towing a 9'2" Aqua-Terra kayak for years and my boat doesn't even know that it's towing it. I put a 20' braid line on the bow of the kayak and I can adjust the length of the rope. I run this line around my stanchion rail and tie it off on the winch or a stern cleat. It's a little tricky getting in and out of it from the boat but you'll get the hang of it real fast. A 40 Lbs dog can jump in and out of it from the boat real easy. My kayak fits in the back of my pickup(9' bed) kitty cornered under the cap and it stays in there all year round. I use the kayak to go out to my boat on the mooring and load the boat at the club dock. The kayak will have a tendancy to tip over while it is being towed down wind on a run. You will need to put out a fender and draw the kayak up close along side of your boat to prevent this from occuring. Otherwise, she'll tow very well on other points of sail in rough conditions as well as calm.
Good luck with the boat Rich!
Joe

Jfelkins · Jul 27, 2010

Rich,
Did the info I sent help or did you already have that?

John

Jfelkins · Jul 28, 2010

I'm not sure about the icebox. I'm going to work on the boat this weekend and will try to remember to check.

hman · Jul 28, 2010

replacing the line to the swing keel isn't that hard, it's a straight shot down the tube to the keel. If you don't mind getting wet, it's easier to do in the water. just drop a string with a small weight through the hole on the cockpit step until it comes out at the keel (keel extended). Attach the line you are going to use and pull it through, then attach it to the keel at the hole located at the back of the keel about 6 inches from where the keel comes out of the hull. Be sure and use a good knot with no extra line to "pinch" and keep the keel from going up and down freely.

hman · Jul 28, 2010

Oh, I forgot! If you haven't gotten your forstay yet, contact West Marine's rigging shop in Alemeda CA. I had them make up a "set" of standing rigging for my 23, they ended up making 3 full sets, I only needed one. There aren't that many Oday 23's out here in CA, so they probably still have them and will make you a deal...

Indysailor · Jul 29, 2010

The icebox in the cockpit seat (by far the most awesome feature of the O23 IMHO) has a hose that goes behind the gas tank locker and drains into the low spot where the cockpit locker drain is located. The icebox in the cabin drains to the bilge. I use that one as a locker- if you want to use it as a cooler (it's not a very good one), then freeze a gallon of water rather than having your ice drain into the bilge as it melts.

Give Rudy another try. The guy has been super to me and he's helped a lot of people on this board. In my experience, he seemed a little gruff at first, but then he's an old salt, I guess. He definitly knows the boats. I had some questions about my 23 and he answered them all. O'day used a lot of standard equipment on their boats that can be found elsewhere, but there are some parts that only D&R will have new (like fiberglass parts).