O'Day 23-1 Tacking And Handling

[sreidvt]

I am (hopefully) close to done restoring a 1974 23-1 that should splash next summer. I bought it in 2014 and have not yet sailed it. But I did used to teach sailing and have been enjoying the sport since 1976. My other boat right now is a Mirage 5.5 with a true swing keel.

I know the O'Day 23 is a slow-n-steady cruising boat and not a J-24. I bought it to cruise with my family. But I am curious about how well a 23-1 (with a working centerboard) handles? How does it tack? Can it snap pretty tightly around a buoy? I'll find out next summer but would love to hear owner's thoughts.

It's been on my mind since I sailed with a friend on a Com-Pac 23 in Barnegat Bay, NJ. Lovely boat but shallow draft keel with no centerboard. That boat just did not like to tack at all. We actually did OK in some pick-up racing among friends (new sails were a big help) but tacking was really an event. I imagine the 23-1 should do better in that respect because of the centerboard.

On the same note... With the stock rudder, does the 23-1 have much weather helm? If yes, have people tried other rudders or modified the stock one?

Again, I understand the nature of the beast and am not expecting a racing boat by any stretch of the imagination. But I am curious about how it handles. Has anyone here raced with one (for fun if not glory)?

Cheers,

 

[Chart Guthrie]

I have a 1980 O'Day 23 and am just finishing my second season with it. I just finished my first three day sail on it and am very pleased with its handling. The boat will point very close to the wind in a wide range of winds (and I haven't noticed much difference between when the centerboard is up or down). I sail mostly in in a very shallow bay, so if I am out at low tide the centerboard stays up. She also comes around very quickly when coming about. I used to sail an Ospray and the 23 is much more responsive than the Ospray. In light winds she doesn't have much of a weather helm. Sometimes when I let go of the tiller she actually heads off the wind, but where it counts, close hauled in a strong wind she has a very strong weather helm. Once you get past a 30 degree heel, unless you spill wind from the sails she heads into the wind on her own. I hope that you get your boat in the water and enjoy her.

 

[sreidvt]

Thanks for replying CG. This is all great as I imagine the 23-1 should handle somewhat like the 23-2. Very glad to hear that it points well and can rotate quickly when coming about. I agree with you about the usefulness of weather helm when close hauled in heavy wind.

Congratulations on your first three day sail.

I really hope I will have her splashed next june.

Cheers,

 

[LeeandRick]

When I look at sailboatdata.com they show the 23-1 with a 6" longer waterline than the 23-2 so it should be a little faster than the 23-2. The PHRF data bears this out and shows the 23-1 about 9 seconds faster. With that being said the hull shapes are probably not the same but close. I point this out before I give my opinion on the sailing qualities of the 23-2.

The 23-2 windward performance is easily on par with other boats of this size and age. Unlike Chart Guthrie our lake is deep so the CB is down anytime we are not off the wind. I've done some informal testing and the board down improves CMG close to 10°. The boat tacks as well as most boats with a keel that long, board up or down makes no difference. the rudder will stall quickly so learning that point makes a big difference in turn speed. Comparing it to another boat is hard to do unless you are sailing both boats. Moving the center of effort aft at the start of the turn and moving it forward after head to wind will increase the turn speed as will heeling the boat at the beginning of the tack. With some good sails you should be able to stay with or better any boats in the category. It's not a racing boat but I think you will be happy how it sails for what it is. Have fun. We sure do as we splashed yesterday for the season and have an overnight planned for tomorrow night.

 

[sreidvt]

LeeandRick,

Great information. Thanks very much.

Cheers,

 

[rogjack2]

Hi - bringing the jib fair leads inside the side stays when beating will help to point higher. Adding a block to the side deck will provide a good lead angle for the working jib.

 

[sreidvt]

Hi - bringing the jib fair leads inside the side stays when beating will help to point higher. Adding a block to the side deck will provide a good lead angle for the working jib.

Yes indeed and, luckily, the extra blocks are already there on this boat. There are the stock movable blocks and then additional fixed blocks on the sidedecks. Thanks for the post.

 

[sreidvt]

At the rOnDAYvous this past weekend we had the good luck to meet Chart and his buddy Max. We took Chart's boat out for an afternoon sail and tried coming about with and without the centerboard down. The boat turns much more quickly with the board down. Great to meet you in person, Chart.