O'Day 23 white mast?

[Technodad]

I am considering buying a 1978 O'Day 23 and have a question:
What years was the white mast on? Was it only on later 80's models?
The 78 I'm looking at has an unpainted mast, is this mast the same mast as the painted one's or is there a difference.

Thanks
John

 

[HukilauMike]

I've never seen a white mast on an Oday 23. Mine is painted a buff color, and my former dockmate had a gold anodized mast on his Oday 22. My understanding is that Oday used masts from various vendors over the years, and there was no true "standard". The unpainted mast you are looking at (I am assuming this is just a bare anodized aluminum) was probably the most common configuration; at least it is the one I have seen the most. There may be minor differences in shape or size among the products provided by the various vendors over the years, but I doubt those differences amount to much. Most people that I know prefer the bare aluminum poles as they look better longer than a painted product. The differences you may find among your choices that really matter are the bells and whistles that are attached to the mast and boom: quality hardware such as reefing cleats and turning blocks, the gooseneck fitting, the attachment points for the mainsheet, boom vang, etc.