Oday 25 crew positioning

[Joe5893]

Hi gang,

I bought an Oday 25 and am getting ready to launch soon. I was looking at the position of the main sheet and the winches for the jib sheets and was trying to decide where to position my crew in the cockpit. It almost seems like the helmsman should also be the jib trimmer based on where the winches/cleats are, but obviously to steer with one hand and trim the jib with the other doesn't make a lot of sense. I could move the cleat position so that the jib trimmer could sit in front of the helmsman. This would mean the helmsman would then also be the mainsheet trimmer. I used to have a Catalina 22 and the helmsman also controled the mainsheet on that boat and it was never a problem. I would think being the helmsman and the mainsheet trimmer on a Oday 25 would work.

I searched the archives and couldn't find anything addressing this subject (I was guessing at what I thought obvious key words would be). Any advice, or better yet, pictures of how your cockpits are set up or where you and your crew are positioned would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Dakartimm]

Hi I think you are over thinking this . I single hand my Oday 25 almost everytime I sail. If it's gusting I just tail the mainsheet and ease when it blows .I' haven't found it neccessary to make many adjustments after tacking . I really became fond of where the mainsheet is located on the 25 . I was initally concerned about access to the cabin. After sailing this boat and many others ,I now believe this is where it really belongs.

 

[Joe11688]

Hi gang,

I bought an Oday 25 and am getting ready to launch soon. I was looking at the position of the main sheet and the winches for the jib sheets and was trying to decide where to position my crew in the cockpit. It almost seems like the helmsman should also be the jib trimmer based on where the winches/cleats are, but obviously to steer with one hand and trim the jib with the other doesn't make a lot of sense. I could move the cleat position so that the jib trimmer could sit in front of the helmsman. This would mean the helmsman would then also be the mainsheet trimmer. I used to have a Catalina 22 and the helmsman also controled the mainsheet on that boat and it was never a problem. I would think being the helmsman and the mainsheet trimmer on a Oday 25 would work.

I searched the archives and couldn't find anything addressing this subject (I was guessing at what I thought obvious key words would be). Any advice, or better yet, pictures of how your cockpits are set up or where you and your crew are positioned would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Joe

Joe,
I'd leave the Gennie winches right where they are. There are going to be more times when you're going to want to single hand this boat and you can do it. It just takes a knack of using your hands and your body when you tack. Most of the time the Main is going to swing around by itself if you're on a beat, so you're really only concerned with steering and sheet the Gennie when you tack. If you want to change something for the better though, you should replace the jam cleats or cam cleats in back of these winches with open clam cleats. I have them and I love them. Not only that, but it will be both easier and faster for your crew to sheet up the Gennie and just place the sheet in the clam cleat. I got this idea years ago from a popular magazine back in the 1980s, called Small Boat Journal. I've since passed it on to a lot of my friends who have adopted it and like it as much as I do.
Joe