I'm interested in a 1987 272. The present owner has added 4 or 5 cement blocks and some bricks in the 1/4 berth up against the transom. He says it's because the cockpit doesn't drain properly with no one on the boat. Is this true on other 272's. Has anyone had a problem like this? Thx, John Martin Palm Bay, FL
O'Day 272 balance
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We own a 1988 272LE and I really don't have a problem with the cockpit draining. However she does list a bit if we have a full water tank. It really is no big deal to me but if I wanted to correct it I could easily move the deep cycle batteries to the other side of the boat. When we are on our home lake we just don't fill the water tank so full. When we go cruising we will fill it and list slightly for the first few days. We bought our Oday a couple of years ago and really love it. This is our fifth sailboat and it is definetely a keeper. Hope this helps.
I don't really know too much about the O'Day 272 even though I sailed one from Cape Cod Ma. to Bristol RI a few years ago for a friend of mine. The stern sits higher in the water and I found that out when I slept in the Port quarter birth. I had to turn around in the bunk and put my head where my feet were to avoid an attack of my acid reflux. Does this make it an uncomfortable boat with poor design features? Not really. O'Day built the 272 LE (Limited Edition) with an inboard diesel and wheel steering and the boat was probably designed with that extra weight in mind. Then, they decided to make the boat a little cheaper in price so they could sell more of them I suspect. So they omitted the inboard engine and the wheel steering and suddenly the boat was about 500 lbs lighter in the stern. I believe that they did the same thing with some of the O'Day 26s. My friend Ray owns an 86 O'Day 26 and his was always very noticeably high in the stern while it was at the mooring. He has since corrected this by redistributing the weight in his boat. I don't remember exactly what he did, but it looks normal now. Personally, I don't like wheel steering. I like a transom hung rudder with a tiller and I have no problem with having a bracket on the stern with an outboard. So in my opinion I think that this is just a minor problem that can be corrected. I love the idea that this 27' boat has a shallow draft. I was able to go into a shallow area in the Elizabeth Islands with this boat as easy as I could with my own 1986 O'Day 222. I loved the spaciousness of the cabin in this boat. The only thing I didn't like about the boat was the way the running rigging is set up. I much prefer doing everything at the mast, but that's just my preference. Other sailors would welcome the fact that all running rigging leads into the cockpit on this boat, and for good reason. I hope that I was able to be of some help to you. Good luck in your decision.
Joe
Which 272 ?
cushions, and other items that I stow in the quarter-berth during the week when we are not aboard. I've also purchased a teak cockpit grate which adds about 50 pounds of weight to the stern. We purchased a teak cockpit
table at the Newport Boat Show and it adds about 30 pounds to the aft end, so you see, it's just a matter of being smart about storage, both short and long term. None of these things affects the sailing....the 272 is a dream boat to sail...actually, it sails it's best in 15-20 knots of wind, but be smart about reefing the main and maybe trimming the genoa...she is a fine sailing
boat...also, the little corners in the aft end of the cockpit make great mounting spots for some polyplaner speakers and then as you anchor and cook dinner in a cove, you can listen to your favorite music under the stars..
the original 272 did not have diesel or pressure water or wheel steering, though the diesel was available as an add-on. I have the brochures. About 6 months after the intro of the std. 272, the LE comes along w/the gray hull, wheel steering, 10 horse diesel, 2nd battery and pressure water...My guess has always been that the std. model was not bow heavy. It was the original plan by C.Raymond Hunt....only after tremendous interest in the std. 272 did O'day come out w/ the LE. Now, to answer your question. I believe there is a weight issue with these boats when they sit empty at the dock...now there is no issue of the boat flooding as there is a 2inch drain at the stern. so once there is about 1/2 inch of water on the cockpit seats and floor it runs to the stern cockpit drain...that's as deep as the water can get...now, put one, two or three or 5 people in the cockpit and even w/one, the water flows right out.. So is it a bad problem. No, it is a nuisence. I've got great cockpit
cushions, and other items that I stow in the quarter-berth during the week when we are not aboard. I've also purchased a teak cockpit grate which adds about 50 pounds of weight to the stern. We purchased a teak cockpit
table at the Newport Boat Show and it adds about 30 pounds to the aft end, so you see, it's just a matter of being smart about storage, both short and long term. None of these things affects the sailing....the 272 is a dream boat to sail...actually, it sails it's best in 15-20 knots of wind, but be smart about reefing the main and maybe trimming the genoa...she is a fine sailing
boat...also, the little corners in the aft end of the cockpit make great mounting spots for some polyplaner speakers and then as you anchor and cook dinner in a cove, you can listen to your favorite music under the stars..
Re: Which 272 ?
I have a 1987 272 with the 10 hp diesel, not LE model. The issue I've seen with the cockpit drain is the layout of the hose from the cockpit drain through the aft berth wood panel to the through hole. The opening in the wood panel is cut lower than the through hole so water stays in the hose.
I have a 1987 272 with the 10 hp diesel, not LE model. The issue I've seen with the cockpit drain is the layout of the hose from the cockpit drain through the aft berth wood panel to the through hole. The opening in the wood panel is cut lower than the through hole so water stays in the hose.
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