O'day 28 Access to FWD Shroud Padeyes & Stanchion Bolts

Aug 7, 2021
67
O'day 28 Casco Bay
Hello All. I'm sure these topics have been brought up before, but I have done a few searches and haven't had good results. I'm the new owner of a 1985 O'day 28. This is probably the cleanest, nicest example I've ever seen which is the reason why I bought her. I've always liked O'day boats and learned to sail on a Widgeon.

As for my boat, the deck is dry with the exception of the forward shrouds and the STBD boarding stanchion. The former will require some surgery and I am working with a local yard to do it from below. I've signed up to do the "preliminary surgery" so to speak. This will entail removing the interior fittings given that the shroud padeyes penetrate the deck in the head. Secondly, I will begin rebedding the stanshions when she is on the hard for the winter.

What I'm looking for is information related to the liner and its relationship to the deck and the cabintop. I've attached a simple sketch showing what I can see and feel, with questions. Also, any insight (methods, lessons learned etc.) regarding accessing the stanchion bolts will be greatly appreciated.
 

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Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Welcome aboard and congratulations on you new boat.

I have an O’Day 322 from 1988, so not sure how close the designs are.

My solid liner is about 1/2 to 1 inch from the bottom of the fiberglass deck, depending on the location. in some locations, there is zero space (see photo below from where I took a hatch out).
A5942851-DCC8-45D6-911B-E7C8DE13F8C2.png
One way to check is to look for any plastic plugs covering thru bolts for any deck hardware . Pull the plugs out and see how close the nut is…

Or remove the trim around the overhead hatches and see if there is a gap.

Here is a shot of the underside of the cabin top in the aft berth area, where the cabin top winch and rope clutch are mounted. There is a removable panel on the liner, and you can see the very small gap between the fiberglass and the liner.

6D35BA03-CA04-4A98-9920-F8E5ADA0C5F2.png

On my O’Day 322, the deck/hull joint is “open” from below, right up against the hull. You have to reach up outward of any liner or trim, right up the side of the hull. You are working in the blind pretty much, but I been able to get a socket up there and find the nut with your fingers. Get the socket on and try to get it off. My stanchions have aluminum backing plates and 4 thru-bolts for each one. This is a page out of my Owners manual that shows the construction of the joint. It doesn’t show a liner.

90948F33-2648-459D-9670-997FD3C8EE94.png


I have some lockers mounted around the cabin, and I have to open those to get to the stanchion bolts in those areas.
In the photo, you can see the edge of the liner, and the gap between that and the hull. That is where I can access my stanchion bolts.

5D9AC8C4-8E07-4949-8878-47876BA469FD.png

Good luck, and have fun!


Greg
 
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Aug 7, 2021
67
O'day 28 Casco Bay
Thanks for the replies. Greg, the 28 is definitely different than the 322. Apex, where is the first image you posted taken? in that in the head?

I may try Rudy Nickerson to see if he has any drawings, etc. and will post what I find.
 
Aug 7, 2021
67
O'day 28 Casco Bay
Thanks for the images Apex, that is most helpful. Did you find much bad core? What are your plans in tems of putting it back together?
 
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Apex

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Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
I am replacing lifeline stanchions. Shrouds appear ok, so not digging that out. The lifelines have an embedded aluminum backing plate, which is VERY NICE. 4 of the 6 have been replace, only 2 to go!

Thed only soft deck spot I have is coach roof, caused by leak at mast partner.
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
I had a Oday 30. when I saw a pad eyes it threw me then I realized you're referring to the chain plates, I considered the stanchion bolts "impossible" because they are badly obscured by the ceiling edge. I never did get around to doing them before I sold my boat but it either means cutting the edge of the liner or finding some kind of tool that can hold the nut at a double 90° position I had considered using toggle bolts but I don't think you can even find them in stainless steel.

core rot is a cancer once it starts it keeps growing and growing..
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Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
I have a 1985 O'Day 31 which I assume is similar to yours. Haven't had any problems with the chainplates but have done some stanchion and pulpit rebedding. Access is not easy. Had to do some cutting and hole sawing on the headliner, which I think is not structural. . The first two photos are the port stanchion base access inside the cupboard above the stove. The starboard is similar but easier to access because it is not in a cabinet. Third photo is the port aft leg of the bow pulpit. Fourth photo is the starboard aft leg of the bow pulpit. Not pretty but I left these three uncovered beacuse they are pretty much out of sight and if they leaked it would be easier to see. Note I did not find any embeded backing plates under the pulpit bases. One of the nuts on the pulpit didn't even have a washer on it and the nut was pulling up into the balsa core. I had to grind off the bolt head and drive the bolt down through the deck to get that one out.
I should have used larger washers for the stanchion base.
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Apex

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Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
@Richard19068 looks very similar to my 79 O28. Someone cut back to just shy of the vertical feature. So not cut back quite as far as yours. The "V" does provide rigidity to the edges of the liner. Oscillating tools make this an easy(er) job nowadays.

See my picture above, you can see the amount of headliner cut back. Socket on an extension, and job done for re-installing the nuts, good and tight against the backing plate.
.
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
Someone cut back to just shy of the vertical feature. So not cut back quite as far as yours. The "V" does provide rigidity to the edges of the liner. Oscillating tools make this an easy(er) job nowadays.
Agreed that cutting back as litile as necessary to provide access is a good thing.
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
My "plan", if you could call that at the time was; to send a long quarter inch drill bit down through the headliner fiberglass. from above, (make sure there were no wires of course) coming out the bottom of the headliner, counter drill a hole saw opening. But no matter how you do it it's a mess. One for each corner rather than four saw holes would be more than enough to access the bolts slide a backing plate in there. With luck plastic plugs can be found to fill the holes from the hole saw!
 
Aug 7, 2021
67
O'day 28 Casco Bay
Thanks for all the informative replies and images. This is GREAT insight! I agree with Apex that an oscillating tool will make the surgery somewhat easier. I'll be positing my own images once I get started on both the foreshrouds and the boarding stanchion. The latter will be the most difficult of all because the PO repositioned the electrical distribution panel to a spot over the chart table. At least I think so because I have not seen another O28 like it.