O'day 34 headroom?

[kito]

There is an O'day 34 I want to look at but can't find much info on them. The seller says the headroom is 6'6" but find that hard to believe. I am 6'5" so headroom is very important....I can live with at least 6'2" headroom I guess. He says it's a 1986 but I thought the 34 changed to a 35 in late 1984. His doesn't have the transom platform so I am a little confused. The boat is a 4 hour drive to see and would like to hear some opinions of 34 owners before I make the trip. My plans are some Carolina coastal cruising, cruising the Keys and maybe trips to the Bahamas. Would it be a good boat for that?

 

[TLW]

I pursued the purchase of an O'day 34 vigorously for the past 6 months before deciding on an O'day 31 purely for the ease of single handing. The 34 is a great boat. Most listings and any literature I found refer to the 6'2" headroom, although the 31 has 6'3". I can't find anything "official" on the 34, and suspect the HR is actually greater than 6'2". You are correct about the dates of manufacture for the 34/35 issue.

 

[TLW]

I did just check the current listings and found one at 6'4", but another one at 6'. Guess we don't know any more than we did at the outset. Better make the 4 hour trip and stand in one.

 

[kito]

I may have to look into the 31 myself. Just not many 34 around. Hard to find any O'day 34 videos on youtube that shows interior too.

 

[kito]

I think owners just guess at headroom height. I have been looking at Morgan 33 Out Island too and have seen listings with headroom from 7' to 6'. 6'3" on an O'day 31 may be the ticket. I have seen 6'2" on the 34......an inch higher on the 31 does seem strange. I wish there was a 34 close by I can verify.

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

I have the factory brochure for the O'day 34, which is available on line here:
http://www.iheartodays.com/model_oday_34.html.
It lists headroom as 6'2"

The 34 changed into the 35 in 1985 so there is no such thing as a 1986 34. If it doesn't have the swim platform it is a 1984 or older. About the only difference between the 34 and the 35 is the swim platform.

I bought my 35 in 2006 and I've been very happy with it. Mine has the shoal draft keel (listed at 4'3") so I can get in thin water but the tradeoff is that I can't point very high.

For my family of 5 it's a great boat. We mostly day sail but also spend a few weekends or longer aboard and it's very comfortable for that.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Barry

 

[TLW]

Kito,

yachtworld.com lists 11 used O'day 34s at the moment. Most have multiple pictures in the "complete specs" section.

 

[Jonzi]

I have owned a 1984 34' O'day for 6+ years now and have been very happy with it. I am 5'11(+) and have at least a couple inches of headroom to spare through out the cabin. I wish the cockpit was roomier, but that is typical of sailboats from that era.
Mine is the deep draft model and it points into the wind very well and holds a straight line. The last two digits of the hull ID number should tell you what year the boat is. If it does not have a swim platform it is most likely an '84 or older. I have the original owners manual and other documents as well for the boat, and would be glad to share anything I have with you. Just let me know. Happy shopping!

 

[noanker]

kito...if you decide to go the O'day 31 route I have a very nice one for sale

 

[Jonzi]

I just measured, and i've got 6'1 1/2" floor to ceiling throughout most of the cabin of our 1984 O'day 34.