I am going to look at a 1981 O'Day 28. We are wanting to upsize from our Cat22. I have been reading the ads on the net for Cat27s and Cat28s. I have also looked at everything else out there. I found an ad for a 1981 O'Day 28 which looks in great shape on the pictures. I will be stopping by the marina over the holidays to take a visual. I am just wondering , as a production boat, is it of good quality. i would be interested in hearing the pros and cons as all boats have them. What is the plus in a keel mounted (?) mast as this is advertised. Any better than a deck mounted mast? I look forward to hearing from everyone and anyone. The boat is LISTED for $17K. Thank you.
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Boats
Hello, From the fall of 2003 to the summer of 2004 I was looking to move up from a Catalina 22 to a bigger boat around 30'. My budget was up to $20K. I looked at a lot of boats in the 27-31' range including models from Catalina, O'day, S2, Irwin, Ericson, Islander, Newport, Hunter, Watkins, etc. To be honest, I could not tell much difference between the boats. There was a big difference in how INDIVIDUAL boats were maintained, but they are all basic fiberglass boats, designed for coastal cruising / casual racing. They all have fin keels, moderate displacement, masthead rigs, etc. My first choice was a Catalina 30. However, I ended up buying a Newport 28 because of all the boats I looked at, it was in the best condition, at the best price, and came with the most gear. Some nice things about the Newport are the nice interior - teak and holly sole, nice headliner, teak paneling, etc. From what I learned about O'Day, they were decently made and have held up well. You should also look at the 272. For me, I decided that a 27' boat was too small, but a 28 wasn't. FYI I paid $15K for my boat, 1986 Newport 28. Well equipped with decent sails including new asymm sprinnaker, standard spinnaker and all that geat, diesel engine that purrs, self tailing winches, autopilot, newer interior cushions, etc. good luck, Barry
Hello, From the fall of 2003 to the summer of 2004 I was looking to move up from a Catalina 22 to a bigger boat around 30'. My budget was up to $20K. I looked at a lot of boats in the 27-31' range including models from Catalina, O'day, S2, Irwin, Ericson, Islander, Newport, Hunter, Watkins, etc. To be honest, I could not tell much difference between the boats. There was a big difference in how INDIVIDUAL boats were maintained, but they are all basic fiberglass boats, designed for coastal cruising / casual racing. They all have fin keels, moderate displacement, masthead rigs, etc. My first choice was a Catalina 30. However, I ended up buying a Newport 28 because of all the boats I looked at, it was in the best condition, at the best price, and came with the most gear. Some nice things about the Newport are the nice interior - teak and holly sole, nice headliner, teak paneling, etc. From what I learned about O'Day, they were decently made and have held up well. You should also look at the 272. For me, I decided that a 27' boat was too small, but a 28 wasn't. FYI I paid $15K for my boat, 1986 Newport 28. Well equipped with decent sails including new asymm sprinnaker, standard spinnaker and all that geat, diesel engine that purrs, self tailing winches, autopilot, newer interior cushions, etc. good luck, Barry
Love our O'28
I have sailed on many boats in my 32+ years of sailing, so this comes with a fair amount of homework. The O'Day 28 is a fine boat. The GPS has seen 8 MPH (7.1KNTS) many more times than once in a non-current area. This with 21 year old sails. We spend alot of time on her anchored out and at the dock and can't believe how comfortable she is down below. The wife has produced some mighty fine meals on our 2 burner propane stove. Been out in 35 knots of wind with a double reef and was reasonably comfortable, not thrilled but comfortable. She is a joy to handle in a docking situation so long as you plan for the walk to port in reverse. Are there better boats out there...yes. Are there better values out there.. you will have to look long and hard. PM
I have sailed on many boats in my 32+ years of sailing, so this comes with a fair amount of homework. The O'Day 28 is a fine boat. The GPS has seen 8 MPH (7.1KNTS) many more times than once in a non-current area. This with 21 year old sails. We spend alot of time on her anchored out and at the dock and can't believe how comfortable she is down below. The wife has produced some mighty fine meals on our 2 burner propane stove. Been out in 35 knots of wind with a double reef and was reasonably comfortable, not thrilled but comfortable. She is a joy to handle in a docking situation so long as you plan for the walk to port in reverse. Are there better boats out there...yes. Are there better values out there.. you will have to look long and hard. PM
Thanks
Glad to hear from an owner. One real important question about interior. What is the headroom. My wife stand 6' 1".
Glad to hear from an owner. One real important question about interior. What is the headroom. My wife stand 6' 1".
my biased love of the O'Day 28
well, like I said I'm biased. I moved up from my O'Day 22 to the 28 3 years ago. EVERYTHING I have wished for in a coastal cruising boat (which with good sails CAN sail her phrf number) Roomy (10'3" beam) and over 6' headroom , there is more room than my friends Catalina 30 (NO LIE) The keel stepped mast allows for the mast to be a bit stronger (the 28 carries a large sail area for a 28 ft boat that wasn't meant to be a competitave racer)...the minusus of a keel stepped mast are...water getting into the bilge when it rains hard (even with good mast collar it can get wet down there) and it is harder to unstep if you want to do work on the rig. the interior has lots of room ( me and my better half can spend the entire summer living on it...as we did 2 summer's ago) The incapsulated keel needs to be looked at (as any water intrusion can lead to delamination of the keel) but probably is fine. (If it is a canterboard model check the centerboard pennant) The foward v berth is nice and cozy for 2...however it is right next to the head so ventilate..... The fold down tabel on the keel model is excellant for 4 for dinner. I am assuming that the boat has the universal diesel inboard. Mine has the OMC Saildrive,a nd although many people do not like that motor, I';ve had relatively little difficlutly with mine. The Edson wheel has a good fell underway. and the cockpit has lots of room (well the bridgedeck traveller can get in the way but give a lttle/take a little) She's a stiff boat going to wind. I've only burried the rail once or twice and that was with 25 kts. of wind and a big 150% genny up. the spade rudder is big and allow the boat to track very well...even in big winds. Weather helm happens around 15 kts. at which point, I roll in 1/3 of the headsail. She's hit 7.2 kts. on a reach and can cruise at about 5-5.5 kts. in 10 kts. apparant wind I was in a large squall this past summer (alone) and the boat got me through it fine (I was shaken up) but the boat did a great job. As they say....she's built like a brick s!@#house. Best of luck Mike C. O'28 "Da Capo"
well, like I said I'm biased. I moved up from my O'Day 22 to the 28 3 years ago. EVERYTHING I have wished for in a coastal cruising boat (which with good sails CAN sail her phrf number) Roomy (10'3" beam) and over 6' headroom , there is more room than my friends Catalina 30 (NO LIE) The keel stepped mast allows for the mast to be a bit stronger (the 28 carries a large sail area for a 28 ft boat that wasn't meant to be a competitave racer)...the minusus of a keel stepped mast are...water getting into the bilge when it rains hard (even with good mast collar it can get wet down there) and it is harder to unstep if you want to do work on the rig. the interior has lots of room ( me and my better half can spend the entire summer living on it...as we did 2 summer's ago) The incapsulated keel needs to be looked at (as any water intrusion can lead to delamination of the keel) but probably is fine. (If it is a canterboard model check the centerboard pennant) The foward v berth is nice and cozy for 2...however it is right next to the head so ventilate..... The fold down tabel on the keel model is excellant for 4 for dinner. I am assuming that the boat has the universal diesel inboard. Mine has the OMC Saildrive,a nd although many people do not like that motor, I';ve had relatively little difficlutly with mine. The Edson wheel has a good fell underway. and the cockpit has lots of room (well the bridgedeck traveller can get in the way but give a lttle/take a little) She's a stiff boat going to wind. I've only burried the rail once or twice and that was with 25 kts. of wind and a big 150% genny up. the spade rudder is big and allow the boat to track very well...even in big winds. Weather helm happens around 15 kts. at which point, I roll in 1/3 of the headsail. She's hit 7.2 kts. on a reach and can cruise at about 5-5.5 kts. in 10 kts. apparant wind I was in a large squall this past summer (alone) and the boat got me through it fine (I was shaken up) but the boat did a great job. As they say....she's built like a brick s!@#house. Best of luck Mike C. O'28 "Da Capo"
keel leaks O'Day 28
Barry, You mention the danger of "The incapsulated keel needs to be looked at (as any water intrusion can lead to delamination of the keel)" We have an O'Day 28 and are have water in the bilge we believe from the keel. Do you or any have experience repairing that?? George
Barry, You mention the danger of "The incapsulated keel needs to be looked at (as any water intrusion can lead to delamination of the keel)" We have an O'Day 28 and are have water in the bilge we believe from the keel. Do you or any have experience repairing that?? George
Incapsulated Keel
The early 28 had some problems with the Keel. They developed cracks fore and aft of the Keel where it is faired into the hull. This area is weak and needs to be reinforced and faired. When the boat is hauled check for these cracks. One of our members has just finished the repair on his. I am sure he is lurking and will give you some input. It takes a hard grounding to open these cracks. Once repaired there should not be a problem. I hope Rodney will post some pictures of the work that he has done. We are in the same Marina. I own a 27 ODAY which has the same Keel but a different designer. Have checked mine and have no problem. As to your question they are a well built boat and with care will last many years. Just remember they are over 20 years old, mine is 29 this year and still going strong. The only major thing that I had to do was replace the bulkheads. That was due to leaking chainplates. The PO didn't do the maintenance that was required. I did them myself and were not that hard to do. Good luck with the boat.
The early 28 had some problems with the Keel. They developed cracks fore and aft of the Keel where it is faired into the hull. This area is weak and needs to be reinforced and faired. When the boat is hauled check for these cracks. One of our members has just finished the repair on his. I am sure he is lurking and will give you some input. It takes a hard grounding to open these cracks. Once repaired there should not be a problem. I hope Rodney will post some pictures of the work that he has done. We are in the same Marina. I own a 27 ODAY which has the same Keel but a different designer. Have checked mine and have no problem. As to your question they are a well built boat and with care will last many years. Just remember they are over 20 years old, mine is 29 this year and still going strong. The only major thing that I had to do was replace the bulkheads. That was due to leaking chainplates. The PO didn't do the maintenance that was required. I did them myself and were not that hard to do. Good luck with the boat.
From an O'Day 28 Owner
We have had our 1981 O-28 for 6 months, and have been fairly impressed. As to headroom, I am 6'0" and I can stand up in the cabin, but bang my head (you think I would have learned by now) on anything forward of the saloon. "Lying down" room in the V-berth is kind of tight on me as well. So now the kids have the V-berth and I am working to make the setees in the saloon a solid Queen sized berth. We chose this boat as a growing family of 4 just needed more room than our Chyrsler 22 daysailer. And we wanted the option of an overnight or two, which we have found to be comfortable. The children say that our boat has "lots of room to scramble around". Powerful sail area with a 150 Genoa and an Asymetrical Spinnaker. We have found her to be solid and reasonably forgiving. Storage is a bit lacking, but we are learning to modify the storage areas for better use. We have a 9.9 OB that can put us at hull speed, so I can't comment on the Saildrive vs. other inboard engines. Main downside to a keel stepped mast is what to do when you have work to do at the top of the mast. With our old deck stepped, it wasn't too big of a task to lower the mast. With the O28, you have to climb it (can't recommend folding mast steps highly enough). Not many cons, but we are a little new to this boat and only have our experiences on a 22 daysailer to compare it to. Best of luck. BTW, check out yachtworld.com to see about other O28s, features and their prices.
We have had our 1981 O-28 for 6 months, and have been fairly impressed. As to headroom, I am 6'0" and I can stand up in the cabin, but bang my head (you think I would have learned by now) on anything forward of the saloon. "Lying down" room in the V-berth is kind of tight on me as well. So now the kids have the V-berth and I am working to make the setees in the saloon a solid Queen sized berth. We chose this boat as a growing family of 4 just needed more room than our Chyrsler 22 daysailer. And we wanted the option of an overnight or two, which we have found to be comfortable. The children say that our boat has "lots of room to scramble around". Powerful sail area with a 150 Genoa and an Asymetrical Spinnaker. We have found her to be solid and reasonably forgiving. Storage is a bit lacking, but we are learning to modify the storage areas for better use. We have a 9.9 OB that can put us at hull speed, so I can't comment on the Saildrive vs. other inboard engines. Main downside to a keel stepped mast is what to do when you have work to do at the top of the mast. With our old deck stepped, it wasn't too big of a task to lower the mast. With the O28, you have to climb it (can't recommend folding mast steps highly enough). Not many cons, but we are a little new to this boat and only have our experiences on a 22 daysailer to compare it to. Best of luck. BTW, check out yachtworld.com to see about other O28s, features and their prices.
Great Boat
I owned a 1983 O'Day28 for about 15 years and my wife and I enjoyed it very much. I sold it two years ago for just under 17K but I put a new Yanmar 2GM20 into it. The original engines were 11HP Universal and were sea water cooled without heat exchangers. Check to see if there's any life left to that engine. Otherwise she's a great boat. I'm 6'2" and don't fit into any 28 footer without stooping over a little. You get used to it. Never had problems with the keel. I like the keel-stepped mast, it just seemed sturdier. If you go with the O'Day, I don't think you'll have any regrets. I sure don't. Good Luck
I owned a 1983 O'Day28 for about 15 years and my wife and I enjoyed it very much. I sold it two years ago for just under 17K but I put a new Yanmar 2GM20 into it. The original engines were 11HP Universal and were sea water cooled without heat exchangers. Check to see if there's any life left to that engine. Otherwise she's a great boat. I'm 6'2" and don't fit into any 28 footer without stooping over a little. You get used to it. Never had problems with the keel. I like the keel-stepped mast, it just seemed sturdier. If you go with the O'Day, I don't think you'll have any regrets. I sure don't. Good Luck
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