Shoal draft vs CB on 28 and 30' O'Days

[Pdale]

I'm considering purchasing either a 28 or 30' O'Day. Which keel points higher into the wind - the shoal draft or the CB with board down?

I want the shallowest draft possible but I don't want to sacrifice stiffness or the ability to point higher.

I'd appreciate any advice

 

[dennisv]

Shoal Draft vs CB

Pdale,
Shoal draft and pointing high are really phases that don't go together. Practical Sailor has reviewed many varieties of sailboats, and without exception they state "unless you do a lot of sailing in shallow waters, we would opt for the deep keel". I've had both shoal and deep keels and I would agree with them, but I don't think I'm breaking any new ground here.
If you are looking at just shoal draft boats then I would suggest you look very closely at the sails. If you are looking at 28 and 30 ft O'Days then you are looking at late 70's, early 80's boats. I suspect many wiill still have the original sails. A simple general statement would be...a boat with new sails will sail higher than a boat with old sails. If sailing high is of importance, pay extra attention to the sails.
Now the boats. The O'Day 28, 30, and the O'Day 31(a O'Day 30 with a built-in swim platform....very nice) are very nice boats. I had a Catalina 27 and moved to a O'Day 28. Moving up just 1 foot seems "foolish", but the difference between the 2 boats is amazing.
The O'Day 28 offers 2 different version of shoal drafts, and 1 version of the deep keel. The shoal drafts can be 3'3" w/C/B, and a 3'8" without a C/B. The 3'8" is extremely rare, but do exist. Happy hunting. You will not be disappointed with O'Days.

 

[slocum]

centerboard oday

Having owned a CB Oday30 for a few years I would recomend the cb version With the board up I still draw 3 1/2 ft with most of the ballast in the trunk.It will point reasonably well. Witih the board down I draw 7ft and can point 30 degrees when trimmed. Sail trim will make the boat point with the board up as good as any shoal draft model and still allow access to shallow water.

 

[Pdale]

stiffness on cb model

Having owned a CB Oday30 for a few years I would recomend the cb version With the board up I still draw 3 1/2 ft with most of the ballast in the trunk.It will point reasonably well. Witih the board down I draw 7ft and can point 30 degrees when trimmed. Sail trim will make the boat point with the board up as good as any shoal draft model and still allow access to shallow water.

Thanks for your response. How would you rate your boat's stiffness? I'm trying to encourage my wife to join me but she doesn't like it when the boat heals.

Thanks

 

[Jackdaw]

Thanks for your response. How would you rate your boat's stiffness? I'm trying to encourage my wife to join me but she doesn't like it when the boat heals.

Thanks

All sailboat heel. I'd suggest that you work on a program to get her comfortable with that. And I say that with all respect. You both will be happier.

The oday 28 is a great boat. But an interesting point to her design is a rather flat bottom. This gives the boat an initial quick heel, and then settles in. Other boats of this size are more gradual, and that can be disconcerting to someone afraid of heeling in general. But work with her. Like other have said its a great boat.

 

[Pat]

Thanks for your response. How would you rate your boat's stiffness? I'm trying to encourage my wife to join me but she doesn't like it when the boat heals.

Thanks

This may not be believeable but is true...My wife hated sailing when the boat would heel over...and on a 272 that can be a a lot of the time on a gusty day in the plains...Heather discovered one day that if she sat on the low side of the boat with her back against the cabin bulkhead, the heeling did not bother her...it was being up in the air on the high side that was the culprit. After 26 years of sailing the same boat she has cured many gals and guys from being afraid by simply suggesting they sit on the low side, vs. the high side....good luck!
Patrick

 

[Davidasailor26]

I used to be very afraid of heeling when I was a little kid. Once I got old enough to learn to steer I had no problems with it any more. Knowing that I could always just let the boat round up to flatten it out was the key. Don't know if it would help everyone, but feeling more in control, or knowing how in control the helmsman really is could make it more comfortable.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Good ideas to help heal her of her fear of heeling.

 

[Sunbird22358]

I used to be very afraid of heeling when I was a little kid. Once I got old enough to learn to steer I had no problems with it any more. Knowing that I could always just let the boat round up to flatten it out was the key. Don't know if it would help everyone, but feeling more in control, or knowing how in control the helmsman really is could make it more comfortable.

Exactly what I was going to suggest!
My dad has told me several times that he learned quickly that putting my Sister or me at the helm seemed to cure us of our fear of heeling. Our old CAL 21 was reasonably "stiff", with 360# of lead at the bottom of the 4'3" fin-keel, but did heel...... My sister was 2 years old when we bought the boat and I was 5 1/2.... I had sailed on my Dad's previous boat (16' Beetle Falcon, near twin to an O'DAY Osprey) and so was more used to sailing than my Sister. Sitting on lee side and dragging a hand in the water was fun as long as one didn't lean over the side (nervous parents!) and of course the bunks in the cabin were comfy if on the lee side so we could just roll up against the side of the boat. However, as we got older and wanted to take part in the sailing, Dad would put us at the helm (we did have to take turns!) funny thing is that we often comfortably let the boat heel further than Dad would (He tried to prevent scaring us) showing that as long as we felt "in control" of the boat...... we didn't mind the heel so much.