Should I Buy this Boat: Oday 22 1974

Eric M · Mar 31, 2014

Unfortunately I could not access the link to the photos of this boat so my comments that follow are general to your situation. We still own our 4th and 6th sailboats, all of which were purchased in above average condition, and ready to sail. The "great deal" boats always make me nervous.
1 - Make any offer contingent on taking the boat sailing with the current owner. Boats are way, way more expensive as pieces than they are as whole boats. Make sure you see and touch all the pieces so you can make a list of parts you feel would need to be replaced before you used the boat on a regular basis.
2 - What is your budget for a boat? You don't have to tell us, but you have to know for yourself. Combine this with the comments above and more often than not the truly "great deal" boats are priced towards the top end of your budget, let someone else do all the repairs and then sell the boat to you as a used boat.
3 - Try to find a friend who knows more about sailing, or at least boating, to look at the boat with you. Do the running lights work, bilge pump, how old are the batterie(s), how much work will the trailer require are just a few other items to consider.
Good Luck in your search!

Barnacle Bill · Mar 31, 2014

That is an old boat and you shouldn't expect to pay very much for one because of it's age, so I am not worried about the price. They are good little boats and are nice cruising vessels for weekending, etc. and are easy to launch and retrieve. Look for signs of deck delamination, etc. The core on those old O'Days were plywood and if water got inside, there would be tell tale signs if there was a big problem. You are only paying $700 for it, so you cannot expect a perfect boat, but you want to make sure it is basically safe and that you don't have to put a bunch of money in it to make it usable. The only thing about an O'Day 22 that I don't like much is that it is a shoal draft boat with no centerboard or swing keel. Therefore it won't sail into the wind very well. If it had a centerboard like the O'Day 23, then you can expect better windward sailing, which you will appreciate. Other than that, I don't think you can go too wrong at that price.

Indysailor · Mar 31, 2014

haytothewood said:
I just dont want to have to throw thousands into this boat after the purchase.

Have you had a boat before?

Seriously, it would be a nice starter boat, provided it floats, the sails are in good condition, it has a running motor, the standing rigging is not all kinked and ratty and the rudder is intact and in good shape.

Sails and motor replacement is at least a $2000 question if you're buying new, but my guess is, having sat for a few years, it's a very important one.

Do you know anyone who is familiar with boats? It doesn't take a surveyor's expertise to identify the deal breakers.

Good luck!

Scott T-Bird · Mar 31, 2014

That boat looks like a lot of work ... do you want to sail or spend most of your time preparing to sail? The mast looks like it either has a bad paint job that is failing or the aluminum looks very pitted. It's hard to tell from a photo. It looks like the motor mount is rotted, but is the stern solid where it is attached? Can't tell anything about the sails, does it come with sails?

If I had a budget of $3,000 for a boat similar to that one, I would look for something that is in very good condition and you could own it and sail it immediately without needing to spend much or anything except for personal items.

You can probably find something much better for $3,000. It looks like you would need to spend far more than $2,300 just in equipment and hardware to bring this boat to the condition that would equal what you could find for $3,000. Then estimate the hours in labor that you would have to invest (and then triple that because your estimate won't be reality). How much is your time worth? Don't forget to add that in the equation.

Don't buy this boat without doing some comparison shopping. It's not a good time to be impatient.

OdayDave · Mar 31, 2014

Eric makes some good points. I'll just add a couple more.

Does this come with a motor? You will need to factor that in since a reliable motor can cost you $500 - $1500 depending on what you settle on.

Check the motor mount and make sure that it is in good shape. I would take a good look at the screws that connect the motor mount to the wedge. The wood will obviously have to be replaced on the mount but that's easy to do.

Is there any evidence of water intrusion under the mast step or on the bulkheads? These can be fixed but they are a bit more involved than just cosmetic fixes. Look for water stains in the cabin. Are there black streaks on the bulkheads by the chainplates?

What condition is the mast and boom in? It looks a little rough. Make sure that you don't see stress cracks anywhere on that. The last thing you want is to lose the rig in a blow.

Same point on the standing rigging. What does the standing rigging look like? Any evidence of cracks at the swage fittings? Any loose wires? Any rust? What about the lifelines? These can all be replaced but it can be costly.

Have the bearings been repacked on the trailer? Surface rust is not a problem, but having the bearings seize up is a bigger problem.

What condition are the sails in? Does it have roller furling on the jib? Sailing on old sails is ok, but the boat will sail much better with newer sails so think about how many years you think you can get out of the current sails.

This site actually has one 22 footer for sale for $2500 so there are other options out there. This at least gives you some points of comparison. Location is obviously an issue since transporting a boat can be expensive but the internet makes finding those good deals (and my wife always reminds me that there are a lot of these if you pay attention) relative easy.

Do you plan on keeping the color or will you be repainting? That takes time and money as well.

This may be a great deal but make sure you go into any negotiation with as much information as you can assemble. Also the point made earlier about dumping it in the water and actually sailing it is a good one.

I had an O'Day 222 for 11 years and loved it. The 222 is a little newer than the 22, and with a centerboard, I think it points a little better than the 22, but they are very similar boats. I think the 22 is a great starter boat.

If you are handy and like getting into these projects, then buying a boat that needs some work can be enjoyable. However, just make sure you know what you're getting into. You want to be able to have it in the water this summer without working on it all the time.

Good luck with your search. If this is the right boat, great. If not, the used boat market has lot's of great deals out there and people are putting this the time of year when a lot of them get advertised.

Dave
s/v Lagniappe
O'Day 25

Scott T-Bird · Mar 31, 2014

Inventory what's missing ...

So, you are a stink boater converting to rag waver?

That's a good transition!

Be careful to know what you may need to be buying. A Bayliner is basically a hull and a motor, with a floor, a dashboard and windscreen, and some vinyl upholstery. If the hull and motor are in good shape, what more do you need when you can work on some of the furnishings yourself?

A sailboat is a little more complicated ... the spars, the rigging, the rudder, the sails, all the hardware ... these are all integrated components which cost a lot of money to replace and are critical to your enjoyment. Then there is the auxiliary power, which can seem like an afterthought, but is equally relevant to your overall budget.

How is the interior? If it shows signs of water damage anywhere on the bulkheads, that could be trouble. Look for brown stains where water leaves the residue of rot that could be happening within the core of the deck and coach roof. Check particularly around the windows and at the hull to deck joint.

Scott T-Bird · Mar 31, 2014

Welcome!

One of our esteemed contributors (Roger Long), says that he is basically a power boater, but his powerboat is a sailboat so that he can hang with a better class of people.

Think of it this way, since 99% of boat sales are powerboats, you will be joining the 1 percenters.

fox islander · Mar 31, 2014

...there's a ton of older small sailboats out there...most quite similar...you could probably find an older Catalina 22 (my 1st boat, which we loved dearly) for not much more and have the benefit of easily finding parts/ upgraded parts and a huge fleet of folks with your same boat. Bueno suerte!

KD3PC · Mar 31, 2014

22' is pretty small for "weekender", even for the wife and you, unless she is a real camper...add the kids,

all the best, what ever you decide.

Indysailor · Mar 31, 2014

If you're going to dig further, three spots to check with all Odays:

Chainplates and bulkheads. If you have dampness on the bulkhead where the shrouds pass through the deck, you absolutely must make sure the bulkheads are not soft. Otherwise, you risk demasting. If they are soft, you will need to replace the bulkheads. Not hugely difficult, but it is very important.

Cockpit drain. Less of an issue than the previous, but notorious. Pour water into the cockpit and look underneath the cockpit to see if it's leaking. Not a hard fix, unless you're a big guy. Getting down in there under the cockpit floor is tough.

Mast step. Walk around it. Is it mushy, depressed? Kind of a pain in the butt to fix- not difficult, but time consuming.

As for the mast- ODay had gold anodized masts. It's not a defect.
As for the boat- the old 22s don't point as high as the 222s, but it's still fine for a learner boat. But don't fall in love with it if you see a money pit and a time killer.

Should I Buy this Boat: Oday 22 1974

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