I am sorely tempted to buy a '70's era O'Day 22. My other option is a Catalina 22 with a swing keel. I am looking for as much input as I can get from owners comparing these two boats, especially where stability is concerned. When the wind pipes up suddenly as it does around here, is the O22 scary with that little shoal keel, or does it keep its footing? I've got that old problem of not scaring my wife, lest I permanently become a single-hander! I'd like to collect as many replies as possible to make an informed decision, because my heart is really pushing for the O'Day! Thanks, Clay Wright clayw@sfcc.spokane.cc.wa.us
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Mike
Heeling
I don't have any experience on the O'Day 22, but I have sailed on a Catalina 22, and when the wind pipes up, she will heel until the rudder looses its bite and then boat rounds up into the wind. A nice safety feature. I have an ODay 23, and the boat has never involuntarily rounded up on me. I don't know if the wind hasn't been strong enough or if the boat won't ever do that.
I don't have any experience on the O'Day 22, but I have sailed on a Catalina 22, and when the wind pipes up, she will heel until the rudder looses its bite and then boat rounds up into the wind. A nice safety feature. I have an ODay 23, and the boat has never involuntarily rounded up on me. I don't know if the wind hasn't been strong enough or if the boat won't ever do that.
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Warren
O'Day 22 - 29 years!
I've had my O'Day 22 for 29 years and have been out in some pretty stiff weather....no problem. When I was looking for a boat (29 years ago!), the Catalina was on my "list". The one thing that turned me away from a "swing keel" boat was that if I took a "knock-down", I didn't want 600 lbs. of keel swinging back up into the boat. I will say that the Catalina seemed to be one of the better built swing keel boats at the time. I have not had any major problems with my boat other than some solf spots in the deck that I repaired with non-expanding insulation foam. Check to see if the ballast is lead or steel, lead is preferred. Good Luck! Warren
I've had my O'Day 22 for 29 years and have been out in some pretty stiff weather....no problem. When I was looking for a boat (29 years ago!), the Catalina was on my "list". The one thing that turned me away from a "swing keel" boat was that if I took a "knock-down", I didn't want 600 lbs. of keel swinging back up into the boat. I will say that the Catalina seemed to be one of the better built swing keel boats at the time. I have not had any major problems with my boat other than some solf spots in the deck that I repaired with non-expanding insulation foam. Check to see if the ballast is lead or steel, lead is preferred. Good Luck! Warren
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Josh
Haven't had experience but...
The previous owner has. He stated that he was running it along the wind with four people on the leeward side, danging their feet into the water to see if he could get it to heel over. Stated they couldn't get the rudder to loose control. He stated what would happen that is when they would get too far over the wind would just dump out of the sails and it would pop back up. He also stated that if it was windy enough to heel it over too greatly that you should loose rudder control like Mike stated on the Catalina, and that it would round up as well. Josh
The previous owner has. He stated that he was running it along the wind with four people on the leeward side, danging their feet into the water to see if he could get it to heel over. Stated they couldn't get the rudder to loose control. He stated what would happen that is when they would get too far over the wind would just dump out of the sails and it would pop back up. He also stated that if it was windy enough to heel it over too greatly that you should loose rudder control like Mike stated on the Catalina, and that it would round up as well. Josh
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Bill Coxe
O22 Stability
is comparable to that described for the Catalina. On a couple of occasions I was out in wind I probably should not have been, and when a BIG gust came, the 22 heeled, the rudder lost its bite and I headed up. I learned to be quick on the mainsheet, being a flat-bottomed sailor at heart. What surprised me was when my O28 did the same thing. Second time out, working jib, main, and the wind went from 8mph to almost 20 in no time. Talk about a ride! Felt better after I put the life jacket on, got things under control, and after the halyard brakes interfered with my getting the jib down, I made them disappear the next day. Bottom line-when these boats are overpowered, they take the safe way out. Good sailing- Bill, O22 Closure, O28 Aroundtuit
is comparable to that described for the Catalina. On a couple of occasions I was out in wind I probably should not have been, and when a BIG gust came, the 22 heeled, the rudder lost its bite and I headed up. I learned to be quick on the mainsheet, being a flat-bottomed sailor at heart. What surprised me was when my O28 did the same thing. Second time out, working jib, main, and the wind went from 8mph to almost 20 in no time. Talk about a ride! Felt better after I put the life jacket on, got things under control, and after the halyard brakes interfered with my getting the jib down, I made them disappear the next day. Bottom line-when these boats are overpowered, they take the safe way out. Good sailing- Bill, O22 Closure, O28 Aroundtuit
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Stu Timm
Knocked Down
I had the rather unpleasant experience earlier this summer of being caught with an unreefed mainsail hoisted by a squall line packing 40-50 knot gusts. It was brief but terrifying to say the least as I was alone on my O'Day 22 centerboard at that time. The wind knocked me right over onto my stbd. side, and held the boat there for what seemed to be an eternity, but was only seconds. I was standing almost vertically on the edge of the lee cockpit bench and reached down to release the main at which time it flew free and the boat righted herself beautifully. Even in the raging wind, with the mainsail flapping in the wind like a buzz-saw, the boat drifted to leeward more or less stable enough to get an anchor overboard. I always felt nervous about putting strain on the little looped, wire chainplates that hold my mast shrouds to the deck, but after that experience I was convinced that O'day made a good boat in the 22 footer. I took from that experience a valued lesson in preparation and seamanship. 1. Always have a life jacket on during the approach of any inclement weather. 2. Be prepared - and have all hatches and companionway boards in place BEFORE the weather hits. and 3. The obvious, shorten sail and anchor if in doubt. I was foolish and preoccupied by other things and am very thankful and lucky to have sailed away form such an experience with my vessel more or less intact. I do owe my happiness, and even perhaps my life to the fact that the O'Day 22 did come back up and was recoverable. I hope this answers your question, and if you have any more questions, please drop me a line,,, mitshu@juno.com Regards, Stu Timm "Karakahl" 1979 O'Day 22 Centerboard Centerport, Long Island
I had the rather unpleasant experience earlier this summer of being caught with an unreefed mainsail hoisted by a squall line packing 40-50 knot gusts. It was brief but terrifying to say the least as I was alone on my O'Day 22 centerboard at that time. The wind knocked me right over onto my stbd. side, and held the boat there for what seemed to be an eternity, but was only seconds. I was standing almost vertically on the edge of the lee cockpit bench and reached down to release the main at which time it flew free and the boat righted herself beautifully. Even in the raging wind, with the mainsail flapping in the wind like a buzz-saw, the boat drifted to leeward more or less stable enough to get an anchor overboard. I always felt nervous about putting strain on the little looped, wire chainplates that hold my mast shrouds to the deck, but after that experience I was convinced that O'day made a good boat in the 22 footer. I took from that experience a valued lesson in preparation and seamanship. 1. Always have a life jacket on during the approach of any inclement weather. 2. Be prepared - and have all hatches and companionway boards in place BEFORE the weather hits. and 3. The obvious, shorten sail and anchor if in doubt. I was foolish and preoccupied by other things and am very thankful and lucky to have sailed away form such an experience with my vessel more or less intact. I do owe my happiness, and even perhaps my life to the fact that the O'Day 22 did come back up and was recoverable. I hope this answers your question, and if you have any more questions, please drop me a line,,, mitshu@juno.com Regards, Stu Timm "Karakahl" 1979 O'Day 22 Centerboard Centerport, Long Island
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J Kalupa
O22 vs C22
A friend and I sail alternating weeks on his '74 Catalina 22 and my '74 O'Day shoal draft 22. Here is the way I see it. the Catalina will heel first and then stiffen right up, usually right after the flashlight falls off the windward cabin shelf. After the cat heels she'll stay right on track. The O'day, because of her slightly flatter bottom and shorter rig will stay upright longer into the gust and start to make leeway sooner. The O'day and the Cat will head up when overpowered with a working jib up. The O'day will head up at about 35 deg heel. I don't know at what deg heel the Cat heads up. Other differences between the two are significant however. The O'day is a little harder to get off the trailer due to it's fixed keel so here the Cat shines. The O'Day however will not get a weedy keel winch cable to slow down the boat when lake sailing. They are both wonderful boats that are very equal in almost all regards. Hope this helps. JFK
A friend and I sail alternating weeks on his '74 Catalina 22 and my '74 O'Day shoal draft 22. Here is the way I see it. the Catalina will heel first and then stiffen right up, usually right after the flashlight falls off the windward cabin shelf. After the cat heels she'll stay right on track. The O'day, because of her slightly flatter bottom and shorter rig will stay upright longer into the gust and start to make leeway sooner. The O'day and the Cat will head up when overpowered with a working jib up. The O'day will head up at about 35 deg heel. I don't know at what deg heel the Cat heads up. Other differences between the two are significant however. The O'day is a little harder to get off the trailer due to it's fixed keel so here the Cat shines. The O'Day however will not get a weedy keel winch cable to slow down the boat when lake sailing. They are both wonderful boats that are very equal in almost all regards. Hope this helps. JFK
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Mark Green
O'Day 22 is a stable boat
I owned a 1974 O'Day 22 shoal draft for 15 years. For its size I found it very stable. When it does get overpowered it slides sideways rather than capsizing. I never experienced a time when I thought it would capsize although I did shake my wife up a couple of times.
I owned a 1974 O'Day 22 shoal draft for 15 years. For its size I found it very stable. When it does get overpowered it slides sideways rather than capsizing. I never experienced a time when I thought it would capsize although I did shake my wife up a couple of times.
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JohnWalsh
You'll be pleasantly surprised!
Just fininshing up my first season with the O22. No complaints. Safe, stable, simple. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about the shoal keel initially. No longer! J.W. 1973 ODay 22 "Damn Yankee"
Just fininshing up my first season with the O22. No complaints. Safe, stable, simple. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about the shoal keel initially. No longer! J.W. 1973 ODay 22 "Damn Yankee"
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Jim Craven
O'day 22 rides well
I've sailed both models extensively and now own a 1980 O'day 22. If your chief concern is with a scared wife, be aware that the O'day 22 has a big main and should be reefed whenever you think there is a chance for a big wind. Because of the keel configuration, the 22 will slide to leeward in a good wind but reefing and a smaller headsail takes care of it. The small keel has the bonus of being wonderfully ramp friendly if you're going to trailer sail. Also, you can gunkhole in 2 feet of water -- which often means stepping off the front of the boat right onto the beach. It's a good boat, with plenty of interior room for light cruising, but less cockpit room than the Catalina.
I've sailed both models extensively and now own a 1980 O'day 22. If your chief concern is with a scared wife, be aware that the O'day 22 has a big main and should be reefed whenever you think there is a chance for a big wind. Because of the keel configuration, the 22 will slide to leeward in a good wind but reefing and a smaller headsail takes care of it. The small keel has the bonus of being wonderfully ramp friendly if you're going to trailer sail. Also, you can gunkhole in 2 feet of water -- which often means stepping off the front of the boat right onto the beach. It's a good boat, with plenty of interior room for light cruising, but less cockpit room than the Catalina.
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