I want to transport my 1978 Oday 23 from NY to Florida. What is the best way? By ICW or I-95? Does it have a fixed or swing keel? Thanks.
Transporting Oday 23: Land or sea?
- Thread starter Herco Dunlop
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Herco Dunlop:
Something missing in this question. Does it have a fixed keel or swing keel? Could be either which is it?
I saw a craft about this size sailing from Canada to Florida. So, yes it can be done. But do not be in a hurry. Think weeks... maybe months... would depend on crew.
Truck takes a couple of days. Does the 23 have a trailer? If yes, then tow it or have professional driver tow it. In that case most put on flatbed and tow both...
So, tell us more.
Ed K
Something missing in this question. Does it have a fixed keel or swing keel? Could be either which is it?
I saw a craft about this size sailing from Canada to Florida. So, yes it can be done. But do not be in a hurry. Think weeks... maybe months... would depend on crew.
Truck takes a couple of days. Does the 23 have a trailer? If yes, then tow it or have professional driver tow it. In that case most put on flatbed and tow both...
So, tell us more.
Ed K
My 1971 23' O'Day had a swing centerboard in a fixed shoal-draft keel. The boat could probably make the trip, the question is how comfortable would you be? If your propulsion is an outboard, there will be times when the O/B might not hack it. Could be quite an adventure if you are young and able enough. Me, I'm too old, now. I prefer my Catalina 310.
Herco,
I think that it's important that you find out if your boat has a full keel or a keel/centerboard. I think that the full keel O'Day 23s have a mast that goes through the top of the cabin with the mast step down below. Some of the older keel/centerboard 23s with the pop top are also set up this way but the later models have a hinged tabernacle on the cabin top for easier mast raising. This info alone should to be taken into consideration before you decide how to get it to your destination.
Joe
I think the questions are:
Do you have a trailer?
Do you have a vehicle that can tow it?
Is it ship shape are ready to make the trip from NY to Florida?
Does it have a reliable engine?
Do you want to sail/motor it down the ICW to Florida?
What part of Florida are you needing it to go? Panhandle? Northeast? Keys?
Do you have a trailer?
Do you have a vehicle that can tow it?
Is it ship shape are ready to make the trip from NY to Florida?
Does it have a reliable engine?
Do you want to sail/motor it down the ICW to Florida?
What part of Florida are you needing it to go? Panhandle? Northeast? Keys?
I think there are only a couple of things to consider here:
1. Is this a permanent one way move? The boat and the tow car, and trailer are staying in Florida? If so than the lowest cost move is the extra gas for the tow vehicle if a trailer is available. This gets the boat, the tow car and the trailer to Florida. The tow car has to be rated for the tow and the trailer has to be in near perfect condition including spare
2.If no trailer is available then the cheapist way is a flatbed or boat transporter. Sailing it down will be a great trip but darn cold in the winter or spring. Add marina fees, the neccessary occassional motel stops to defrost and clean up, gas costs, taxi to supermarkets to restock food for the crew and lost income for at least 4 weeks, ( if you go dawn to dusk every single day) probably six with weather delays, you will far exceed the trucking costs. And of course, if this is a permanent move you' d still have to pay the expenses of moving your vehicle also. Do you have a helper who is willing to spend six weeks in a small boat? If you have a cradle for the boat, then you can use a flatbed truck that is going back to Florida empy and will carry the load for less, if you have no schedule. You still need to add loading and unloading expenses.
Faced last year with moving a 25 footer a mere 250 miles, I paid $600 and had a boat transporter move it for me. Part of that problem was getting to my new purchase with crew would have cost me $150 and the trip up at least $350 in costs, and all this with a new to me boat. Anyway I'm glad I used the transporter as a number of problems with the vessel turned up which were easily delt with, when not on the ocean. . Ernie
1. Is this a permanent one way move? The boat and the tow car, and trailer are staying in Florida? If so than the lowest cost move is the extra gas for the tow vehicle if a trailer is available. This gets the boat, the tow car and the trailer to Florida. The tow car has to be rated for the tow and the trailer has to be in near perfect condition including spare
2.If no trailer is available then the cheapist way is a flatbed or boat transporter. Sailing it down will be a great trip but darn cold in the winter or spring. Add marina fees, the neccessary occassional motel stops to defrost and clean up, gas costs, taxi to supermarkets to restock food for the crew and lost income for at least 4 weeks, ( if you go dawn to dusk every single day) probably six with weather delays, you will far exceed the trucking costs. And of course, if this is a permanent move you' d still have to pay the expenses of moving your vehicle also. Do you have a helper who is willing to spend six weeks in a small boat? If you have a cradle for the boat, then you can use a flatbed truck that is going back to Florida empy and will carry the load for less, if you have no schedule. You still need to add loading and unloading expenses.
Faced last year with moving a 25 footer a mere 250 miles, I paid $600 and had a boat transporter move it for me. Part of that problem was getting to my new purchase with crew would have cost me $150 and the trip up at least $350 in costs, and all this with a new to me boat. Anyway I'm glad I used the transporter as a number of problems with the vessel turned up which were easily delt with, when not on the ocean. . Ernie
The O'DAY 23 is neither a swing-keel or a fixed-keel (unless yours is one of the rare fin-keels), all 23s were built as a Keel/Centerboard boats. The early model (1970-74) had a cast-iron keel (draft 2') that housed the fiberglass centerboard. The later model (1977-85) had a fiberglass keel (2'3" draft) molded as part of the hull that housed the fiberglass centerboard. As I say, a few, very few of the 1977-85 boats were built as a fin-keel boat (not sure how many, perhaps less than 10? I'll have to ask Rudy sometime).
How long have you owned your 23? I'm confused as to why you are asking us about what type of keel your boat has...... did you buy the boat without having seen this boat first??? How could you not know that the boat is a keel/centerboard or if she is one of the very rare fin-keel 23s??
I can definitely tell you that she is not a full-keel, since O'Day only made one full-keel boat (actually a full-keel with a centrrboard) and that was back in the 1960's (Dolphin 24, aka Olympic Dolphin). Also, definitely not a swing-keel, since O'DAY never built a swing-keel boat (only centerboard, daggerboard, fixed-keel, keel/centerboard, and wing-keel)
How long have you owned your 23? I'm confused as to why you are asking us about what type of keel your boat has...... did you buy the boat without having seen this boat first??? How could you not know that the boat is a keel/centerboard or if she is one of the very rare fin-keel 23s??
I can definitely tell you that she is not a full-keel, since O'Day only made one full-keel boat (actually a full-keel with a centrrboard) and that was back in the 1960's (Dolphin 24, aka Olympic Dolphin). Also, definitely not a swing-keel, since O'DAY never built a swing-keel boat (only centerboard, daggerboard, fixed-keel, keel/centerboard, and wing-keel)
The adventuresome side of me says ICW.
The act my age side of me says I-95.
Budget is everything.
Contract transport services can get it there, for a price. You can try Craigslist for a trailer, could be sketchy. Could also find someone with a trailer mooring the boat during the season and borrow/rent it for the trip. I have seen people with equipment trailers and plenty of heavy wood and some carpet for padding build a cradle on a flatbed and haul it themselves, need a crane to load/unload it.
I heart O'Days doesn't have much info on your year and model...
Good luck in your travel ~Craig
Just to give an idea about transport, My friend has a Hunter 26 with no trailor and wanted to take it to Myrtle Beach Marina for the winter and spring season and might just end up down there now that he's retired.
He has no trailor.. he shipped it down there on a flatbead who hauls boats.
1400.00 and it was down there the next day. Cleveland to Myrtle beach.
I thought that was a pretty good price.
He has no trailor.. he shipped it down there on a flatbead who hauls boats.
1400.00 and it was down there the next day. Cleveland to Myrtle beach.
I thought that was a pretty good price.
That is a great price Kevin.
In my business I tell my customers you can have it good, fast or cheap.
Pick any two you wish.
In my business I tell my customers you can have it good, fast or cheap.
Pick any two you wish.
Thanks for all the info! My boat has a shoal draft keel with a lightweight centerboard within the shoal draft keel. How high must it be elevated on a trailer? Again, thank!
As long as the centerboard can fit all the way up into the keel slot without hanging down below it, and most of them do because they were built, there is no set height. The hulls on these boats are built strong and your boat's lead keel could sit directly on any hard surface without worry of it going through the hull. I know that mine can but with that said, it's better to have the hull and keel equally supported. Some sloops are designed for flat bunk trailers and their hulls weren't designed to have the boat's full weight supported by the keel. Not so with these O'Days. These boat hulls are strong enough to take a compete roller trailer or a flat bunk trailer.
The keel on my 1986 O'Day 222 which is a keel/centerboard like your O'Day 23, hangs down approximately 8" and my "Long Mfg" Aluminum tandem trailer has 24" extension brackets holding the bunk boards. My brackets are set at various heights of between 19" and 20". It really depends on the type of trailer and the type of cross members. Some cross members are curved and some are straight like the ones on my trailer.
What are your plans Herco? Are you going to try and buy a boat trailer that will fit your boat or are you planning on renting a flat bed trailer and having a cradle built to support the boat for the trip home?
The depth of the keel shall determine the height of the cradle supports and this could be anyone's guess as there are so many variables to consider.
What you could do is go to a large trailer dealer in your area and talk to someone who is knowledgeable. Chances are he has all the specs of your O'Day 23 right in his PC and he will try to sell you a sailboat trailer that will fit your boat or maybe provide you with the info needed to convert one of his new powerboat trailers into a sailboat trailer.
Years ago when my Load-Rite roller trailer bit the dust I went to a Long Mfg dealer in Warren RI and he set me up with a new tandem powerboat trailer that could take the weight of my boat plus, with the 24" extension brackets and a couple of sandwiched pressure treated planks for my keel to rest on, I was able to convert it over to a sailboat trailer.
My boat weighs about 2200 lbs and the trailer is good for 4600 lbs.
Also, my boat is about 21' 9" and my trailer can take a 23" boat. This is important because with a longer trailer I can float my boat on and off without having to swamp my truck or have a need for a tongue extension bracket on the trailer.
The extension brackets that originally came with my trailer were only 8" long. Fortunately I was able to swap them for 24" brackets and he had them right in stock. They were the best made brackets on the market, I think. I'm not sure if Long is still in business. There is talk that they are starting back up in NC. Anyway, I bought the planks and mounted them myself. Even if you don't buy a trailer off this dealer, the info you're that he's going to provide will help in finding a trailer that will work for you. If you need any more info on my set up, let me know and I'll provide it to you.
Joe
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Mine is this...........
The weight is taken on the keel and the pads are just snugged up to the hull.
When I got the boat, the pads were cranked up and the hull was bulged inwards at the pads, fortunately the bulges came out perfectly by themselves so now I do them up so that I can just rotate them by hand.
The weight is taken on the keel and the pads are just snugged up to the hull.
When I got the boat, the pads were cranked up and the hull was bulged inwards at the pads, fortunately the bulges came out perfectly by themselves so now I do them up so that I can just rotate them by hand.
My other trailer had a rack with four 12" amber colored keel rollers with 18"X5/8" pins w/ pin buddies and most of the weight was on those keel rollers. The hull rollers supported the hull and acted as a guide, especially the back roller which could conform to the shape of the bow as the boat was being loaded on the trailer.
I'm pretty sure that most of the weight of my boat sitting on that trailer is on the trailer's keel boards.
Your boat looks great. My friend Rudy told me years ago that the O'Day 23 was one of the best boats that the O'Day factories ever built. I'm inclined to agree with him on that. He worked for O'Day back then and I figure that he should know.
Joe
I'm pretty sure that most of the weight of my boat sitting on that trailer is on the trailer's keel boards.
Your boat looks great. My friend Rudy told me years ago that the O'Day 23 was one of the best boats that the O'Day factories ever built. I'm inclined to agree with him on that. He worked for O'Day back then and I figure that he should know.
Joe
Thanks again for the input. I have not raised the boat yet. Does the trailer have to be sail-boat specific? Someone is selling a trailer for a Catalina 22. Thanks Joe of Trinkka for the wealth of information. The boat must be lifted to be loaded on the trailer, right?
It was my pleasure Herco!
The trailer can be a powerboat trailer like my Long Mfg tandem trailer. All you would need is longer adjustable extension brackets to raise the bunks up higher to support the hull plus a couple of pressure treated planks sandwiched together for the keel to rest on. The cross members under the keel should be close enough together to give full support to the keel. In other words, you don't want the keel boards bending due to a lack of adaquate support. One of my friends ran into this problem when he was setting up his tandem trailer for his O'Day 26. I think he had to buy an extra cross member to mount under the keel board for better support.
Fortunately I didn't run into this problem when I was setting up my trailer, but it's food for thought and may help in choosing the right trailer for your boat.
You don't even need to drill holes into the trailer's cross members to hold these sandwiched keel planks. I used two galvanized brackets that I picked up at my local electric light department at their distribution center. These brackets are built for mounting high voltage fuse cutouts, lightening arresters, and URD high voltage terminal connectors (Pot Heads) to telephone pole cross arms.
A lot of times they don't use the whole bracket if the poles don't have cross arms and they just bolt these devices to the pole with a 12"X 5/8" bolt.
Consequently they will throw the back plate and the two 3/8" carriage bolts, nuts w/washers away. If you ask them for a couple they'll probably give them to you. They are galvanized steel and they will last.
I countersunk the top keel board for the carriage bolt heads so that the keel wouldn't hit them. If you look at the pictures, I installed a carriage bolt through the planks on each side of the trailer's cross members and used the slotted back plates to secure the keel boards to the cross members.
I put some Never-Seize on the bolt threads to insure that I can loosen the nuts on the carriage bolts. Each back plate has one hole for the carriage bolt on one side and a long jagged slot on the other side so there is no accurate drilling required.
I raise my boat every year and put her on stands, so being able to loosen the keel boards and move then to one side out of the way, really helps in getting my boat on and off the trailer to my boat stands.
I'm not sure if a Catalina 22 trailer will work for you. The Catalina 22s had a weighted swing keel. You need to take into consideration the trailer's length and GVWR. I may be wrong but I think the Cat 22 trailer were single axle. I would try to find a longer length tandem axle trailer with the GVWR that is required for your boat fully loaded.
A guy I know bought an EZ-Loader tandem powerboat trailer and converted it over to carry his O'Day 25. He was able to raise the boat in his yard to get the trailer under it. Then he had four adjustable boat stand poppets welded to the trailer. This guy was a neophyte sailor but he was also a clever mechanic who knew how to do things of this nature with confidence.
If your boat is on the hard, it will probably need to be lifted. If it's in the water, you could try loading it on the trailer provided you have at least two sailboat stands, two jacks, some tools, and a bathroom scale.
You would need a rough measurement of the height to set your bunks at the ramp. It's better to set the bunks a little higher than too low, even if the keel is off the board by 1". You could use the jacks and boat stands to lower the boat down so that the keel is sitting on the board.
It may be worth your while to have the boatyard do this stuff, where you're going to have to travel a good distance with the boat. The trailer's tongue weight is so crucial to how this rig is going to act when you're going down the highway. Too little weight on the tongue will cause the trailer to fish tail.
I'm sure that you will come up with a good plan Herco.
Have you considered having your boat hauled by a professional boat hauler? They have trailers with hydraulic poppets designed to lift a boat out of the water, or pick it up off of boat stands on dry land. The guy could put it in your back yard on sailboats stands in less than 20 minutes. Just a thought. Good luck Herco!
Joe
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