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Review of the Oday 37 by Paul Turje

Year built 1978  
Location of boat Vancouver, B.C.  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Multi-week coastal cruising  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2003  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Yes. It is a capable "all arounder" with no major faults and has fullfilled my expectations very well.  
Gear that's been added The boat came very well equipped so I have not added anything new for now. I have actually removed some gear that I bought the boat with. For example I removed the old engine compressor /AC refer system becuase it is overkill and I would rather just pack food that does not require refrigeration. I live in a cool climate, so the water against the hull under the setees is a fine cooler and the double insulated icebox lasts almost a week when loaded with blocks. I intend to take it to the Queen Charlotte Islands next summer returning offshore through Juan de Fuca Strait so will add liferaft and basic offshore gear then. If all goes well, I plan to sail to Hawaii the following year and will add additional offshore gear as req'd.  
Structural or complex improvements I bought the boat relatively cheaply. Its structure, rig and interior were very good, but sails, running rigging and all systems were old, unsafe and suffered from many amateur "upgrades". Hence the cheap purchase. Being an engineer, I of course ripped out all the systems. I couldn't help myself. I rebuilt the ancient rusting Yanmar 2cyl diesel and all of the engine systems. I cut out the cockpit sole and fabricated a replacement easily removable (and waterproof) floor with maintenance access hatches. I can now get at the engine from three directions. I added a high output alternator, new AC and DC charge controllers, six 6V golf cart batteries, ripped out all the wiring (some of which was very unsafe) and rebuilt to current standards and enough fusing to make an ABYC inspector smile. I added duplex high capacity independantly controlled electric bilge pumps, added a large manual bilge pump in the cockpit and a slightly smaller manual one operable down below. I double insulated the ice box. It now is half the volume, but holds ice for a very long time. For anchoring, I added a large bronze manual (yes I am a gluton for punishment, less to break down) windlass with all chain rode and heavier anchors. This is what children are for...no? I welded stiffners to the davits, fabricated a heavier bow roller assembly and welded it to the existing (I could not get at the bolts holding the existing). I upgraded the water system by adding a simple household style water filter, improved the water plumbing manifold, reanchored and braced the water tanks while I had an empty engine compartment and replaced the hot water tank. I improved heavy weather handling by extending the keel slightly to reduce weather helm when pressing hard (I like to thrash). I also ground down the inside of the bilge as the fiberglass was porous and had large osmosis blisters that caused the bilge to stink. I reglassed and smoothed the bilge surfaces to remove all trapping surfaces using epoxy resin of course and finished in white pigmented epoxy. Now I have to figure out why I have water in the bilge. And yes, I even manage to go sailing. Future work will include: cutter rig, traveller, storm sails, heavy weather harness anchoring points, lea cloths/weather boards, emergency tiller sticking out the aft deck through a small access port, replace old portlights, find the leak that lets water into the bilge (hull/deck joint??), make a seaproof front hatch, fabricate a pendulum servo vane gear, blah blah blah...I'm a tinkerer and enjoy the work as much as the sailing.  
The boat's best features My wife will come with me because she feels safe in the centre cockpit. It seems to be a good general purpose boat with no major handling flaws, but I have not had a chance to really push it. In my opinion, she is the only good looking centre cockpit boat under 40 ft. Of course, in order to do this, the interior space is reduced, but I think this is worth it. To my doting eyes, she is quite pretty. The two cabins are great with our teenaged daughters. We bring their friends on our vacations (gets tight with 4 girls aboard....how can they possibly need so much stuff?) but my wife and I retire to the quiet of the aft cabin and let them do their thing in the late evening. Heaven spare me from overhearing teenaged girl conversations anway. I take great delight in waking them up early with a rattling anchor windlass and chain. The engine is too small, but adequate because the boat is reasonably easily driven. I normally motor at 5.5 knots and use 2.5 litres/hour after the rebuild and with a new season bottom. Stink potters eat your hearts out! No osmosis or blistering!!!! They did it right in the first place.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The basic design seems ok with no major flaws to note. I have no comment about the systems as I have replaced so much. The design of the hatch/door to the aft cabin is totally bogus and unsafe in a seas that might wash over the boat. I am working out a design for an "offshore" door. Also, the cockpit drains are too slow and I will be improving them, plus adding direct discharge drain piping plumbed through the seat lockers (once I work out that the drains will still drain when heeled). The front cabin hatch looks nice but is not seaworthy. I haven't figured out a sealed hatch arrangement that will not spoil the front cabin profile. Any suggestions?  
Sailing characterisitcs Stable and predictable. She's a stable handling general purpose cruising boat. I can comment more when I have stressed the boat more as our summer sailing weather is usually stable and gentle.  
Motoring characterisitcs Motors efficiently with little fuss. Steering is very stable, I can be hands off the helm under motor for up to 5 minutes in calm water. Backing up is horrible but this comes with the territory. I "steer" in fwd gear and then back down and then "steer" fwd again. If this is insufficient, we warp or use the tender and outboard as a yawl boat.  
Liveability The accommodations are restricted by the centre cockpit in that the main cabin is no bigger than that of a normal 32' or large beamed 30'. This is, of course, the price one pays for the aft cabin and the centre cockpit. Nevertheless, it is totally adequate for our current family coastal cruising. It is very cosy in the cool evening with the cabin fireplace on.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) [builder]  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any My broker was sly and tried to mask and underplay its system deficiencies. I guess he was doing what brokers do.  
Other comments  

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