Oday Owner Reviews

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Review of the Oday 28 by Bob Branch

Year built 1983  
Location of boat Lake St. Clair / Great Lakes  
The boat is sailed on The Great Lakes  
How the boat is used Racing  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 1989  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Absolutely. I have owned 46 boats in my life. This was #21. First boat to use not put main shrouds into wooden bulkheads, ie. no rot in this major rot source. Keel stepped to aluminum weldment instead of wooden blocks, ie no rot in this major rot source. Built like a custom boat with solid copper wire bonding system to all major metal parts, just like a Hinkley. O'day was trying to use common parts to save costs so all components are same as on the 35, ie you will never break them. Absolutely one of the all time racing sleepers. Mine was only the 5th ever rated. phrf rating was 15 seconds per mile slower than the boat sailed. Absolute racing killer in all winds from 0 (very fast) to heavy (very fast). Very stiff boat, points exceptionally well. Never outpointed in a breeze. You don't need a bunch of heavywights to sail it. Wheel steering is excellent, I used a large wheel that placed it in my hand on the rail. Best sail combination: Main with full shelf, flatenning reefs, 2 good full reefs. Genoa: heavy 150 and "full hoist 110% genoa". That's an odd sail Dynamite on this boat. Goes to weather in 35 knot true with a double reef main and two fingers on the wheel. Exceptionally long rudder gives excellent steering response and never breaks. Likes to be driven no deeper than 150 apparent off the wind, this always pays in all winds. Designers did a series for Ranger boats the same year, the "race boats" that year. They were all dogs, this thing is a rocket. A delightful single hander. Sails on a heading upwind to reef and unreef without an autopilot, just set the wheel break and go to the mast and do your thing. It'll be going the same way when you get back.  
Gear that's been added Harken traveler on the bridge deck. Martec folding prop. Harken roller furler (only used for roller stryking of sail, never furling), 42 in edison wheel (yes I crawled around it to go forward, but who cares), #30 2 speed winches, you will need them, this is a powerful boat, block and tackle aft stay adjuster (10 to 1), boom vang (12 to 1), North racing sales, current state of the art at the time. Spinnaker gear.  
Structural or complex improvements None to make. This boat is one of the best built boats I have ever surveyed and I have done alot of em.  
The boat's best features The sailing, the sailing, the sailing, followed by the quality, the quality, and the quality. Oh, btw, mine came with a steel cradle from the factory!  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. Only issue I ever found on the boat was the diesel likes impellor vanes. Many Universal engines do. Unfortunately, previous owners just replaced them wihtout ever asking where they went. Of course they go downsteam and block cooling ports. I backflushed a dozen of em when I found the engine running hot. I had the boat 2 seasons, never replaced one. Go figure.  
Sailing characterisitcs A rocket in zero wind conditions, and unreal in winds over 15. Not a dog under 15 at all, but the boat was never outpointed above 20 knots by any state of the art racer in 1989-91 era. Long rudder just holds on forever. Beautiful balanced upwind. Tracks like its on rails. This is not a crank the wheel all day like on a Catalina 30 tall rig. You just point and go. Also a very dry boat. It does not pound. Compared to a Catalina 27 (had one and raced it very sucessfully) the motion is much smoother, (no one ever got sick on the Oday, crews notoriously have that issue on the Catlina 27). The stern quarters are very powerful. It has the right amount of sail and stands up to it and has a rudder that makes it stick. Feel is of a much larger boat.  
Motoring characterisitcs Never really cruised it. I got it to teach my daughter how to race before she went away to college since she wanted to be on a racing team there. What little I did was fine. Very stable at anchor and around the dock, as hull lines and deep keel would suggest.  
Liveability More like a 30 than a 28. Excellent layout. Tall (6'4) crew loved it. Nice amenities. I was done sleeping on boats when I got it but have spent many nights on em and its a wonderfully comfy boat. Lots of spread out room in saloon vs so many boats that try to cram stuff in. If it rained it was just a nice place to relax and read a good book and you could do it as comfortably as at home.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) [builder]  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any Broker. I surveyed over 35 boats that spring looking for one. Had given up when I was told by another surveyor one was available at the broker. Only reason I bought from one was he had the boat and it was perfect.  
Other comments Due to the main shroud tie in to solid glass knees 2 inches thick or in later models s.s. tie bars it was a forerunner in creating a fiberglass boat that did not rot away at its structurally most critical junctures. It was built extrememly right by people who obviously knew how to do it. Since it was branded a cruiser no one ever raced them and the rating is a steal. If you can't win in it with good sails you need to go to school to learn how to race (no derogatory comments intended, that's how I learned.) I sold it when my daughter left for college. Still today, having sailed everything from olympic dingies to maxi solo boats, to offshores and around the bouys I consider it the finest production boat I've ever encountered. ENJOY!  

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