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Review of the Oday 28 by Skip Paris

Year built 1979  
Location of boat Lake Erie  
The boat is sailed on The Great Lakes  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength less than 10 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 1999  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? Absolutely  
Gear that's been added A better stereo with a cd player  
Structural or complex improvements Primarily we have "restored" or repaired what we thought were the major issues. her deck core was wet and required significant work to dry out and "relaminate" with resin. The deck is showing the 20 years so this winter our plan is to strip it of hardware and paint it.  
The boat's best features It's a solid boat at a fair price. A simple practical cabin layout uses the hull space efficiently.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. The life line stanchions need to be rebedded and it is amost impossible to get at a few of the bolts. Also, the hull deck joint uses self tapping screws, not bolts as I believe it should. finally, the Yanmar 8 HP is perhaps a little small for the boat  
Sailing characterisitcs This is our first keel boat, we've sailed dinghies for years so we have much to learn. Thus far she is very forgiving of mistakes. she is reasonably stiff even in the strongest winds we have sailed in. She heels to about ten degrees then stiffens. This has made us much more comforatable as we explore her handling characteristics.  
Motoring characterisitcs Learning to enter a slip was a challenge for us after years of picking up a mooring under sail. Still she handles easily once we recognized the strong prop walk she exhibits. Also, she carries her way in neutral quite well. Windage when docking has not been a huge problem although the bow falls off quickly once we lose steerage way. the engine is small and not well insulated so it takes some fiddling with the throttle to find a speed that matches the traffic but doesn't rattle our filings out.  
Liveability We are a family of four and since we ust got the boat, we have yet to spend a night aboard. Once all the deck leaks are resolved we will christen her at our slip. We have, however, had a few meals on the boat and for a 28 she is very comodious. Storage for galley gear seems limited and if I had were there during the design phase, I would have elminiated the fancy teak wine rack in favor of something a tad more practical, like shelving.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) [builder]  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any The Broker we worked with was excellent. Vermilion, OH is a small town and Freeman-Eckley is the only game in it. Still they were honest, fair and hard working especially when you consider the relatively small deal this was compared to the couple purchasing the new Catalina at the same time. We received the same respect and attention which made for a pleasant experience. I would recommend them and certainly I would buy from them again.  
Other comments We are very happy with the boat so far. Since she's twenty years old, there is a lot of work she needs but not so much that we can't sail her often. It's been a pleasure.  

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