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Review of the Oday 20 by Randy Freeman

Year built 1977  
Location of boat Portland, OR  
The boat is sailed on Bays, sounds, or protected salt water  
How the boat is used Weekends and longer  
Normal wind strength 10-15 knots  
Average size of crew 2-4  
Liveaboard? No  
Owner bought the boat in 2001  
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again? This boat is perfect for our use. We were looking for a boat to use for up to a week of cruising at a time in the San Juan Islands. It had to be easy to trailer and launch.  
Gear that's been added We bought a small plastic folding camp table. This table can be used between the quarter berths or up in the cockpit. It's just right for dinner for two people. It stores under the cockpit down in the quarter berth. We bought two big plastic storage bins from Home Depot. They easily fit under the cockpit in the quarter berths. We use one for cooking galley gear and the other for food. We added a single 3/4" block to the bow fitting. To rase or lower the mast you cleat off the forestay, extend the forestay with a anchorline, run the anchorline through the block and wrap the line once arround the winch. My wife pulls or lets out the line while while I raise or lower the mast. Works great! I leave the block in place and just attach the jib to the becket on the single block. I always like to raise the jib a little so I can see better. Remember we are cruising not racing.  
Structural or complex improvements Nothing yet.  
The boat's best features It's easy to trailer. It also handles ruff water well. We've been out in some ruff conditions in the Rossario Staits, crossing to the San Juan Islands. We had up to four knot currents against the wind. The boat handled the sloppy conditions well. We got bounced arround good but always felt like we were safe and in control. Up in the San Juans you get blasted by the wakes from some of the huge power boats that go by at high speed, dragging half the ocian behind. We had a 40ft Bayliner go by at 17kts, litterly 20ft off our beam. I had to throw the helm hard over and crash through the three foot breaking wake. The boat punched through the wake and came crashing down with a huge smack. We didn't take any water on deck and I wasn't the least bit worried that we had any damage.  
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc. So far nothing.  
Sailing characterisitcs The boat likes to go wing on wing downwind. Just pull up the keel half way to bring the center of latteral resistance aft. In strong winds, the boat sails well under just the full main. I've made good progress to windward this way.  
Motoring characterisitcs With a 5hp Mariner outboard we can go about 5.3 to 5.5 kts. The outboard is mouunted on a stern mount. It almost always keeps the prop in the water. The prop has come out maybe two times. But that was in an extreemly big swell. Again I sail in an area that has very strong currents and good stiff winds.  
Liveability The v berth is a little short on head room but ok. For short cruises the boat is comfortable for two people. We're planning to build a dogger this winter. This will be a good addition for cruising.  
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any) [builder]  
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any We brought the boat from a dealer. We weren't planning to buy a boat that day. The boat arrived Friday afternoon. We stopped by Saturday morning, just driving by. They didn't even have a price on the boat. The condition was very good, a few minor defects, but all in all very good. We offered what we considered to be a very low price and our offer was accepted.  
Other comments I used to own a 1964 O'Day Mariner. What a solid boat. It had a fixed keel and sat far too high on the trailer. The O'Day 20 has a sharpie hull form with a hard turn to the bilge. It doesn't roll very much. The old Mariner used to roll allot. I like the new boat much better. Some people have said that the mast section is too small. If you make the mast heavier the boat is going to be more tender and roll more. I like it just the way it is.  

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