Oday Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Oday Mariner by Jim Feuerstein

Year built	1971
Location of boat	Conesus Lake, NY
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	less than 10 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	1993
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Definately!
Gear that's been added	I've added a collapsable whisker pole for use with the working jib. As I don't have a genny or a spinaker it's nice to be able to wing the sails out on a run in light air. I've also added a rope boom vang - another real asset on a run.There was a boom support cable from the back stay when I bought the boat (I'm pretty sure that was standard). That's been replaced with an adjustable topping lift, which I prefer so that the boom doesn't come crashing down into the cockpit when the main is lowered.Two small cleats have been added (one each) on the side rails about mid-ships - a critical location for hanging a fender.Last, but by no means least, I've cut two closed cell foam camping pads to match the contour of the cockpit seats. The pads are only about an inch thick so there's still back support when sitting in the cockpit, but the padding is sufficient for day sailing. They also stow easily in the cabin.
Structural or complex improvements	No. The boat really hasn't needed them.
The boat's best features	This has been a great boat for my needs. I have it rigged for sailing solo and that works great. It's an easy boat for kids to learn on, and a comfortable day sailor for taking friends out. The cockpit is roomy - another asset for day sailing with friends. The boat is quite responsive which also makes it fun.The shallow draft has also been helpful as the dock at one of the parks/beaches we frequent for picnics with friends is VERY shallow - especially later in the summer.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	As I indicated, above, the boom really needs a topping lift.I had some leakage around the rub rail, but that was easy to seal.I have original sails - they're a bit stretched, but still functional. They don't have reef points, which I would like to have for very windy days when I'm sailing alone. I've never had a knock down, but would really like to be able to shorten sail once in a while.It's sometimes tough for crew members to release the jib sheets from their clam cleats.
Sailing characterisitcs	In light air the boat still moves fairly well, and if the wind picks up at all the boat takes off! Very responsive. It tacks through about 90 degrees.
Motoring characterisitcs	I have 1980 Johnson Seahorse 4.5 longshaft engine. It came with an internal tank (about 3/4 gallon) which held enough gas for most trips, but if we had to motor any distance we had to hand fill - tricky in some conditions. By adding a v-fitting to the gas line and a OMC tank fitting drilled to the lower motor housing I've added an external 3 gallon tank. There's a shut-off valve between the internal tank and the v-fitting, so we are able to use the internal tank as a reserve.The boat handles well under power, and the 4.5 is plenty of engiine, especially as it only gets used occasionally to get us out of the marina and then to get us back if the wind quits. On a smooth lake with the center board up we make pretty good progress under power.
Liveability	When our kids were younger I would occassionally do a sleep-over with one or two of them at the marina so that we could go fishing first thing in the morning. This gave us access to toilet facilities. The marinerwould be a tough boat on which to use a portable head - it is designed for one, but it would be less than ideal. We have the 2+2 version - the v berth is tight for an adult - the quarter berths under the cockpit seats only work for kids. Adults are unable to roll over.Intrepid campers might be able to do more than one or two days, but extended cruising would be tough.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	[builder]
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	n/a
Other comments	Love the boat. Wish I could get out on the water more often.

Contact
About
Terms of Use