Oday Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Oday Rhodes-19 by J. Supan

Year built	1977
Location of boat	Mandeville, Louisiana
The boat is sailed on	Bays, sounds, or protected salt water
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2008
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Yes, absolutely. I bought this centerboard Rhodes 19 from a shipwright who specializes in restoring Rhodes 19s. It was completely restored in beautiful condition, including mainsail and jib with matching cover and bag, and trailer.
Gear that's been added	I have added a jib fraculator (downhaul) to drop the jib on deck without leaving the cockpit; a home-made sheet/halyard hammock beneath the cuddy cabin roof to help keep the cockpit organized; a 2:1 main outhaul with clamcleat on the boom; new halyard camcleats with fairleads on the cuddy deck; a single-line jiffy reef to reduce sail easily while single-handed sailing; and navigation lights and a small 12 amp-hr rechargeable battery for night sailing.
Structural or complex improvements	The boat was fully restored when purchased. I added a stainless steel strike plate on the bow and roller at the trailer winch to reduce wear on the hull and paint while trailering. I replaced the trailer axle, springs, hubs and wheels with galvanized parts, and also rigged up a mast crutch system for easy trailering and single-handed mast stepping and lowering.
The boat's best features	The hull has beautiful lines for her size and she sails best with a slight heel. It is very responsive to the wind, as small boats are, but not "twitchy." It moves through the chop well, while the large foredeck and cuddy keep the spray out of the cockpit. There is plenty of space for storage under the cuddy cabin and beneath the side and stern decks.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	No problems at all. The restoration was nearly complete. The sails are decent, but need professionally cleaned.
Sailing characterisitcs	It sails very well in light air as well as strong winds. It is very stable and comfortable. You ride in the boat, not on it. While seated in the cockpit, the boom is above your head and there is good back support. It is easy to achieve a neutral helm by raising or lowering the centerboard. It is a great daysailer.
Motoring characterisitcs	Mine motors very well with a 3hp longshaft outboard engine with a slight drop of the centerboard. It will turn very tightly when using both the rudder/tiller and engine together.
Liveability	I bought the boat for daysailing and future island camping. The cuddy cabin is large but for storage. It served as a great snorkeling platform in shallow waters.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	n/a
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	n/a
Other comments	We love the boat. The restoration included new varnishedmahogany combings and floor boards with non-skid strips, newly painted black topsides, beige deck with non-skid areas, and off-white cockpit. The boat receives numerous compliments.

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