'86 22' O'day opinions

[Tidewater]

I've been in the market for a few months now looking for a small, inexpensive boat to get into sailing with. I came across a 1986 22 ft Oday that is for sale right around the corner from my house. The guy wants $1000 and it has no trailer. The boat is currently sitting in the water behind his house with a bottom paint job done within the last year. He told me the big issue with the boat is it is missing the center board. I crawled around the boat checking it out and all the work just seems like cosmetic work.

I know many people on this forum probably have had experience with this boat in the past and could fill me in on any issues to be aware of. Also any ideas on how much a centerboard would cost and how difficult is would be to install?? Any input is really appreciated!!

[SecondWindNC]

A boat like that can be a losing proposition, so be careful.

IF you have a way to move it that won't cost too much, IF you have a slip or dock where you can keep it, IF it's in good shape other than the missing centerboard, IF you can replace the centerboard at a reasonable cost then it MIGHT be a good way to get out on the water. If not it could end up costing you more to actually get it into sailing condition than it would cost to buy a boat that's already ready to go.

Does it have a working outboard? Do you need one for the way you're planning to use the boat? That's another factor.

[LandLocked66c]

Have you been to odayowners.com? I've found some useful stuff there for my 23'.

Here's a topic on centerboard repair. mariner centerboard overhaul - SailboatOwners.com

Here's the site I think he is referring to, not sure though.

Stuart Marine Corp. | Rhodes 19 | Mariner | Stuart 19 | Stuart 9 | JC 9

[Tidewater]

I have a way to move it and an outboard for it. The centerboard is the biggest concern that is why I came here to try and get information from others that might have had experience with this in the past.

[SecondWindNC]

Great, that definitely helps then. Hopefully somebody can fill you in on centerboard replacement.

I don't have firsthand experience with the model but they seem to be nice-looking boats.

Good luck!

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that replacing the centerboard might be a real problem and expensive to do. The price difference between a boat like the one you're looking at and one that is in sail-ready shape is often less than the price of the repair.

[Yado]

If it's an O'Day 1986 my guess would be that it is an O'Day 222.
D & R Marine shows the prices for centerboard and parts to be around $600, or so, not including labor.
DR Marine Product List
It could be a fun project, but you'd have to see what broke in the centerboard trunk that allowed it to fall off in the first place. If the board broke that's do-able; if something in the trunk cracked that could compound the problem.
That is a terrific boat, fractional jib, keel with centerboard line uphaul (as opposed to the clunky crank on the Catalina), and you can easily put the traveler just aft of the cabin on the step.
Great entry level boat, day sailor and weekender.
Still, as SecondwindNC said, THAT BOAT could be a losing proposition. You should have someone from this site look at it with you or get a survey, sense of the market kind of thing.
Where is it located?

[Tidewater]

Apparently the previous owner had a few of these boats and took the centerboard off of the boat I'm looking at for another boat. That being said there shouldn't be any damage. I did some research and found some information about making your own centerboard using foam and fiberglass. Because I'm in college, I don't have alot of money to sink into this boat. I'm just trying to get on the water and get into sailing. I was hoping people on here could also share with me issues to watch out for on a boat like this as this would be my first sailboat. Thanks!