Ernie, I''ll offer a reply at this location as others might also be following your discussion of OI 41''s.
A big resource for you is Earl Hinz and I would strongly encourage you to contact him. He has several books currently in print & no doubt can be reached thru his publisher. He now lives outside Reno, Nevada. Regretably, I don''t have his email address with me at the moment. Tracking him down would be worth the effort.
While an aeronautical engineer, Earl sailed a number of Transpacs. When retirement loomed, he bought an earlier OI 41 and, among many other things, did a great deal of trial sailing to understand her performance under various sail combinations. (This is the type of boat Morgan didn''t bother offering full polars on!) Interestingly, he publised data (in SEA Magazine) that showed the OI 41 experienced the least leeway, one of her main sailing flaws due to the depth/shape of her keel, and best speeds when being sailed under genoa, mizzen and mizzen staysail, but with no main. The difference in performance was so noticeable to him that he modified the
rig sligtly and, after subsequently sailing thru-out the Pacific for many years, he sold the boat with the original main almost unused. He continues to offer reprints on this article, which I think you would find most helpful. He also wrote about many structural & systems issues aboard cruising boats, including his own, for many years and would undoubtedly have much relevant info to share given the time & motivation.
BTW, "some of my best friends like OI 41''s" but I find it an acquired taste. Perhaps the newer 41''s, with their cutaway, more modern keel plus taller sloop
rig, are better performers. But the ones I have been aboard offer that stark fiberglass liner appearance of the 70''s-80''s, with wide interior expanses I would find difficult to maneuver thru in a seaway. When sailing alongside OI 41''s, their leeway and relatively slower speeds have never seemed appealing. But of course, a boat choice is far more emotional than emperical, isn''t it!
Jack
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