27' Oday a decent liveaboard?

[Jorge_Cast]

I have found a 1972 Oday 27' for a steal (older gentleman that has arthritis and can't sail) and was wondering if this would be a decent boat as a liveaboard? I am used to tight quarters but wondering if anyone else had any experience on this boat. Thanks

[mstern]

Since you are even considering living aboard a forty year old 27' boat, I am going to make a wild assumption that you do not require much in the way of creature comforts. That being said, Odays were built no better and no worse than other value-priced boats of their time. Living aboard a boat like that is like camping on the water: no running or hot water (other than what you boil on your camp-like stove or pump manually), sleeping on a hard "mattress", and unless the boat has been modified for shore power, no electricity to speak of.

I wouldn't be too quick to jump at this deal though, unless the boat is well-maintained. A "free" boat is almost always anything but that. They usually have more problems than they are worth. And perhaps most importantly, think of re-sale value. The boat may be "worth it" to you so you can live on it, but almost no one else will want it for that purpose. The next owner will want to sail her, so if the sails/rigging/engine is in bad or dubious shape, I would pass on the deal.

[chuck53]

Hey, there are people who live in cardboard boxes, so yes, you can live a reasonable life on a 27' boat.
Does it have the amenities you need to live comfortably?
As someone else mentioned before, there's a huge difference between living on board vs. Camping on board.

[vega1860]

I am not familiar with the O'Day, but living on a 27 footer is by no means out of the question. As chuck53 and mstern pointed out, however, it could be a lot like camping in a swamp.

Having said that, I have lived aboard a Vega 27 for almost 22 years now, with my wife for the last 15 years. You make the necessary adjustments to your lifestyle and a few modifications to the boat and it is a very nice life indeed...

...or it is hell on earth. In my experience, living on any boat up to and including some 100 footers I've been on, is a lot like camping in an RV.

Not for everybody.

[sidney777]

Of course YOU CAN and with ALL the comforts of a motorhome or travel trailer. Much easier and more comfy if at a dock with electric, water, and even better if marina has Wifi and cable tv. If you can stand up in the Oday, it will help liveabiity.
WHATEVER your boat doesn't have you can add,-- 1. like shore power or just run electric thru hatch, 2. shower can be added, Oday 27 has a head, 3. Oday has room for 2 to 5 gallon water heater under many areas, but, how much hot water are you going to use ? Just heat water on stove.
4. Air Cond. buy portable unit with 5 inch exhaust hose, or window unit in companionway.
5. Heat. Easy with portable electric heater. 6. Mattress, very easy fix. 7. TV, now LCD.
8. Small fridge or freezer. If just you; you only sleep in on part of the boat and other births are freed up for whatever you like. 9. Running water, easy fix, my friend just did it on his 30 ft sailboat. Put new water bladder inside old rigid tank and got 12 volt water pump & clear hose & put cheap new faucets at kitchen and bathroom sink.
***People all over Florida are living on smaller and bigger boat than your 27 ftOday, and some without standing headroom---and anchored out and row into shore ! You'll be in hog heaven compared to them.

[sailguy40]

Prior to buying my Oday 22, I bought a Cal 25 and the owner I purchased it from was living onboard it. That boat had some bare interior too. I think if its just me I could get away with living on anything 25ft or larger. I could live on my 22ft if I really had to provided the marina had shower/laundry facilities. This said if I were to buy a boat with living onboard in mind, I would try to go with 27ft or larger. Since that is the starter size where it becomes standing headroom on many of them.

[ppiccolo1]

I live in a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condominium in Chicago 6 months a year and a campervan in New Zealand 6 months a year. I prefer the campervan on the beach in NZ over the jacuzzi tub in Chicago. It's all in your priorities.

[mitiempo]

I live year round in a CS27 in Victoria. I have full headroom, a separate head, a good galley that I modified to fit a larger stove with oven, an Engel fridge, and running water - electric as well as manual. I have shorepower with a proper breaker panel and rather than trip over portable heaters I installed an electric baseboard heater (1000 watts) with a separate thermostat. They take up very little space - about 14" x 7" and 3" deep - it is mounted under a settee.

The main problem is most boats are designed to weekend with 4 to 6 people. For 1 or 2 bunks don't have to be converted to anything else during the day. The O'day 27 is similar to my CS in measurements and would be a good boat for 1 or possibly 2 people.

O'day 27 from Sailboat Data:

[MacGyverRI]

I've been on a Paceship PY26 (larger main cabin than most) for 4 yrs. now and it's been really good. Someday I'll have a 35'+ boat but this is fine.

I added;
pressure water system w/45 gal. holding tank/Shower/Faucets.
Full head area/vanity
Microwave/Broiler/Oven combo unit.
TV, Computer, Internet, good Stereo etc.
Solar Panels, Charge controller and Wind generator.
Hinged hatch (slider bites in winter)
Dorm Fridge (only uses 85 watts)
Better Seat/Bunk cushions
Sm. China closet behind fold-up Table
Propane heater
Insulated everyplace I could (Flex Foil/Bubble insulation)
Shore power 110 plugs/wiring
Kenyon butane stovetop