O'Day 22 or 222

[Tom Peckham]

Help?I'm looking for a boat to buy for my family of 4. I sold my Laser II and I'm having troubles not owning a boat. What are the major differences between a 22, 23 and a 222? I will be day sailing off the coast of Maine. The main features I want are a large cockpit, I do not intend to do any cruising. A head. A boat that can take rough water and strong wind. Coming from a Laser II I'm sure I'll miss the performance. Does anyone have any suggestions? Am I looking at the right boats? How about a Capri 22 with a wing keel or a S2.

[Mike Stern]

A great source of technical data on O'Day's is the Unofficial O'Day Website. I think it is listed in the links section of this site, but if not, the address is home.att.net/~oday.I bought an O'Day 23 for my family of four (actually, I bought it for me) last fall, and I have very happy with the boat's performance. Even with the centerboard stuck in the up position (it still makes me crazy just to think about it), I was able to sail in 25+ knots of wind with 3-4 foot waves with confidence. I wouldn't make a habit of it, but its nice to know its possible.My wife really wanted a separate head on the boat, which was a big factor in deciding what models to look at. The O'Days were the only boats I found in that size range (21-24 feet) that had that feature.If you are really looking for a boat for rough weather, the most substantial boat that size I have ever come across is the O'Day Tempest. It is 23 feet, and has a HUGE cockpit. I don't remember the exact specs, but more ballast than one would usually find on a boat that size. Also, it's built like a tank. The cabin is tiny, with no separate head compartment. It looks like it was designed as a daysailer for areas with strong winds. One caveat: I think they stopped making them in the late sixties or early seventies, so all the boats are old. I looked at about four, and none had bow or stern pulpits, let alone lifelines. All were in less than ideal shape. All were very reasonably priced.Good luck!