O'Day Sailboats Unofficial Web Site

This being a place to put miscellaneous items that defy categorization...

From Alan Sandoval alan.s@intertrader.net on 7/4/2004 about a Rhodes 19 in Vietnam:

When I was a teenager in the 60's I worked at a boat rental in Newport Beach, California. We had O'Day Day Sailers and Rhodes 19 keel model. I was the resident sailing instructor and an avid sailor. I simply sailed every time I had the chance. I didn't really care for the Day Sailers, I was used to keel boats and the Day Sailer was a little tender for me, however I did like to take them out when the wind was really raging and actually got one onto a plane once.
I loved the Rhodes, it simply felt really "solid" under me.
I was in charge of everything there, maintenance, tuning, rigging the boats in the morning, keeping them clean, and running the rental office, which meant qualifying potential renters.
As far as qualifying potential renters, the emphasis was on getting as many boats rented as possible. We had two standard questions, and I had final say on whether or not someone who walked up to the window was qualified. It was kind of strange, me a teenage kid, asking obviously well-off people if they really had basic skills in sailing. I turned away more than a few and some were none too happy with my decision.
The questions were so basic as to comical:
1. What is a jibe?
2. What do you do when the wind gusts and you are in danger of capsizing?
You wouldn't believe how many people who claimed to be "sailors" blew both of those questions. If they couldn't answer both of them to my satisfaction they got sent to the rental place down the sidewalk.
Fast forward to my time in the Navy.
In 1970 I got posted to a land base in Danang, Vietnam. Danang is the major seaport in the northern part of South Vietnam. There were lots of Navy personell posted there. I got assigned to a "special" unit there, special meaning "secret."
This unit was 'special' to the point that we had privlidges other units did not. We had a private base, private beach, and certain recreational opportunities not available to other military units. For example, we had two skii boats and a sailboat, an old wodden Lightning. It was so decrepit I didn't even attempt to sail it.
One day one of the officers told me to tow the Lightning back to the Army base (the Army controlled all recreational assets 'in country.')
Not a loss for me, I didn't want to sail that boat. I dropped off the Lightning, and as I was pulling away from the dock they told me to stop! "You have to tow the new boat back to your base."
I had NO idea what they were talking about. I'd only been told to take the Lightning back to the Army. When I returned to the dock they hooked up a brand new, and I mean BRAND NEW Rhodes 19 to my tow boat. The rigging was still in protective shipping plastic.
The Army had just given a brand new Rhodes 19 to an enlisted man in the US Navy. The boat I loved the most when I was a civilian, had been placed in my hands in a war zone.
If I told you I simply docked it and never paid any attention to it I'd be lying. I rigged it, I tuned it, and I sailed it every chance I got. I taught lots of people how to sail, and that Rhodes 19 was seen all over Danang harbor.

It was astounding to me that the military dropped a Rhodes 19 in my lap, in the middle of a war zone. I went to war, I didn't like it, did they give me a Rhodes 19 to make up for it?
Who'll ever know, just an interesting story I guess.
I had lots of fun times on O'Days, best wishes for your web site.
Alan

More O'day logo stuff now available O'day classic logo stuff

Thanks to the efforts of Michael Sedita on 08/06/2001
I set up another online store with O'day logowear using an older O'day logo. This one is based on an interpretaion of a circa 1969 logo sent to me by Mike Burwell (nice job Mike).

This logowear is available at www.cafepress.com/odayclassic

As before, all the ordering, production, and fullfillment is though cafepress, so please don't email me about the merchandise of your order. Enjoy!

M.S.

O'day logo stuff now available O'day logo stuff

Thanks to the efforts of Michael Sedita on 08/03/2001

OK - I created an online store with O'day logowear using the newer O'day logo. Maybe if I get a good scan of the right size of the older logo, or if some artist wants to reproduce it, we can open another store using that logo. Of course, anyone else is free to create their own stores using individual model insignias or whatever.

To check out the stuff, and order, go to www.cafepress.com/odaylogo

All the ordering, production, and fullfillment is though cafepress, all I did was reproduce the logo (as best I could), send it to them, and set up the store. The prices on the store are the base prices, with no commission. With all the help I've gotten from this group over the past year, the least I could do was spend a couple of hours on this project.

I printed the logo I sent to them on a good color laser, and it looks great, and I have designed and ordered other logowear from cafepress with good success, however, I can't be responsible for the quality of, our your satisfaction wuth the merchandise. As far as the rights to the logo, its my understanding that permission was given to use it for logowear as long as limited quantities were made. If the trademark/copyright owners have a problem, they can take ot up with cafepress.

So, enjoy the stuff, and if I see you wearing an O'day cap or something, I'll know where you got it!
Mike Sedita
Mr. Boatjangles - Mariner 2+2
Creola - O'day 28

From 48 North magazine: A somewhat more elaborate boat renaming ceremony 48 North magazine

Vigor's Interdenominational Boat Denaming Ceremony
by John Vigor

I once knew a man in Florida who told me he'd owned 24 different yachts and renamed every single one of them.

"Did it bring you bad luck?" I asked.

"Not that I'm aware of," he said. "You don't believe in those old superstitions, do you?"

Well, yes. Matter of fact, I do. And I'm not alone. Actually, it's not so much being superstitious as being v-e-r-y careful. It's an essential part of good seamanship.

Some years ago, when I wanted to change the name of my newly purchased 31-foot sloop from Our Way to Freelance, I searched for a formal "denaming ceremony" to wipe the slate clean in preparation for the renaming. I read all the books, but I couldn't find one. What I did learn, though, was that such a ceremony should consist of five parts: an invocation, an expression of gratitude, a supplication, a re-dedication and a libation. So I wrote my own short ceremony. Vigor's inter-denominational denaming ceremony. It worked perfectly. Freelance carried me and my family many thousands of deep-sea miles both north and south of the equator, and we enjoyed good luck all the way. I used the same ceremony recently to change the name of my newly acquired Santana 22 from Zephyr to Tagati, a Zulu word that means "magic," or "bewitched." We're hoping she'll sail like a witch when I finally get her in the water this summer after an extensive refit.

I'll give you the exact wording of Vigor's denaming ceremony, but first you must remove all physical traces of the boat's old name. Take the old log book ashore, along with any other papers that bear the old name. Check for offending books and charts with the name inscribed. Be ruthless. Sand away the old name from the lifebuoys, transom, top-side, dinghy, and oars. Yes, sand it away. Painting over is not good enough. You're dealing with gods here, you understand, not mere dumb mortals. If the old name is carved or etched, try to remove it or, at the very minimum, fill it with putty and then paint over. And don't place the new name anywhere on the boat before the denaming ceremony is carried out. That's just tempting fate. How you conduct the ceremony depends entirely on you. If you're the theatrical type, and enjoy appearing in public in your yacht club blazer and skipper's cap, you can read it with flair on the foredeck before a gathering of distinguished guests. But if you find this whole business faintly silly and embarrassing, and only go along with it because you're scared to death of what might happen if you don't, you can skulk down below and mumble it on your own. That's perfectly okay. The main thing is that you carry it out. The words must be spoken.

I compromised by sitting in Tagati's cockpit with the written-out ceremony folded into a newspaper, so that any passerby would think I was just reading the news to my wife, sitting opposite. Enough people think I'm nuts already. Even my wife has doubts. The last part of the ceremony, the libation, must be performed at the bow, just as it is in a naming ceremony.

There are two things to watch out for here. Don't use cheap-cheap champagne, and don't try to keep any for yourself. Buy a second bottle if you want some. Use a brew that's reasonably expensive, based on your ability to pay, and pour the whole lot on the boat. One of the things the gods of the sea despise most is meanness, so don't try to do this bit on the cheap.

What sort of time period should elapse between this denaming ceremony and a new naming ceremony? There's no fixed time. You can do the renaming right after the denaming, if you want, but I personally would prefer to wait at least 24 hours to give any lingering demons a chance to clear out. (Scroll down for the wording of the ceremony.)



Afterwards

Now you can pop the cork, shake the bottle and spray the whole of the contents on the bow. When that's done, you can quietly go below and enjoy the other bottle yourself. Incidentally, I had word from a friend last month that the Florida yachtsman I mentioned earlier had lost his latest boat, a 22-foot trailer-sailer. Sailed her into an overhead power line. Fried her. She burned to the waterline. Bad luck? Not exactly. He and his crew escaped unhurt. He was just very careless. He renamed her, as usual, without bothering to perform Vigor's famous interdenominational denaming ceremony. And this time, at long last, he got what he deserved.

Vigor's Denaming Ceremony "In the name of all who have sailed aboard this ship in the past, and in the name of all who may sail aboard her in the future, we invoke the ancient gods of the wind and the sea to favor us with their blessing today.

"Mighty Neptune, king of all that moves in or on the waves; and mighty Aeolus (pronounced EE-oh-lus), guardian of the winds and all that blows before them:

"We offer you our thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in the past. We voice our gratitude that she has always found shelter from tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port.

"Now, wherefore, we submit this supplication, that the name whereby this vessel has hitherto been known (_____), be struck and removed from your records.

"Further, we ask that when she is again presented for blessing with another name, she shall be recognized and shall be accorded once again the selfsame privileges she previously enjoyed.

"In return for which, we rededicate this vessel to your domain in full knowledge that she shall be subject as always to the immutable laws of the gods of the wind and the sea.

"In consequence whereof, and in good faith, we seal this pact with a libation offered according to the hallowed ritual of the sea."

Christening Ceremony After a boat is denamed, you simply need to rename it using the traditional christening ceremony, preferably with Queen Elizabeth breaking a bottle of champagne on the bow, and saying the words:

"I name this ship ___________ and may she bring fair winds and good fortune to all who sail on her."

John Vigor, an Oak Harbor resident, is a boating writer and editor. He is the author of The Practical Mariner's Book of Knowledge (International Marine) and Danger, Dolphins, and Ginger Beer (Simon and Schuster) a sailing adventure novel for 8 to 12 year-olds.

From Michael Burwell mburwell@worldnet.att.net: The Offical O'Day-list endorsed boat renaming ceremony

1. An invocation (in the name of all who have sailed aboard this vessel in the past and in the name of all who may sail aboard her in the future.)

2. A blessing (we invoke the ancient gods of wind and the sea to favor us with their blessing today)

3. An expression of gratitude (Mighty Neptune, king of all that moves in or on the waves and mighty Aeolus, guardian of the winds and all that blows before them: we offer thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in the past. We voice our gratitude that she has always found shelter from tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port."

4. Supplication (Now, we submit this supplication, that the name of this vessel has hitherto been known as _____, be struck and removed from your records.

5. Rededication (Further, we ask that she is again presented for blessing with another name, she shall be recognized and shall be accorded once again the selfsame privileges she previously enjoyed. In return for which, we rededicate this vessel to your domain in full knowledge that she shall be subject as always to the immutable laws of the gods of the wind and the sea.)

6. Libation (In consequence whereof, and in good faith, we seal this pact with a libation offered according to the hallowed ritual of the sea.)

From Blair Arden sailor570@compuserve.com: The Ultimate PWC Repellent

From Robie Pierce robie19@wsii.com on 3/24/1999 about the Assonet Inn:

All ODAK's - A must in your life to visit the Assonnet Inn ! The Inn was the official lunch hole for the Oday Executive (Loosely used here). We lost, they survived .Situated just minutes off Rt. 24 in a tiny, ex- mill town, the Assonett Inn is a classic Americana 1800s, ex- stage coach stop, kind of place. Great food, undeniable atmosphere, and only two spots from Rudy's place. And in keeping with the Oday owners; the prices are the cheapest anywhere. Worth the drive! Endorsed by the O'day Corp., a Bangor Punta Co. ! Keep Smilin !

Robie

From Gene Grant gene@napanet.net on 3/8/1999 about shaft packing:

A word of warning! If you tighten the packing nut too tightly, it will overheat and score the shaft. As long as there is a bubble of water forming around the shaft you should be OK unless the shaft is already scored. To replace the seal you should get a packing hook. They look like a corkscrew with a flexible handle. Remove all the old packing (the boat must be out of the water of course) and check the shaft. A little scoring is OK. Measure the distance between the shaft and the packin gland shoulder. This should be either a quarter or 3/8 inch.

The preferred method is to cut the packing so that the length equals the shaft circumference. Push each ring to bottom of the gland until the packing nut touches the packing in about 2-3 turns by hand.

Now put the boat in the water, tie it down tight, start the engine and put it in gear. You should be able to tighten the nut a little more by hand and then a little with a wrench or waterpump pliers. If the shaft was in good shape, only a little tightening will be needed to bring it down to the required seepage. Keep an eye on it from time to time and adjust as needed.

Another way to add packing is to cut the end at an extreme angle and stuff it in to the desired hight in a continuous length. At the top, cut another angle so that it is more or less level in the gland. If you cut both ends of the packing square, compression will be unequal.

From Al Guardino guardino@ix.netcom.com on 3/9/1999 more about shaft packing:

Gene's first method is definitely the preferred method. But there is one important detail he forgot to mention! Stagger the cuts! By this I mean that if the joint in the first ring inserted is set at bottom dead center, place the next joint at the 3 or 9 o'clock position, then the next to top dead center. If the joints are lined up it makes a direct leak path - and one that does not really lubricate the packing. Don't recall for sure, but I think I used 4 rings of the teflon impregnated packing on my 272's shaft.

One thing not to do- add more packing over old! Always remove all the old packing and replace it all. When I was on a merchant ship one of the hardest jobs I did was to repack several steam valves that had been kept from leaking by inserting a new ring over old packing. It was like concrete at the bottom of the gland, and providing no seal!

From Roy R. Meisinger s/v SPOT O'Day 34 Chesapeake Bay (Herring Bay, Deale, MD) rrmeisin@erols.com on 3/7/1999 about the O'Day / CAL / Ranger Owner's Association of Cheasapeake Bay:

For the last five years I've coordinated activities of the O'Day / CAL / Ranger Owners' Association of Chesapeake Bay, the remnants of the national O'Day / CAL / Ranger Owners' Association that operated out of Assonet, MA from 1991-1995. We currently have about 60 members who cost-share to receive hard copies of our newsletter and about 30 members who receive free email versions. The newsletter is used primarily to announce our activities - which mostly consist of raft-up or marina rendezvous. Some off season activities are held, such as fitting-out breakfasts, mid-winter luncheons, boat-show rendezvous, etc. We're organized into three fleets on the Bay (Northern, Middle, and Southern), and have a minimum of four rendezvuous per year (June-Middle Bay, July/August-Northern Bay, Labor Day-Southern Bay, and October [week before Annapolis Sailboat Show] Middle Bay).

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