o'day 17 sailboat

Boat Profile

O’Day Day Sailer

A proven performer for 61 years

From Issue   Small Boats Annual 2020 July 2019

T he production of small boats was booming in the 1950s on both sides of the Atlantic, and really took off in the late ’50s with the introduction of fiberglass. Famed designers Uffa Fox and George O’Day teamed up in 1956 to create the O’Day Day Sailer. Fox is credited with introducing the technique of planing to dinghy racing and designed many significant classes of boats, including the International 14. The story goes that Fox wanted a pure racing dinghy but O’Day wanted the small cuddy added to increase appeal to the recreational market in the U.S., so Fox designed the planing hull and O’Day designed the cuddy. The resulting Day Sailer was a 16’9” centerboarder with a displacement of 575 lbs, which makes for a light load to tow behind the family car. The fractional sloop rig includes a generously sized spinnaker for exciting downwind sailing.

The first Day Sailer was sold in 1958 and immediately became popular in the recreational and racing markets. It was later designated as the Day Sailer I as four different models have since been built, with over 10,000 boats hitting the waterways. Day Sailer (DS) models I through III have been built by eight different manufacturers, with the current Day Sailer being a modified DS I with a few DS II attributes, such as the internal foam flotation and cuddy thwart. The original DS models I, II, and III were built from 1957 to 1990 by the O’Day Company in Fall River, Massachusetts. The DS I and modified versions of it were later built by Can-AM Sailcraft, Rebel, Spindrift, Precision, McLaughlin, Sunfish/Laser Inc. The current builder of the DS I+ is the Cape Cod Shipbuilding Company (CCSC) in Wareham, Massachusetts, holder of the exclusive license since 1994. The Day Sailer Class Association owns the molds that are currently used by CCSC.

The long side benches in the cockpit provide uncrowded seating for six. The sole is above the waterline and is self-bailing.

The early DS I can be identified by wooden thwarts, seats, and cockpit sole, a centerboard lever, open cuddy, and a transom deck. The DS II came out in 1971 with built-in foam flotation. The cuddy opening is smaller than the opening on the DS I because it also acts as a thwart, and a thinner transom allows mounting a small outboard motor without the need for a bracket. The Day Sailer I and II are considered class legal for one design racing, but the DS III is not considered race-legal due to higher freeboard on the transom, which was a departure from Fox’s hull design. O’Day built the III from 1985 to 1990, so to race in One Design regattas it is important to buy a DS I or DS II. The current Day Sailer in production is a modified version of the DS I with improved self-rescuing capabilities, two sealed air tanks, and a cuddy flotation tank with a smaller hatch.

The Day Sailer, no matter which model, is a very versatile boat, easy to rig, sail, transport, and store. With the mast down the boat and trailer take up just a few feet more than an average family car, so can be stored in most garages, though the mast may need to be stowed diagonally. At the ramp, the Day Sailer can be rigged in under 30 minutes: step the mast, add the boom, bend on the jib and main, clip the pop-up rudder onto the transom, and sort out the sheets.

Stepping the mast is the biggest challenge. The 23′4″-long racing mast is stepped through the top of the cabin onto the maststep fixed to the floor of the cuddy, and that can be tricky for one person. The mast does not weigh much, but it is helpful to have a helper at the foot of the mast to guide it into the cuddy opening. The good news with this arrangement is that once the mast is stepped, it is secure, and there’s no rush to attach the forestay.

A mast hinge, a popular option, makes raising the mast much easier.

About 75 percent of the new boats are delivered with a hinged mast, eliminating the awkward gymnastics of stabbing the mast through the cuddy. Once the mast is raised and the forward hole on the hinge pinned, securing the forestay to the bow fitting takes the strain off the hinge. Side stays can then be tightened to take out the slack, but no more than hand tight. Stays that are too tight can damage the hull. Tighten the nuts on the turnbuckles and tape over any cotter pins.

There are different sheeting arrangements for the boom. Some boats have sheets attached in the middle of the boom; the sheet on a DS II starts from a traveler on the transom and ends forward on a swivel cam cleat mounted to the centerboard case. The DS II boom also has a spring in the gooseneck that allowed for roller furling— disconnect the sheet, pull the boom aft, and roll the sail onto the boom. A reefing claw has to be added to connect the sheet to the sail-wrapped boom, but this design is not optimum, nor is the wad of rolled-up sail by the boom’s gooseneck. A better arrangement is to add a conventional set of reefpoints to the mainsail. The boom also has a vang to improve sail control.

The 6′ 3″ beam gives the Day Sailer good stability, enough to keep the boat under someone standing on the foredeck.

The jib on the racing version of the DS is a standard affair, attached with hanks onto the forestay and raised with a halyard. Some skippers add a downhaul to lower the jib from the cockpit. Both the main and jib halyards are led aft on the top of the cuddy. The recreational version of the new DS I comes with a roller-furling jib, which we consider essential for sailing dinghies, especially if singlehanding. We have added a roller-furling jib to our DS II along with the mast hinge. We also added the hardware and rigging for a spinnaker, halyard, spinnaker pole, spinnaker pole control lines, sheet blocks, and jam cleats.

T he Day Sailer is a treat to sail; it handles well, tacks with ease, and powers up quickly with its large sail area. The planing hull is responsive to the tiller, and the wide beam makes it stable. The boat will roll quickly but then sets on a tack, holding it with stable and positive helm control. The centerboard can be easily adjusted from amidships.

We sail a Drascombe Lugger and a Sunfish; the Lugger drives like the family sedan and the Sunfish like our Mustang. The Day Sailer handling is closer to that of the Sunfish—when the breeze picks up, the mainsheet needs to be held in the hand and someone should be ready on the jibsheets. The jibsheets run through the coaming on the DS I and through small cars on the DS II. For the highest performance, skippers have added tiller extensions and hiking straps. There is an outhaul on the battened main; racing versions have barber-haulers and travelers added. Pop the spinnaker, and it will scoot along quite nicely in a light breeze.

The Day Sailer carries 100 sq ft in the main, 45 sq ft in the jib and, for sailing off the wind, another 95 sq ft in spinnaker.

The Day Sailer’s 7′ 4″-long cockpit provides plenty of room for three adults, or two adults and two kids. With four adults it gets cozy; there is not much moving around, so whoever is sitting next to the tiller or foredeck needs to know what to do. It is easy to depower the main, reef it, or furl the jib as needed.

The cuddy is spacious for storing picnic or camping gear, and it affords a space equivalent to a two-person backpacker tent for sleeping aboard for overnight cruising. Adding a topping lift makes the boom nice ridgepole for a boom tent; there’s plenty of room to sleep in the uncluttered cockpit. The Day Sailer has completed many endurance cruising events, such as the Texas 200, Florida 120, and the Everglades Challenge.

A small kicker can be added for auxiliary power. We have used both an electric trolling motor and gas outboard, with best results coming from a 2-1/2-hp four-stroke that pushed push the boat to 6 knots at one-third throttle. The DS I will require a bracket to support and outboard; the DS II transom is thin and sturdy enough for a direct mount. If we’re not going far from home, we occasionally skip the outboard and carry a paddle; with her low coaming we have paddled her a bit, even backward over the transom.

The transom of the Day Sailer II will accommodate an outboard for auxiliary power. The Day Sailer I will require a bracket.

D ay Sailers are easy to find and inexpensive, considering their capabilities. If you come across one, there are few important things to check. Make sure the centerboard moves in the trunk, see that the forestay tang and bow seam are not pulled up, inspect the cuddy deck for noticeable depression which would indicate failure of the maststep under the cuddy floor, and if it is a DS II look inside the flotation compartments. Rinse her off and get her ready to sail. There is a great Day Sailer Association with a web-based forum, and excellent parts availability.

Audrey and Kent Lewis enjoy time with CYANE, along with their small fleet of kayaks, canoe, sailboats, and lapstrake runabout. They blog about their adventures on smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com

Day Sailer Particulars

Length:   16′ 9″ Beam:   6′ 3″ Draft, board up:   9″ Draft, board down:   3′ 9″ Displacement:   575 lbs Sail area Main:   100 sq ft Jib:   45 sq ft Spinnaker:   96 sq ft

The Day Sailer is built by Cape Cod Shipbuilding Company . Prices start at $18,335 (less sails). For more information about the Day Sailer Class, visit the Day Sailer Association .

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Comments (38)

Great article Kent! I have a sister to your boat, right down to the racing mast and blue hull!! But since we’re moving to the Pacific NW, I’m about to sell it. I’m limiting myself to only 3 boats for the move (and it’s a hard sorting out!!!!). Great write-up about a fantastic boat! Thanks! Charlie

My father was George O’Day. It is nice to know the basic design that my Dad helped create is still vibrant 60 years later. I always find it interesting since Dad was a pure racing sailor that he designed a boat and saw the importance of appealing to the recreational aspect of sailing. He wanted to open the door to the bigger audience to share his passion of sailing.

I sailed with your father on a Hobie 16 at a Red Cross small craft instructor program. So much fun sailing with a legend.

Charlie we know it’s hard, the Day Sailer is such a timeless boat. If she has to change skippers, find her a good one.

Miss Beth, so wonderful to hear from a family member, it must have been quite an adventure to grow up around boating and racing. That Day Sailer hull was Cap’n Jack’s favorite, we enjoyed looking at it. Thank you for the insight into your family’s history.

Cheers, Skipper and Clark

I’ve had an O’Day for years, my first sailboat. I love sailing her around our little lake.

This boat is the best for a small family. In Brazil it’s a great option.

O’Day DS was my first brand-new boat. I was a “veteran”of maybe six months sailing in the late 1960s and she taught me to love sailing.

Great boat design. I’ve sailed different ones on and off over the years. Still a favorite.

Beth, your father made great boats as my father still has an O’Day 20 he bought new in ’76 and it’s still like new and a great sailing boat!

I recently bought a 1966 model after downsizing from a Viking 28. My father owned a Rhodes 19 and we sailed that boat for years on the western end of Lake Ontario. The design was similar, so the transition to the 16 was easy. I love the boat because even in high winds I can make a simple adjustment to the main with reef points. Solo sailing is fun and safe. I can see why so many were sold.

Hello, I just bought O’day sailboat. I do believe from what I’ve been reading that it’s a Daysailer 1. I was told this boat has never been registered and never had a kicker motor on it, I can’t find the metal tag on the transom but I see the two rivet holes where it should have been. Is there any other place on this boat to find the serial number? I would like to put a kicker on it and register it and, if not, is there a way to register this boat? Thank you for helping

The requirements to register a small boat that has not been registered before is different for each state. In NY, a boat is registered through the DMV. HIN numbers are placed on the right side of the transom. If you do not have one your boat was made prior to 1972.

Thank you for the reply, I’m working on getting a HIN number now.

Check with O’Day. Some manufacturers hide a second HIN onboard. Worth a shot.

My boat has a plate on the inside toward the front of the boat. On the bulkhead (might not be the right term) behind the mast. You’ll have to crawl into the cubby to see it. It’s a little plate 2″ x 4″ and shows Hull no. and Class no. The paperwork I have says the boat was made in 1967. Does anyone know the difference between Hull number and Class number?

Can anyone give me today’s value of a 1960 O’Day Day Sailer, #333, with a small motor that goes on the mount with sails that all sit on a Dilly trailer? It has all the original woodwork that my husband redid. It does not have a spinnaker but has the jib and main and a Proctor mast.

My daughter and I are looking for an older (less expensive) sailboat. Not sure where your at , we are South of Boston. The O’Day is our first choice. If you are going sell, please reply to this comment. Thanks

[I’ll connect sellers to John. Ed.]

16′ O’Day Day Sailor with trailer and motor

2013 DS for sale in Sharon,MA. needs work on floatation tanks

At 30 years old, I just bought my first sailboat which is a 1965 DS I. The boat has sat for a few years and she needed a good power-washing plus painting of the hull and inside the cubby and several new lines. I’m completely inexperienced with sailing (plenty of time cleaning boats, though) and couldn’t be happier to learn on such a beautiful vessel. Thanks for this article! It’s great to get some background info. Plus, plenty of words to highlight as I expand my boating vocab.

Day Sailers are easy to find? I guess you know where to look (certainly no offers in Craigslist). I have not been lucky enough to come across a good one that is 10 to 20 years old. I live in Massachusetts. Would you mind sharing where to look for one?

I have an O’Day day sailer 16.5 ‘ up for the taking. Our family had years of good times sailing and camping with It. Great family boat. Wooden seats and rails. Needs some work. In central Massachusetts

I am assuming you have gotten rid of your O’Day day sailer – if not, I may be interested. I’m new to sailing at 57 years young! I just took lessons at KYC here in Blue Hill, ME and am looking for a great starter boat that I can learn in and have fun on the bay.

Thanks, Kelly

Actually, I just bought a 1989 DS2 from Craigslist, on trailer, for $300. It needs only minor work and a lot of cleaning. I hope to float it Saturday to see if it sinks like a rock (I know it has flotation), and will need glass work, but I could see nothing amiss while on the trailer.

So, never say never.

Hi Laranja, I just read your comment about trying to find a used O’Day Day Sailer. I live in Wareham where Cape Cod Shipbuilding is located, they are the current builders of the Day Sailer. They usually have used boats available. I have a 1971 DS, a wonderful boat.

I have a 2013 DS for sale in Sharon,MA. needs work on floatation tanks

Fantastic article

Interested in purchasing a fine example that was actively sailed

I agree with the many positive comments above. Great article! I was a longtime owner of an O’Day Widgeon (14′), and after many boat-less years I’m pleased to have purchased a 1984 O’Day Daysailer II just last week. It’s in good condition, and after sourcing a few needed part, I’ll enjoy it on lakes here in Georgia. Thanks for the great article, which has served as an orientation of sorts for me as to what to expect when I launch her for her maiden voyage under my ownership. A long-time marketing and sales executive, I’m naming her SAILS CALL!

I just got a DaySailer, thought it was a 67 DS1 but the transom is thick with a box on the port side by the transom so not sure now DSII?

I just today bought and brought home to MA a 1966 O’Day Day Sailer (as shown on the registration from NH), and it has a thick transom with lidded box on the port side. Also has a wide cuddly opening and wooden cowling and thwarts as described above for a DSI.

We’re down sizing from a 53′ Pearson to an O’Day 18 that someone offered us. I have no qualms about the sailing, but the temperature of the water here (Massachusetts to Connecticut) worries me very much, after a lifetime in the tropics. Are these dry boats when sailed conservatively?

I have a 2013 Cape Cod built DS for sale in MA. Needs some work on floatation tanks.

I just sold our Venturer 22 and picked up (rescued) an O’Day 16 DS. A couple weeks in the shop and it looks ready to sail. One question: the roller reefed main (boom) does not “lock in.” I suppose I could jiffy reef it but does anyone have experience with the roller reefing boom? Am I missing a part (the claw) or do I just not get it.

I want to buy an O’Day sail 17′

We have a 1976, 17′ foot O’Day DSll (?) on trailer that we are transferring to another family member. We are trying to figure out the best way to get it from Oregon to New Hampshire. Any ideas out there?

Great article. My only question is we’ve had the 69 O’day Javelin in the family since gramps bought it new but it always seemed too easy to get into trouble with and the one time we turned it over on a very windy day. It was nearly impossible to right back up without a lot of help. So I’m wondering if the DAYSAILER is a much better and more stable boat and more forgivable. There certainly are more of them around too. Thanks, Ed on Long Beach Island at the Jersey shore

Kent/Audrey,

What trailer make and model do you use for your DS?

Thanks, John in VA Beach

Hi all O’Day fans! I’ve been looking for a lightweight, skinny water sailboat that is fairly easy to row AND also has some sort of cabin arraignment, The boat would be used to beachcruise and camp on Florida’s Gulf Coast and in the Keys. I had almost given up on anything with a cabin until I ran across the O’Day 17, I may have found the perfect boat. Now all I need do is find one in my price range and learn how to sail !!! Oh, anyone out there have any experience in the Everglades Challenge? Fair winds and following seas…….

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O'day Daysailer Vs Other Makers: Price & Quality?

• Thread starter Spaudling
• Start date Mar 26, 2011
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Flying Scots are also another possibility. Just thought I'd make your choice even harder.  

You may have found this already, but below is a link to a website exclusively for daysailers. It includes forums as well as a for sale/wanted classified section. http://www.daysailer.org/index.php We learned on an early O'Day DS, great boat. Good luck.  

Spaudling said: I'm trying to buy a Daysailer. The O'Day built ones represent the standard, but made in the 1970's so it's hard to find one that isn't very worn and full of projects. Subsequent makers include Rebel and McLaughlin - supposedly well-built but impossible to find. That leaves those made by SLI Sunfish Laser, Performance, Spindrift and Cape Cod - but I have heard that these are much less desireable. Can anyone tell me, is that due to quality issues or because they are slower, or both? And how does that affect what I should pay? With a decent trailer, an O'Day sells for $800 to $2500 depending on condition and equipment, but they're still old, a repair-project-waiting-to-happen. On the other hand, I'd assume a 1996 SLI would be fetch up to $6000, but I've been told they aren't competitive so they aren't worth close to that. So what should I pay for one of these newer versions? Can anyone help me with this? All opinions are welcomed - and don't hold back on whether some of these others are dogs. I need to know this. Click to expand

DS1 I was referring to the craft actually know as the "Daysailer" (a 17' daggerboard dinghy with a small storage cuddy) originally made by O'Day but the design was purchased by a variety of other firms (listed above) who made the same boat with some variations over the subsequent years. But that was good feedback about the Precision 15. Sounds like a good alternative but I'm still focused on the DS1 because there's an established racing fleet nearby. I'm just trying to figure what to pay, particularly if the boat was built by one of the other makers.  

I now remember the O'Day Daysailor. My father owned an O'Day Widgeon which I learned to sail on. As I remember the boat, it was a fun boat that gave us no problems. My father and I went on to an O'Day 20 which was a good boat for what it was intended to be: basically a day sailor with over night accommodations. This was all in the early 70s and O'Day had a a big line of boats. I pushed the 20 pretty hard and never broke anything. I believe the Daysailor is a centerboard boat - not dagger board.  

Re: DS1 Of the ds1's (you want a ds1 because all of the other hull styles are heavier and hence slower) the original O'Days and the Rebels are considered to be the fastest and generally have the best resale values. Look at the website pointed out earlier... Yes, the older boats can be projects, but they are simple boats and you can usually get a better price by pointing out the defects. Look for a DS1 with a tapered proctor mast if you plan to race. Good starter boats can be found for $800-2000 depending on condition, gear, and record. Originally DS111, now DS13031  

A friend and I rented a DS1 on Bermuda and sailed across the Great Sound (?) to Hamilton under a funnel cloud. They are fun boats but I've never raced in one. If you want a racing DS boat you will have some extra controls I'd guess. I'd suggest you try to visit and even sail on some of the different makes you mentioned. A boat that was never rigged up for racing might not have a boom vang, spinnaker pole etc. Is there a DS website or racing association? They would know more about which makers conform with the 'fleet'.  

http://www.daysailer.org/dsa.php  

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O'Day 17' Daysailer - Suitability?

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Hi. Just signed up. Own and sail a Tartan 3700. Looking to buy a used O'Day 17' Daysailer for my 13 yr old son. Any advice on suitability or pitfalls of this boat? Thx  

I used to sail one in the 70's. Nice boat. In the dictionary, next to "daysailer", there's a picture of an O'Day 17.  

Ask your son first; his heart may be set on something different. Also, the Daysailers that I've seen don't have travelers.  

Is this something akin to giving kids hot dogs while adults eat steak?? Let the kid sail the 37! The unspoken message you are sending your boy is that you don't trust him on the mothership. (maybe you do trust him, but taking this at the way it's posted. him first.. son 2nd Own and sail a Tartan 3700. Looking to buy a used O'Day 17' Daysailer for my 13 yr old son.  

Don't know the experience of your boy but I wouldn't send him out on the 37. Way too much responsibility and liability for you. I dated a girl I didn't really like because her parents had a Rhodes 19 that she could take out. Didn't take her long to figure that my interest was in the Rhodes, not in her. The best way to learn is to do it and a small daysailer is the absolute best way to gain experience with out too many liabilities. After he's thoroughly comfortable in the O'day 17, let him sail the 37'. As far as driving, the more kids in a car, the crazier they act. With the O'day, can't get too crazy. To save money, you might want to be sure he's into it before shelling out for the small boat. When I was that age would've been hung ho for the opportunity, today's kids seem to be content with an iPad.  

You guys are being too hard on him. A boat of your own to go out and explore with no adults aboard ! I'd have killed for that at 13 ! Denise I'd say it's a strong message that dad trusts him to go out on his own. Kids learn when you give them responsibility. And it's a cool day sailer.  

JimMcGee said: You guys are being too hard on him. A boat of your own to go out and explore with no adults aboard ! I'd have killed for that at 13 ! Denise I'd say it's a strong message that dad trusts him to go out on his own. Kids learn when you give them responsibility. And it's a cool day sailer. Click to expand...

Well, uh.. thanks. That was not quite what I was expecting/looking for. I included the statement that I owned/sailed the 37 to let folks know that I have some experience. I've sailed J boats, Farr racers, an Olsen 30, many other mid size cruisers and a number of large (60ft+) racers at Key West, Heineken, Bermuda, NovaScotia... etc. But never been on an a Daysailor. I was asking about the suitability of the O'Day 17' wrt it's seaworthiness, structural integrity and handling.... not wrt a social commentary on child raising. I'll try again. My son has had basic sailing lessons on lasers, sunfish and been on a 420 and a Flying Scot. On the Tartan 37 he is often bored unless he is playing on his iPhone. He thinks he wants a 420.... I was thinking that the O'Day, with it's cuddy cabin and less 'technical' set-up would be great for him and a buddy to mess around on in the bay.... exploring, camping, etc. But, I have read some material about the O'day's difficulty in being righted when capsized, and other info re minor centerboard trunk leaks...... Not ever having sailed one myself, but being a fairly capable boat maintainer, I was looking for advice by folks that might actually know something about sailing and maintaining one, esp a used one. If you have that advice, please respond. Otherwise, thanks, but no thanks.  

leavittg said: But, I have read some material about the O'day's difficulty in being righted when capsized, and other info re minor centerboard trunk leaks...... Not ever having sailed one myself, but being a fairly capable boat maintainer, I was looking for advice by folks that might actually know something about sailing and maintaining one, esp a used one. If you have that advice, please respond. Otherwise, thanks, but no thanks. Click to expand...

It's an open site and open to all kinds of input.  

At that age I didn't want anything with a cabin of any kind, I was club racing, I wanted fun and fast. I'd go Laser or something along those lines. LOL or anything that didn't look like it came from my grandfather!  

Get a 420 or a FS if you want him to learn real sailing . the Oday is a clunk of a boat compared to the 420 and much harder to handle when not in the water and to a 13 year old it's like getting to drive his Gram pa's Chrysler Imperial. Keep it simple, small and lite, the easier it is to rig and handle the more he will want to sail it. should be a boat that 13 year olds can right. and not one that will swamp. My kids learned on our Prindle 16 and by the time they were 14 I no longer got to sail it very often. got to crew a little. by the time they were 15 they wanted a crew that was more fun.  

I grew up sailing an O'Day Daysailer. It is an ok boat but I think the advice you've already gotten is pretty good. If he flips it, it is a b...tch to right and bail out. We used to play chicken with the main trimmer and the driver...I think we flipped a bit too often. Anyway, I'd look for something a bit more sporty. Good luck.  

Steps... 1) show him pictures of the 17, 420, 29er 2) ask which he wants 3) buy the 29er he is drooling over. If he wants to race, or at least sail a fast boat why buy him something he really doesn't want to be on. Sure being 12-13 and having any boat is a major win and I loved my falling apart SouthCoast 21 at that age, but given the option... The 29er used runs about $5,000 ready to sail on a trailer so it's a bit more than the others are. So if that's out of budget, ignore it as an option, but otherwise it is a far better boat. The only downside is buying a kid a 29er is doomed to cure him of the need to carry along huge lumps of lead all the time. He will forever want to sail fast technical boats that reward skill and physical ability.  

I have sailed an O'Day DS II for 20+ years. First off, I can tell you that the boat is definitely not self rescuing. If you capsize it, you will most likely need assistance getting the boat to shallow enough water so it can be bailed out. Having said that, I've never capsized mine. I've taken significant water over the lee side in gusts but never gone completely over. The centerboard leak problem is unique to the DS II model. The DS I has a lever actuated centerboard on the side of the trunk, the DS II has a rope/cable uphaul/downhaul. I have had two failures on my boat in the time I've owned it. First was the stemhead fitting where the jib and forestay attach. It did not fail completely; I replaced and re-enforced it prior to failure. The second was the mast compression post. Both were easy, inexpensive fixes and there is a very helpful online forum of Daysailer owners with plenty of good advice. You are correct about the cuddy; a ton of camping gear can be stored in there and if that's of interest to your son, the DS would be a good choice. I have beach and boatcamped on mine many times. Daysailers can be found in decent condition for an inexpensive price as well. A 420 would definitely be a more wild ride, but won't hold much in the way of camping gear. It all depends on what he wants to do with the boat. Good Luck!  

Can you please tell me about the centerboard leak issue? I have one on a little lake in Maine, and last summer the damn thing nearly sank at it's mooring because of water shooting in around thye port where the line exits to lift the centerboard. Talk about a design flaw. Luckily , I happened to glance out and see the boat listing at it's mooring and was able to effect a rescue, but if I hadn't spotted it, the boat would have happily sunk to the bottom. I want to give this boat to my son, but I have some real serious reservations about this boat, sailing on a big lake or in a bay in Maine. Is there anything I can do to correct this problem? There doesn't even seem to be any easy way to install a bilge pump in the boat. I have never capsized the boat, but have taken on water, and the cockpit doesn't drain very well either. Any suggestions, ideas you can offer here will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! John  

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