O'Day 28
Built 1978–1986 by O'Day Corp.
About the O'Day 28
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Built
- 1978–1986
- Builder
- O'Day Corp.
- Designer
- C. Raymond Hunt Assoc.
- Length
- 28.25 ft
- Waterline
- 22.92 ft
- Beam
- 10.25 ft
- Draft
- 4.5 ft
- Displacement
- 7,300 lb
- Ballast
- 2,350 lb
- Hull / keel
- fin keel
- Rig
- sloop
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Fuel
- 18 gal
- Water
- 25 gal
- Holding
- 15 gal
- Water heater
- AC + engine · factory option
- Number built
- 544
- Stern thruster
- not fitted
- Steering
- tiller
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
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Fuel 18 gal
“Fuel 18 U.S. Gallons” — owner's manual, sbo.sailboatowners.comThe O'Day (Bangor Punta) owner's manual for the O'Day 28 gives 18 US gal on its dimensions and capacities page. Sailing-school and charter sources, and an owner describing an 18-gal tank, agree.
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Water 25 gal
“Water 25 U.S. Gallons” — owner's manual, sbo.sailboatowners.comThe owner's manual capacities page gives 25 US gal; the 6-gal water heater is listed separately and not added.
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Holding 15 gal
“The holding tank has a capacity of 15 gallons.” — search excerpt, goodoldboat.com · “a holding tank of approx. 13 gallons capacity” — search excerpt, forums.sailboatowners.com · “Head Holding Tank 15 U.S. Gallons” — owner's manual, sbo.sailboatowners.comThe owner's manual capacities page gives 15 US gal, matching Good Old Boat. A forum owner's figure of about 13 gal was a rough measurement.
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Water heater AC + engine · factory option
“Pressure Hot & Cold Water with Shower 825.00 (option, O'Day 28 and O'Day 30)” — builder (1984 models (price list effective Aug 1,), sbo.sailboatowners.com · “If your O'Day yacht is equipped with the optional water heater, it will be installed to operate off both the engine cool” — owner's manual, sbo.sailboatowners.com · “WATER HEATER 1500 WATT ELEMENT (MAX) (O'Day Yachts drawing 28-3037)” — owner's manual (1980), sbo.sailboatowners.comBangor Punta's 1984-model price list prices pressure hot and cold water with shower as an option, and an O'Day 28 dealer sheet lists it too. The O'Day yacht owner's manual calls the heater optional, heated by engine coolant and a 110 V element (1500 W max on the O'Day 28 110 V drawing). No capacity is given in the pages seen.
Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.
Thrusters and steering — where this comes from
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Bow thruster unknown
The builder's 1984 suggested retail price list (options only; the standard list is not included) has no thruster option.
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Stern thruster not fitted
Our earlier figure of none had no source. The builder's 1984 suggested retail price list (options only; the standard list is not included) has no thruster option.
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Steering tiller
“Tiller Extension - Adjustable Length (option); Compass - Pedestal Mount (Available with wheel steering option only)” — builder (1984), sbo.sailboatowners.com · “Wheel Steering - 28" wheel, brake, and engine controls mounted on pedestal (option, O'Day 28 and O'Day 30)” — builder (1984), sbo.sailboatowners.com · “Parts List / Edson Pedestal Steering Assembly (Edson EB-204 sheet enclosed in the builder manual; cables and chain to qu” — owner's manual, sbo.sailboatowners.comA tiller was standard; the 1984 builder price list offers pedestal wheel steering (28-in wheel, brake, engine controls) as an option. The Bangor Punta O'Day 28 manual includes Edson's pedestal-steerer parts sheet (chain and cable to a quadrant), so the optional wheel appears to be an Edson pedestal cable system; no brand is given for the tiller.
Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.
Fin keel with spade rudder, 4.5 ft; a keel/centerboard version (3.25 ft up / 6.83 ft down, 2,725 lb ballast) was later replaced by a 3.67 ft shoal fixed keel; a 4.67 ft deeper keel and a tall rig are also listed. Encapsulated lead keel (no keel bolts) and a structural hull liner per owner. Also offered with a 2-cylinder OMC gas saildrive. Sailboatdata lists Bangor Punta Marine as builder (O'Day parent) and does not state the rudder type beyond spade. The owner-reported Yanmar 3GM30 is an oversize repower that needed modifications. Hull laminate not stated in sources read; an owner says about 500 were built (sailboatdata: 544).
Engines fitted
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Universal 12 (diesel) — 10 hp, diesel, single
standard
Wikipedia (citing sailboat spec databases) lists a Universal 12 diesel rated 10 hp for the 1978-86 O'Day 28.Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Generator
The 1984-model builder option list (shore power, refrigeration, pressure water, etc.) has no generator; the owner's manual shows 12 V and optional 110 V shore power only.
Manuals and brochures online
- Owner's manual O'Day Yacht Owner's Manual - O'Day 28 (Bangor Punta; dimensions and capacities, plumbing, electrical, rigging) — sbo.sailboatowners.com
- Document OdayOwners.com downloads for the O'Day 28 (owner's manual, price sheets) — oday.sailboatowners.com
- Price list O'Day 28 / O'Day 30 suggested retail price list, 1984 models (effective Aug 1, 1983), plus a dealer O'Day 28 option sheet (1983-84) — sbo.sailboatowners.com
Hosted by the builder or an owners' association; they own the copyright.
Known problems for this model
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Universal impeller vanes block cooling passages cooling
An owner found the Universal diesel running hot because broken impeller vanes had lodged downstream in the cooling passages. Account for missing vanes whenever the impeller is replaced.oday.sailboatowners.com
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Original engine underpowered engine
An owner thought the original engines were underpowered and now old, and suggested buying a repowered boat. Some boats were converted to outboards.cruisersforum.com
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Mildewed hull-side carpet and mediocre joinery interior
The carpet lining on the hull sides stains and mildews with age, and the joinery is modest. The hull and encapsulated lead keel are considered solid.cruisersforum.com
Model sources (6)
sailboatdata.com · cruisersforum.com · oday.sailboatowners.com · en.wikipedia.org · sbo.sailboatowners.com · sbo.sailboatowners.com
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Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.