O'Day 40 (Hulls 1-134)

Description

The O'Day 40 (Hulls 1-134) is an American-built cruiser-racer sailboat designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates and produced from 1986 to mid-1987 by O'Day Corp. (under Lear Siegler Marine) in Fall River, Massachusetts, as the initial production run featuring a standard masthead sloop rig—prior to the taller configuration introduced on hull #135—balancing solid coastal seaworthiness, generous liveaboard volume, and respectable performance for couples or small families on passages or club racing with an average PHRF handicap around 114 signaling cruiser-racer capability. Constructed from balsa-cored fiberglass with a fin keel and spade rudder for agile handling (standard 6.3-foot draft or optional shoal 4.9-foot version), it displaces 18,500 pounds with 6,600 pounds of lead ballast, measures 39.58 feet LOA, 33.50 feet LWL, 12.60 feet beam, achieving a hull speed of 7.76 knots and approximately 704 square feet of sail area under its Bermuda configuration (I=50.6 ft, J=15.2 ft, P=44.3 ft, E=13.25 ft) powered by a reliable 40 HP Yanmar or Westerbeke diesel engine with 40 gallons of fuel and 80 gallons of water capacity for extended motoring. Renowned for its conservative sail area/displacement ratio of 16.16, comfortable 6'2" headroom in a teak-trimmed interior boasting two double cabins (V-berth forward and aft owner's suite), a large U-shaped galley, nav station, enclosed head with shower, and convertible saloon sleeping up to six, plus a walkthrough transom and wheel steering for easy cockpit access, the O'Day 40 hulls 1-134 represent the foundational 134 units of a limited series totaling around 100 before the yard's closure, enduring as a sturdy, low-maintenance classic for sailors valuing Hunt's timeless lines, forgiving stability, and surprising interior spaciousness over outright speed.