Flying Saucer (O'day) Information, Review, Specs

History and Design

The O'Day Flying Saucer emerged during a period of prolific production for O'Day Corp., a company founded by Olympic gold medalist George O'Day. By the mid-1960s, O'Day had become a leading American sailboat manufacturer, known for embracing fiberglass construction to produce a wide range of popular, user-friendly boats. The company's design philosophy favored dependable, forgiving vessels, particularly appealing to families and new sailors. This ethos extended to the Flying Saucer, even as it aimed for a more performance-oriented niche.

Designed by Andrew Kostanecki, the Flying Saucer was specifically engineered to be a "high-speed planing boat." Its production run lasted from 1966 to 1970, with 271 units built, establishing its place within O'Day's diverse fleet of the era. The boat featured a solid fiberglass hull and deck, ensuring durability and consistent quality, hallmarks of O'Day's manufacturing at the time.

Sailing Performance and Handling

True to its design brief, the O'Day Flying Saucer was engineered for lively performance. With a length overall of 15 feet and a waterline length of 13 feet, it was a lightweight dinghy built for speed and responsiveness. Its fractional sloop rig, combined with a self-tending jib and a "bendy rig," was designed to automatically adjust sail shape, optimizing performance across various wind conditions.

The Flying Saucer is equipped with a centerboard keel, offering significant versatility. This design allows for a minimum draft of just 0.5 feet, making it ideal for launching from beaches or navigating shallow waters, while a maximum draft of 3.25 feet with the board down provides enhanced stability and upwind performance. Owners could expect a nimble and balanced boat, capable of quick acceleration and the thrill of planing. Furthermore, O'Day incorporated foam-packed positive flotation, ensuring that the boat could be easily righted if capsized, a crucial safety feature for a performance dinghy.

Accommodations and Layout

As a 15-foot sailing dinghy primarily designed for day sailing and performance, the O'Day Flying Saucer offers minimal in the way of enclosed accommodations. There is no specified maximum headroom, and the layout is characteristic of an open sailboat of its size. The design prioritizes a spacious cockpit for sailing rather than an elaborate interior. While some O'Day models of similar size incorporated small cuddy cabins, details regarding a specific interior layout for the Flying Saucer beyond its open nature are not widely documented.