Design and Construction
What separates the Day Sailer II from the earlier DS I is its built-in safety architecture. The restyled II introduced positive foam flotation at gunwale level and a deck and cockpit shaped to maintain high buoyancy and make the boat self-rescuing. The cockpit is entirely self-bailing, with a suction-bailing system that literally pulls heavy spray, rain, or other water out of the boat, backed by an automatic cockpit drain and two cockpit inspection/bailing ports. A thinner transom than the DS I allowed a small outboard to be mounted without a bracket, and the transom itself was reinforced to carry an engine up to 7 HP. All colors are molded in, including a two-tone cockpit sole in a contrasting color to the white deck, a gold racing stripe, and gold anodized mast and boom with foam-filled sections. Hardware throughout is non-corrosive or stainless steel, and the rigging uses stainless steel wire with swaged terminals and turnbuckles.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig is built for short-handed command from the cockpit. All sheets and halyards are easily handled from inside the cockpit, with cam-action cleats standard for all sheets and adjustable jib-sheet leads. The main sheet on the II runs from a traveler on the transom forward to a swivel cam cleat on the centerboard case, and the boom carries a spring in the gooseneck that allowed for roller furling, complemented by standard roller reefing. Stainless steel wire halyards with dacron tails and best dacron running rigging round out a rig that two people can manage even with the optional spinnaker, except under more severe conditions. The sail plan itself pairs a 105-square-foot mainsail with a 45-square-foot jib, and the 169-square-foot spinnaker speaks to the exciting downwind sailing the class is known for.
Accommodations
Forward of the cockpit sits the cuddy cabin, its opening smaller than the opening on the DS I because it doubles as a thwart, yet still providing adequate room for two to camp out overnight. An accessory vinyl lockable cuddy enclosure was available for privacy and weather protection. In the cockpit, the contour-molded seats carry a nonskid pattern for sure footing when wet, and a generous insulated icebox sits under the forward port seat. The cockpit sole includes provisions for secure placement of a fuel tank when an outboard is fitted, and a boom crutch, mooring and trailing bow eye, and thru-bolted mooring and stern cleats were part of the standard equipment groups.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership is supported by one of the largest and most active class associations, with the Day Sailer Class Association owning the molds now used by Cape Cod Shipbuilding Company under an exclusive license since 1994. That continuity means parts, class-legal upgrades, and fleet racing remain accessible decades after production. The boat originally carried a two-year warranty, and its trailerable fiberglass construction with kick-up rudder keeps launching and storage simple.
The Verdict
The Day Sailer II is a forgiving, family-oriented trailerable sloop that kept the planing performance and cuddy comfort of the original while embedding self-rescue into the hull. Its class infrastructure is exceptional for a boat this size, and the rig is genuinely manageable by two people. The main trade-offs are inherent to the type: the cuddy is minimal shelter, and the centerboard draft demands care on a trailer.
Pros
- Self-bailing cockpit with suction drain and positive foam flotation make it self-rescuing
- Cockpit-led rig with cam cleats and roller reefing is manageable short-handed
- Deep class association with active fleets and owned molds for long-term support
- Thinner transom accepts an outboard without a bracket; reinforced to 7 HP
Cons
- Cuddy is tight, with a smaller opening than the DS I, suited only for camping two
- Centerboard draft of 3 feet 9 inches requires trailer awareness
- Original two-year warranty long expired; age-related rigging wear is the buyer's burden
