More than 4,000 Day Sailer IIs were built during the production run—over 4,000 DS IIs in a class whose total production exceeded 10,000 boats. Both the Day Sailer II and the original were accepted by the Day Sailer Class Association. That gives the design a deep one-design racing pedigree, with more than 79 active fleets still drawn to regional and national championships.
Design and Construction
The Day Sailer II’s built-in safety features set it apart from the earlier DS I. The restyled boat introduced positive foam flotation at gunwale level, along with a deck and cockpit shaped to maintain high buoyancy and make the boat self-rescuing.
The cockpit is entirely self-bailing. Its suction-bailing system pulls heavy spray, rain, and other water out of the boat, while an automatic cockpit drain and two cockpit inspection and bailing ports provide backup.
A thinner transom than the DS I’s allowed owners to mount a small outboard without a bracket. The transom was reinforced to carry an engine of up to 7 HP. The cockpit sole also included provisions for securing a fuel tank when an outboard was fitted.
Colors were molded in, including a two-tone cockpit sole in a color contrasting with the white deck and a gold racing stripe. The mast and boom were gold-anodized and had foam-filled sections. Hardware was non-corrosive or stainless steel, while the rigging used stainless steel wire with swaged terminals and turnbuckles.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig was arranged for a short-handed crew to control from the cockpit. All sheets and halyards were readily handled from there, with cam-action cleats standard on every sheet and adjustable jib-sheet leads.
On the Day Sailer II, the mainsheet runs from a traveler on the transom forward to a swivel cam cleat on the centerboard case. A spring in the gooseneck allowed roller furling of the boom, complemented by standard roller reefing. Stainless steel wire halyards with Dacron tails and best Dacron running rigging completed the setup.
Two people can manage the rig, even with the optional spinnaker, except in more severe conditions. The sail plan combines a 105-square-foot mainsail with a 45-square-foot jib. A 169-square-foot spinnaker provides the exciting downwind sailing for which the class is known.
The fiberglass boat is trailerable, and its kick-up rudder helps keep launching and storage straightforward. Its centerboard draws 3 feet 9 inches when lowered, however, so it requires care on a trailer.
Cockpit and Cuddy
Forward of the cockpit is a small cuddy cabin. Its opening is smaller than the opening on the DS I because it also serves as a thwart, but the cuddy still provides adequate room for two people to camp overnight. An accessory lockable vinyl enclosure was available for privacy and weather protection.
The contour-molded cockpit seats have a nonskid pattern to provide secure footing when wet. A generous insulated icebox sits beneath the forward port seat. Standard-equipment groups also included a boom crutch, a mooring and trailering bow eye, and through-bolted mooring and stern cleats.
Class Support and Ownership
The Day Sailer is backed by one of the largest and most active class associations. The Day Sailer Class Association now owns the molds, which Cape Cod Shipbuilding Company has used under an exclusive license since 1994. Parts, class-legal upgrades, and fleet racing therefore remain accessible decades after the O’Day production run.
The boat originally came with a two-year warranty. That warranty has long since expired, and age-related rigging wear is now the buyer’s responsibility.
The Verdict
The Day Sailer II is a forgiving, family-oriented trailerable sloop. It retains the original’s planing performance and cuddy comfort while building self-rescue features into the boat. Its class infrastructure is exceptional for a boat of this size, and two people can genuinely manage the rig except in more severe conditions.
The trade-offs are largely inherent in the type. The cuddy provides only minimal shelter, and its opening is smaller than the DS I’s. The centerboard’s 3-foot-9-inch draft also calls for care when the boat is on its trailer.
Pros
- Self-bailing cockpit, suction drain, and positive foam flotation make the boat self-rescuing
- Cockpit-led rig, cam cleats, and roller reefing suit short-handed sailing
- Deep class support, active fleets, and association-owned molds provide long-term continuity
- Thinner transom accepts an outboard without a bracket and is reinforced for up to 7 HP
Cons
- Tight cuddy has a smaller opening than the DS I’s and is suited only to camping for two
- Centerboard draft of 3 feet 9 inches requires care on a trailer
- Original two-year warranty has long expired, leaving age-related rigging wear to the buyer
