Daysailer II Buyer's Guide
The O'Day Day Sailer II is the 1971–1985 evolution of the original O'Day Day Sailer, a fiberglass trailerable sloop designed by Uffa Fox with George O'Day and built by O'Day Corp. Over 4,000 were made, and the model retains the planing performance and cuddy comfort that made the class a fixture on lakes, bays, and coastal racecourses. For a shopper scanning used O'Day Day Sailer IIs, the II is recognizable by its self-bailing cockpit, gunwale-level foam flotation, and the smaller cuddy opening that doubles as a thwart — features that separate it from both the wooden-thwart DS I and the higher-freeboard, non-race-legal DS III.
Layouts on the Used Market
The used fleet is overwhelmingly the 16 feet 9 inches centerboarder with a 7-foot-4-inch cockpit and a forward cuddy that sleeps two for camping. Because the current Day Sailer in production is a modified DS I rather than a true II, a buyer wanting class-legal one-design racing with the DS II should confirm the foam flotation, cuddy thwart, and thinner outboard-ready transom. The cockpit sole's contrasting color, molded waterline stripe, and gold anodized mast are typical visual tells of the II's standard accent and safety groups.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Consequences for a buyer cluster around power, shelter, and sail handling. The transom is reinforced for an outboard up to 7 HP and shaped to mount it without a bracket, while the cockpit sole has provision for a secure fuel tank. A vinyl lockable cuddy enclosure is an accessory worth having for overnight use. For sailing, the standard rig already includes roller reefing and cam cleats, but the high-performance group's quick-release cam cleats and adjustable jib leads are meaningful upgrades, and a hinged mast — about 75 percent of new boats shipped with one — eases trailering. A boom crutch and insulated icebox round out the practical comforts.
What to Inspect
Few issues plague the design, but the safety systems are load-bearing. Verify the self-bailing cockpit and suction drain still function and that the positive foam flotation at gunwale level is intact and not waterlogged. Check the two cockpit inspection/bailing ports and the automatic cockpit drain for blockage or cracking. Because the cuddy opening is smaller and acts as a thwart, inspect that structure for stress, and confirm the stainless steel rigging with swaged terminals and turnbuckles has not been compromised by age.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Day Sailer II is a forgiving, family-oriented boat for lakes, bays, or coastal racing, with class infrastructure that keeps fleets active. When inspecting a candidate, the short checklist is: confirm foam flotation is sound, test the self-bailing and automatic drain, check the cuddy thwart opening for integrity, verify rigging terminals, and confirm outboard provisions match the reinforced transom.