She measures just over 21 feet overall, with an 18.9-foot waterline and a 7.2-foot beam. Displacement is around 2,000 pounds, including 600 pounds of lead ballast encapsulated in the solid-fiberglass hull molding.
Design and Construction
The 22 was a minimal boat built tightly to a price, but she was attractively styled. Practical Sailor praised her exterior proportions, including the stylish rake of the transom.
The solid-fiberglass deck and hull reflect the marque’s hand-laid practice of the era. The spars, rigging, and hardware are as good as those found on comparable boats, although the stamped stainless-steel hinged mast step demands a steady hand—and a steady boat—when raising or lowering the mast.
Later examples acquired a centerboard and an advertised weight of 300 pounds. Practical Sailor found the later 22s to be, frankly, a mixed bag of quality and shabbiness. Reader reports mention gelcoat voids against an otherwise historically high laminate standard, and there is consistent evidence of print-through across the fleet.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The original 22 carried a masthead rig. Later boats acquired a fractional rig with a relatively small spinnaker, making the boat a fun platform on which to learn spinnaker handling. Jiffy reefing is standard, and the mainsheet terminates in a cam-action cleat 16 inches up the single backstay. The two #10 Barient sheet winches are inadequate for anything larger than a working jib, and halyard winches weren’t standard.
Without a centerboard, the 22 simply didn’t have the performance to match her racy image. Even with one, she is hardly a ball of fire under sail. She doesn’t point well, and tacking through 100 degrees isn’t uncommon.
The boat is tender and has a disconcerting tendency to round up when a puff hits. With her three-quarter foretriangle and working jib, she is under-canvassed and sluggish in light air, especially downwind. The 2-foot minimum draft is an unwarranted sacrifice of performance and stability unless the boat is ramp-trailered. On the positive side, the underwater fairing is better than average.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The cockpit is almost ideal for a boat of this size. At 6-1/2 feet long, it is spacious, with opposing seats positioned so crew can brace their feet. The coaming provides security and an armrest, and the cockpit is self-bailing. Seat-locker space is excellent, with a quarterberth below.
Belowdecks, however, the O’Day 22 epitomizes the “Clorox bottle” description often applied to bare-fiberglass interiors. Finish and décor are poor, with sloppily fitted teak trim set against teak-printed Formica and flimsy cabinetry. This is basically a daysailer with incidental overnight accommodations.
The initial dinette quickly gave way to opposing settees. They are a bit narrow for two adults to sleep on, though two will fit, and they’re uncomfortable to sit on without backrests. The forward V-berths are terrible and suitable only for small children.
A sliding door encloses the forward cabin, while another encloses the head—a rare feature on a boat of this size. The galley includes a small sink and space for a two-burner stove. Opposite the head, however, the bin/hanging locker is inadequate, and the boat desperately needs more stowage.
Known Issues
Because the companionway sill is low, the lower hatchboard must remain in place to prevent water from reaching the cabin during a knockdown.
The centerboard, where fitted, will be difficult to maintain. The outboard’s remote gas-tank hose can also be pinched in use, despite the otherwise sound provision of a separate sealed well for the tank. Gelcoat voids and print-through appear on the laminate surfaces.
The stamped stainless-steel hinged mast step also calls for care when stepping or lowering the mast.
Trailering, Ownership, and Refits
The advertised trailering weight of 1,800 pounds grew to a more realistic minimum of 2,200 pounds, or 2,500 pounds with the trailer. That puts the package beyond practical limits without a heavy car and special gear.
Boats produced later in the run with a centerboard or fractional rig also inherited the mixed build quality associated with those examples. O’Day boats have enjoyed good value on the used market, and despite her age, the 22 is still not outdated.
The Verdict
The O’Day 22 MH is a Hunt-designed daysailer built tightly to a price. Her excellent cockpit ergonomics, self-bailing cockpit, sound hardware, and enclosed head are strong points. Against those, buyers must weigh a bare, flimsy interior, inadequate stowage, weak light-air performance, poor pointing, and a tender hull that tends to round up in a puff.
She is better suited to a ramp-trailering sailor who wants to race and learn than to someone looking for a capable cruiser.
Pros
- Superb cockpit with a secure coaming and excellent seat lockers
- High-quality spars, rigging, and hardware for the class
- Encapsulated lead ballast and better-than-average underwater fairing
- Rare enclosed head on a 22-foot boat
Cons
- Tender, with poor pointing and sluggish, under-canvassed light-air performance
- Flimsy interior, poor finish, and inadequate stowage
- Difficult centerboard maintenance and a gas hose that can be pinched in use
- Low companionway sill requires the lower hatchboard to remain in place during knockdowns
