One benefit of the smaller boat I didn't hear mentioned is trailerability. The smaller boat can be taken from coast to coast and sailed on almost any lake in between. Having a boat that can be towed without special permits also saves a boatload of money in slip fees, bottom paint and haul-out fees etc. I've seen a couple of youtube videos of trailer-sailers who also use the boat as an RV in rv parks while en route to their destination. I guess we all agree that in the end there is no one single "perfect" boat. They all serve a purpose and offer unique advantages.
That's kind of a big thing for me. I live close to some lakes but I really want to sail in the ocean, that's about 6h drive and would cost a bunch to dock somewhere.
I found that a 28ft trailer sailer was perfect for our wants and needs. It can float in less than a foot of water but still has the room to live aboard for months giving access to some of the best small shallow creeks in our area. I have owned our boat for over 25 years and my three children have grown up having our family holidays away on it. I have considered going bigger and moored but we would loose a lot especially being able to do all the work on it right in our driveway or going back to a smaller boat but the wife wouldn't be happy loosing all that storage space. For me it's all about what you want to use it for and where you want to take it and there's nothing better than escaping the crowds up a small clear cool shaded creek in the middle of a stinking hot summer here in Australia and I can stay up there for weeks and be happy.
Also, can you take the mast down by hand on a 28? I've seen it done on a 22. So that means you could save a ton not having to pay docking fees. And like you said, less paint and such = cheaper yearly costs
@@beorbeorian150 does not work at all on a sailboat as the mast would be laying down across the cockpit and companionway. Yes, there are ways to lift and block it up but its not going to be pleasant.
My trailer sailer cost almost nothing. Fits on my second driveway next to the rv. Had a 30 ft large center console. Also after I had a 45 foot cabin cruiser. I came down to earth and realized it wasn't good for me, my lifestyle, ect. The work took away from the fun. To each their own. I just have so many things I already own and have to maintain. I try to buy things that are low maintenance so I can enjoy life more.
Yeah it really depends on if you're a weekend sailor or spending a significant amount of time sailing. For some, a 28 would simply be too cumbersome. But for others, a 22 would be way too tiny to be comfortable in
Lol....they are both small boats! The Oday is a proper cruising boat however, while the C-22 is a day-sailor. I sailed a 20' Pacific Seacraft Flicka from Los Angeles to La Paz Mexico and cruised for several months in the Sea of Cortez with it. Without an engine. I've owned and cruised a Catalina 30 back in the US since 2012, so I too know the difference a larger boat can make. There are pros and cons to each, but larger boats are generally faster and more comfortable than smaller boats. That said, I'd rather be on my 20' Flicka offshore in a gale than in my Catalina 30 both for comfort and safety. The C-30 might be more comfortable in typical sailing conditions, and especially at anchor, but as the wind and seas build, she becomes quite a handful if you don't stay on top of sail trim and area. The Flicka's the opposite. You get knocked around more in milder choppy conditions of a 15 knot breeze, but as the wind and seas build, she digs in and goes to weather like freight train - even when over canvased. The Catalina must be carefully canvased and steered to remain on her feet. Smaller boats are easier to handle and are much cheaper to berth, equip, operate and maintain. Size doesn't matter much as far as seaworthiness is concerned - big ships sink all the time, and small boats routinely cross oceans. It all comes down to the boat's design, preparation, maintenance, and especially, the skill and prudence of it's skipper. A prudent skipper watches the weather, knows his boat's and crew's capabilities and limitations, and respects all of it.
The bigger boat in this video seemed very large compared to other 28' boats. Nice layout. I like my little boat, it's a lot roomier than the tent we used before :)
Tiller vs wheel is a complex discussion under 32ft. My 30ft islander 1972 has a Tiller you can feel the boat when sailing but it goes out of the way when not in use. It's simple, strong and capable. In short a wheel is a complexity that's not needed. Plus auto pilot can be as cheep as 300.00
Very true! I totally get what you're saying, and agree with you, but the difference has been that my wife now sails, my friends now sail... that didn't happen with the tiller. Less room, yes, more complexity, yes, less feel and speed on the rudder, yes... but there are also benefits, like the fact that I can see forward and sit in the center, which is more comfortable not always looking to the side when seated sideways, we have a cockpit table and chart plotter right in front of us, not way up by the companionway, and it's easier for friends and family to take over. We can sit together back behind the wheel, too. I prefer the wheel, so far.
The 28 ft. boat is a bit more than a just a daysailer, where as the Catalina 22 is designed mostly as a daysailer. I think the 28 is perfect as a daysailer and/or coastal cruiser. I almost bought a C22 just for that; day sailing. Hard to get my 35 out just for day sailing. Great video and honest comparison.
Little sailboats sit on trailers. Big sailboats sit in marinas. Bigger sailboats cross oceans and sit in anchorages or marinas anywhere. It's all about boating and it's all good. I've actually had more fun in little boats but choose to live on a 40 footer.
i've read if you are going to live in it for long periods of time 35 to 45 ft is about right... but if you just using it to cruise on the weekends or occasional vacation type sailing then 25 to 35ft is ok.. i don't know.. just reading lots of things about it. looks like fun but also there seems to be a lot more that most of these people sailing around the world aren't telling you. Thanks, yours is informative.
Thank you. One thing to think about is having a larger boat, like 35 feet would be more cost to maintain, more marina fees, etc... and if you're just going out day sailing you really won't be in inside and it might not sail as well in light winds. Since you basically sail at a walking speed of 4-5 knots, think about where you might be able to get for a weekend... probably about the distance you can drive in 45 minutes, that's it. So unless you're retired and can take weeks off, you can't really get far. Living aboard, yea, I don't know how anyone can do it even on a 45' boat... it's just a small space to be in but everyone has their own limits.
A year from now, it would be fun to share the difference in maintenance work and cost comparison of a little boat and a medium size boat. The new boat is about 27% bigger but the volume is probably double--guessing.
I hadn't met you guys yet when you had the Catalina 22 Knot Enough, (which as you know I consider a fine boat) but you guys definitely have a lot smiles per dollar now!
Cost! I recently sold my Ericson 27' sailboat in favor of a Catalina 22 and cost wasn't mentioned in the video. Getting my 27' hauled out to paint the bottom, do transducer maintenance, pull the mast to re-wire and change out light bulbs cost almost $2K! And that was doing everything myself with a week in the boatyard, haul out lift, and mast crane. Versus the 22', if you need to work on it, put it back on the trailer and take it to your backyard to work on it at your convenience. My 27' had an aging universal M25 diesel that probably needed to be replaced in a year or two, that would have been at least $10k. You can buy a new outboard for the 22' for under $2k. I just couldn't justify the cost of the 27' anymore but still wanted to get out sailing. I urge anyone thinking about getting a sailboat to go into it with both eyes open and realistically plan expenses and how often you'll use it, especially in places like the PNW or North East.
G'day Gason & Sussie. I hae just upgraded my sailing boat from 23ft hood to an tophat 25. Iwill do an video of it soon after i have washed down the deck and coach roof. You forgot to mention the head room that you now have, rather being hunched over when standing up, moving around and that you can now streach your legs out and sit more comphy on at the dinette. Gerard.
Many good points mentioned here. Well balanced comparison 👍🏻 I’m in the market for my first sailboat. I’m looking for a boat just big enough to fit the family comfortably, even if I have the finances for a larger boat. Bigger boat means bigger headaches, more maintenance, more complexity, and ultimately less fun.
Yes, and ALL boats mean a LOT of maintenance, so if you have the money - buy a newer boat so it will need less - unless you have lots of spare time to keep up with maintenance. It seems there's always 7 things you want to do, 2 things you must do and one thing that has to be done before you sail again...and the list is always there - finish one thing, another pops up. Our marina neighbors just bought a $30k 31-foot boat from the early 2000's and they've been there every weekend working on it.
I had a 18ft regal open bow and it was a great boat. We mostly used it on inland lakes. I recently bought a 32ft marinette and the difference in size was a little intimidating. I really enjoyed the regal but the Marinette is an awsome boat as well. I like that we can go out and spend a weekend on it and have all the comforts of home. There's no right or wrong, it just depends on what you want to use them for. Great video.
Nice. The similarities are eerie: We too just upgraded from a 23 ft to a 30 ft! (and I want an autopilot:P) I agree with everything! Space is nice, complexities are more daunting. Just note one thing; some of the reason I sail is for fun (not just to cruise somewhere), and I took classes on a 37 Bene, and my parents have a 39 ft powerboat, and in those I felt like I lost a lot of the sailing/boating feel. Less in touch with nature if you will.. It was so big, you're far from the water, have little feel for the wind and waves. I enjoyed getting back to my smaller boat, even the 30.
Grew up with an O’Day 30 which had a retractable center board/keel, which was very convenient and almost a necessity. I don’t recall ever seeing any O’Day 28’s in the area(Biloxi). Looks like a very nice boat and has a nicer interior than the O’Day 30, just a bit smaller.
@@AdventuresInParadise , I don’t remember, because it’s been so long. A foot and a half to 2 feet with the board up sticks in my head. It was shallow for a 30 footer. Of course, it would not sail very well without the center board down, except on a downwind run.
@@AdventuresInParadise, I was way off, must have been thinking of s different O’Day. We started with a 20, then a new 25 and finally the 30. I definitely liked the 30 the best. We were going to upgrade to an O’Day 37 which is the same as the 30, but with an aft cabin and center cockpit. Anyway, this is what the 30 drew: Draft (board down): 7.18' / 2.19m Draft (board up): 3.50' / 1.07m Displacement: 11,000 lbs / 4,990 kg Ballast: 4,700 lbs / 2132 kg We used to beach the 20 and 25, but not the 30.
Thank you for the honest comparison. I have a Skipper 20 and wonder what it would be like to have a much larger boat. I look forward and envy the benefits of a larger boat but sometimes I look forward to and envy the benefits of a smaller boat too.
I had a skipper 20! The inlet and the bays of ny waters were a little much for that size and shape. I recently got a 28’ Precision. After sailing my friends 23’ .. around this is a huge upgrade . Can’t wait to sail away!
im one of those young guys who bought a 30ft sailboat right off the hop and i find these videos very helpful, i hope we meet some day on the water, Im Captain of the "WindFinder" sailing out of Toronto
We were just talking about this on our last sail. Where we're at, the 28-30 is the right fit... what would we do with the extra space? Don't need it on this boat... but if we ever go sailing blue water or on long trips, for sure! Also, some boats may have an even smaller main living area but another cabin, something we have no use for, so the layout is important too!
A few other thoughts on the benefits of smaller trailerable boats: No slip or mooring fees, no need to hire a company to step the mast and generally way less expensive to maintain.
thats if you have enough room on your own property to store it. If not, you still have to pay to store the boat on the trailer, and some would argue that those storage facilities take security a little less serious than say, a gated marina where the only people inside are your neighbor yacht owners who are far less likely to have sticky fingers than some sweaty dude coming to stash some more loot in his storage unit. LOL
@@fakiirification Even though, and to my point, it’s far less expensive to store a trailerable boat that one on stands - and easily movable if conditions dictate the need to move it.
I’m a proud owner of a 1972 New Zealand made Allan Wright Variant 23ft. It’s a great sailboat to start sailing and having a small camper on the water it’s so much fun. But it’s not really comfortable to cook in it, sleeping is a challenge because of the mast through in the V berth. Safety-wise, when the wind picks up and the swell rolling it’s kind of challenging and scary. My next sailboat would probably be a 1985-1990’s 30ft ers. Awesome content. 🌿hi from New Zealand.
Not sure how I came across this but I just watched this from my 41ft sailboat thinking that all the differences between the 22 and 28 ft boat are the same as the differences between the 28 and 41 ft boat. 😆
There are lots of compelling reasons to buy small. But sadly a little boat on a sea with waves above 6ft is pretty stressful. You're hanging on and nauseous in conditions that would be pretty relaxed on a 10 tonne 40ft boat, and that's how accidents happen. So, if you want to sail on lakes or sheltered waters local to your marina, small is fine. But if you want to cruise and make passages in a small sailboat, you'd better be awesome at predicting the weather or you'll be riding your luck.
Unless you're planning on sailing in rough seas, I prefer the intimacy a smaller boat offers with the water. You really feel that connection between the tiller and the waves and the wind, whereas a larger boat feels more disconnected. People go sailing for all different reasons and there's nothing wrong with that, but I go sailing to sail.
I’m watching your video late, late in my 65 yo life, and late after your excellent presentation. I have a question for you or anyone reading this. Which boat did you sail more often? Texas
The O'day 28 is far easier to sail for us. With the roller furling head sail and autopilot, as well as being able to take more weather and waves, it's been night and day for us. And it's got some place to cook, sleep and relax to boot. If I could do it again I'd skip the 22.
Nicely done! I enjoyed that comparison. I will say perspective is everything, the wife and I are looking at 50'+ sailboats so the 28 looks like a small boat to us, as does a 38'. I think the smallest we will go is 45' but as you are aware, the design is everything. A very well designed smaller boat can have many advantages over a poorly designed larger boat.
It sure is nice to be able to trailer. Your not locked down to marinas and boat yards. If your not trailing and already paying for a slip, get a stand up cabin.
We are going from a Tanzer 22 to a Bristol 27 - same thing. Biggest deal for me is being able to stand up down below! ( overnights on the 22 were a recipe for a sore back)
But it all depends on the boat aswell. My first boat was a Hurley, too. The signet 20. 20ft. I couldnt stand inside, it was a bilge keel, very light so it moved a lot and even felt like capsizing if you walked onto the deck (not really but it leaned quite a bit just with your bodyweight...). I couldnt sleep in the quarterberths, theyre only for storage and there was no proper v berth. I had no table at all, altough I had a gyroscopic galley cooker and a sink on the opposite of it. But it made cooking very difficult. Now I have a 22 foot boat, a Westery Cirrus. So its only 2 feet more but the boat is heavier, a lot actually, it doesnt move so much, has an inboard engine, a dinette that can sleep 1,5 people, a quarter berth where you can sleep in, a separate heads and forecabin. I have a sink, too, and a cooker, lots of stowage and standing headroom. I had a furling jib on both boats though. I never wanted to upgrade to a 22ft boat because I never thought it could fulfill my requirements. I wanted a proper sea toilet, two cabins, a galley, sink, standing headroom and could sleep atleast 3 separate people. It was very surprising when I looked at it. So size isnt everything, its also design.
I have a catalina 25 and if a powerboat wake hit the boat while i was doing something else unaware it was coming the whole cabin can get rearranged. The worst times on my boat have been because of wake that i didn't adjust to because i was checking navigation or my sails etc.
I think at 9:15 you mentioned the key thing that was for the most part not part of your Catalina 22 experience: You can keep your smaller boat at home on the trailer. That is HUGE (for a small boat). Yep, way nicer to have your boat already to go sitting in the water, but some of us (like the ones that live on the West Coast) simply can not afford to keep our boats in a slip. Also, trailerable boats can go lake hopping all around the USA which of course you can not do with a bigger boat. Bigger is better. But, the trailerable part of the Catalina 22 and others like it make for ownership possibilities that simply would not exist otherwise. Better to have a trailerable 22 than no sailboat.
Yes, I'd be taking mine places if I could. Too slow to sail anywhere very far away, so driving would be nice. Catalina 25 swing keel would also be a great option... sort of best of both worlds.
@@benkanobe7500 Yes. After having the C22 and O'Day 28, at least for how/where we sail, the 25 would have been best of both. On a trailer so even though we'd leave it in a slip, could take it out to bottom paint, replace seacocks, take it places by trailer. More shallow draft, outboard motor that can be worked on at home... but still stand up inside and have an overnight once and a while.
Great comparison video. I STILL don't know...but be honest I feel like bigger is better...except starting smaller is wiser...as you will appreciate the bigger and will understand the tradeoffs.
Thanks! One thing you might think of is, do you want to spend time in the cabin or mainly just sail for the fun of it... If you want to spend time sleeping and eating and going to the bathroom - get a least a 25' boat. If we sailed in a lake, I'd pick the 22, but we're on the Gulf of Mexico and the 22 was too small for that to be fun for us.
Wonderful reflections! I have owned both and enjoyed both. My biggest realization in upgrading to the ODay 28 was how small the lake became sailing the larger boat. I now own a CS36T and sail the Caribbean.
I like my c22. But just for racing and day fun for family. The 279 phrf is a gift, and being able to 2 hand it in any condition or one hand in most is nice. But that cabin..geez. so small. My 81 hunter 22 I keep in the harbor feels 10 feet longer. The cat 25 newer designs are roomy. But for our lake systems that swing keels are hard to beat. If you guys are in blue water, don't blame the change. C22 are great starter boats, and so forgiving. Unsinkable really.
Thanks for the comment. Yea, we need to get out into the Gulf of Mexico to go anywhere good and we get summer squalls with 40 knots winds that pop up quickly. For that reason we didn't take the 22 out on an summer days. We got caught out once and I could barely make it back to the marina on the motor.
Yeah. That was the right move then. 28 feet is perfect for that, and days you are shorthanded. No screaming at dock time, or being screamed at by neighbors. Just pure unpretentious comfort and sailing.
i will start sailing this year !!! I Got a nice "Bandholm24" and will start the refit in the next weeks and hope i can sail this lady in August 2021! The "Ostsee" (Baltik sea) will be my areal and is perfect for starting sailing. If i will go bigger in some years, i will keep my old lady too. Is a classik boat and will stay in the Family :) So i like your style !!!
Just got my Cat 22 out of moth ball and launched her yesterday to get the season going here in Washington!! I agree with all you presented (anchor woes on the 22 are less than optimum):-) Both boats have advantages and disadvantages. Since I love going to new places, trailer sailer is my heart for this sport. Lakes and ocean in multiple States and low cost are wonderful attributes due to the mobility of the Cat 22. Camping, sleeping, cooking and room?? Not so much:-( Love your new boat!!
Good video, but you offended me speaking ill of tillers :) I personally prefer my tiller but I also have an autopilot. I think the one thing you missed but maybe slightly touched on is on my 30 footer I can spend weeks aboard comfortably. Bet that would not be the case on a 22 footer.
I get it... I do miss the push-back feedback from the tiller that isn't there with the wheel. Also the ability to push the tiller quickly. There... some tiller love.
Nice video guys. I'm looking at a 25ft Trailer Sailer, what you would call a maxi trailer sailer, lucky it's just under the oversize permit width where I live. It's also heavy for a trailer sailer, weighing in around 2t plus the trailer. I've been wondering regarding towing it, not a stranger to towing large loads. I have a suitable tow vehicle. I guess I could store it on it's trailer at the marina for sailing season, then I'd only have to tow it 2 or 3 times a year. Store it at home for the rest of the year, and be easy to access to maintain too...
Sailboats especially, are measured more by displacement than length. Your 28' is three times the displacement(volume of the boat) of the 22' so it is more like 300% bigger in size rather than 33% bigger based on the difference in length. I realize that to you 28' might be considered medium but you are really still in the small category. Your 22' was also designed to be legally and easily trailerable so might be considered tiny. IMO by the time you get up in the 15,000 lbs range you are getting to lower end of medium sized sailboats. Large boats start up in the 25,000 lbs range. If in the years to come you are able to move up to something in the 20,000 lbs range you will notice a significant difference in the comfort level of the boat at sea. And surprisingly once in that range the boat is actually easier to handle because the motion is not nearly as "sharp". Except in close quarter maneuvering I have found my 36' boat at nearly 20,000 lbs displacement is far easier to handle than my previous 28' boat of 10,000 lbs. May all your trouble melt like lemon drops.
I got the catalina 22 last year around this time and saw your channel too. I just bought a catalina 30 mid winter and yes there is a giant difference. I'll be spending the summer aboard (been aboard month and a half so far).
From UK and never heard of O'Day but that is a lot of room for a 28 footer (wide beam)... checked the prices too and looks very reasonable compared to what we have over this side of the pond. Although yours looks in particularly good condition.
Fun comparison. I own a 25 racy boat. It's fabulously agile and light, but after 10 days of cooking seated etc ...🤔 Don't want to lose the speed and agility, but bigger fast boats are damn expensive. You can't have it all...
Cant wait to see the auto pilot install, I need to get the same one for my Oday 28. I currently have a Ray Marine STS4000+ but the autopilot display stopped working. The new model has a separate display and control computer.
I enjoyed this vid a lot. I got sidetracked to another one of yours from looking up sailing dinghies, watched few of yours now and wanted to thank you. Do you still prefer the 28' over 22'? I live in midwest and probably would never take one even on Great Lakes, let alone ocean, so I can't imagine wanting a larger one. Plus I get motion sickness and just one kid, so far us it would be small, park it somewhere over-night and sleep in a tent :) But bravo on your sailing journey. I enjoy your vids, voice, pace, the amount of info... Looking forward to the comparison vid requested by Jim's Little Boat.
Thanks for watching and for the comment. The 28 is just easier to sail and nice to be in/on. I realize the boat has the match the sailing area too... so I believe our smaller boat was just outclassed by the environment. That didn't lead to a feeling of confidence or fun. That being said, we don't need anything bigger, so I'm glad I didn't get something like a 34 (nor now!).
@@AdventuresInParadise cool, thanks for the reply. i guess i didn't watch enough of your vids before i commented on this one, now i realize the little extra room below and on the deck would be so much nicer for a kid to play around... in one vid you said you heard saying "buy your second boat first", do you think somethin like 28' wouldn't to be too crazy to start with on fresh water? I don't really need to know for a few years and will do much more research when i get there, but just curious about your opinion since i enjoy how you present things in your vids. thanks again.
@@joeh773 Honestly, the 28' boat is far easier to sail than the 22'. It's far more to go wrong and more maintenance and costs, but as far as sailing, it's just far more enjoyable to me.
I sail Albin 57. It’s much smaller than the small boat you had. Check it out, it’s not bad. Before that I had Hurley 20. That one was very small but nice too
Surprised that a 28 ft boat has air conditioning built in.nice.we are in Dunedin on the causeway.have averaged 25 miles a day since Sunday what great weather this week.love bugs out when the breeze died on the gulf.hope to see you guys. Maybe at Jack's in tarpon springs .
What was the cost of the O;Day 28. Thanks, we are interested in buying one but want to get an idea of the cost to purchase. Love the videos and have been watching since you bought the 22' but only recently became a subscriber.
Check boat trader you'll see the going prices across the US right now. You might also try craigslist or offer up, facebook marketplace too... but the boat trader would give you a better idea.... I think you'll see $7,000-$14,000.
I've just bought a Catalina 22 how dare you!!!! Good videos I've enjoyed them all, as you say different reasons for each size boat, how easy is the 28 to sail solo? That's my reason for a 22 and funds
The 28 is easy since we have autopilot I can auto tack or just sail along and with the roller furling sail I can deploy and roll the front sail from the cockpit and while that's out, the autopilot sails while I raise and lower the main.
Very nice precise and detailed review. Thanks! I am in st.Petersburg Russia and I was looking for such kind of boats - but didn’t find any((( is there any possibility to ask someone in the USA to help me to search and buy it? I would like to transport it to Russia , by containership, as I believe crossing atlantic by myself on 28 feet is quite uncomfortable…..
Before we bought the Catalina 22, the goal was to be full time sailing around the world.. IF... and that was a big if... we liked the 22... and then now it's a IF... we like the cruiser and spend a few years on it... and then if things are going well, a blue water boat one day. We won't know until we know!
I think this really highlights just how big of a difference there actually is. The only thing I think you could have added would be storing the boat, as you could relatively easily store a 22 foot boat on any property, but a 28 foot boat requires a crane to take it out of the water and is usually left on land in the harbor.
That's a good point. We have paid $250-$360/month in marina fees for the larger boat. And another thing... when you get a bigger boat, you miss all the good things about the smaller boat!
From 28 to 32 not much, it depends on opportunity to get best for money. But under 28 is to small and over 32 is to high for maintaining, docking and operating
I strongly disagree with tiller argument. Tillers are much more responsive and easier to install autopilot. Sadly there is very little 40ft+ (only the old design ones f.e. Coling Archer) with a tiller. It takes no space once moored/docked/stationary. Wheels are expensive, ugly and require maintenance.
Good point, but we love the wheel. We use the cockpit table on each outing and sitting up high is great. It's not an argument, just people want what they want for their own reasons.
I like this channel, nice people, nice boats but I have a question... Are we going to get to see some ocean passages? You two are like 27 years old right, so it's to early for retirement... 😉 Blessings from Sweden!
Everything is a compromise on a boat. I have a 20 ft trailer sailer. I can go to different areas in the Nordics. Just use a normal boat ramp. A small outboard engine. No electrical system that can break. No toilet that can break. Yes, it is small. Like a floating tent. You more or less have to get a shore for heavy duty toilet task. But we have millions of islands and allemansrätten. So every night you either go to a guest harbour or dock bow to the cliffs. I almost never anchor from the bow. Everything is dinghy sized and pretty cheap. When going up in size all forces squares. Everything gets ten times more expensive. And alot of stuff that can and will break at the wrong moment. Trade offs.
Nice balanced comparison! Has the new boat been significantly more maintenance than the 22 footer? Big learning curve learning/maintaining the new systems?
It's definitely more complicated. Yes, it will have more maintenance. I'll make another video a little down the road, maybe in six months... but for instance, I just spent $1,400 on an autopilot system and if I did the steering system maintenance and roller furling maintenance, three seacocks, waste system and plumbing, you get the idea. I'll make a 1st year cost video when we get there. At least much of the work was done inside with the AC on!
Can I ask where you got your bimini (unless Envision came with it!) We are looking at an Oday 28 and that bimini looks perfect... thanks in advance, GREAT content you've got on here!
I still consider a 28 Oday a small boat. I have a 25 Oday, I moored next to a 28 Oday and it was considerably larger than our 25 and more robust . I always liked the 28 Oday. I think I want a bigger boat than that though. The best think I can say about the smaller boats us you can take them out of the marina when hurricanes are a threat. The 25 is still big enough to be a pain trailering.
One benefit of the smaller boat I didn't hear mentioned is trailerability. The smaller boat can be taken from coast to coast and sailed on almost any lake in between. Having a boat that can be towed without special permits also saves a boatload of money in slip fees, bottom paint and haul-out fees etc. I've seen a couple of youtube videos of trailer-sailers who also use the boat as an RV in rv parks while en route to their destination. I guess we all agree that in the end there is no one single "perfect" boat. They all serve a purpose and offer unique advantages.
That's kind of a big thing for me. I live close to some lakes but I really want to sail in the ocean, that's about 6h drive and would cost a bunch to dock somewhere.
I found that a 28ft trailer sailer was perfect for our wants and needs. It can float in less than a foot of water but still has the room to live aboard for months giving access to some of the best small shallow creeks in our area. I have owned our boat for over 25 years and my three children have grown up having our family holidays away on it. I have considered going bigger and moored but we would loose a lot especially being able to do all the work on it right in our driveway or going back to a smaller boat but the wife wouldn't be happy loosing all that storage space. For me it's all about what you want to use it for and where you want to take it and there's nothing better than escaping the crowds up a small clear cool shaded creek in the middle of a stinking hot summer here in Australia and I can stay up there for weeks and be happy.
The RV angle is something I never thought of. Genius
Also, can you take the mast down by hand on a 28? I've seen it done on a 22. So that means you could save a ton not having to pay docking fees. And like you said, less paint and such = cheaper yearly costs
@@beorbeorian150 does not work at all on a sailboat as the mast would be laying down across the cockpit and companionway. Yes, there are ways to lift and block it up but its not going to be pleasant.
So to sum it up, the 22' boat was Knot Enough for you? 😆
🤣
I can't fathom why
Boom you got it !
It just "happened " to me too . 22 ft reinell to a 30 ft pearson lmao 🤣😂 I'm sooo phuken dumb ahhahahaha
WE went from a fully trailerable 1998 MacGregor 26X to a Catalina 380..
I think we had more fun with our 26x, which we still own !!
i have been looking for a 26x. cat 22s are everywhere tough. i do not know.. def need to be able to trailer.
My trailer sailer cost almost nothing. Fits on my second driveway next to the rv. Had a 30 ft large center console. Also after I had a 45 foot cabin cruiser. I came down to earth and realized it wasn't good for me, my lifestyle, ect. The work took away from the fun. To each their own. I just have so many things I already own and have to maintain. I try to buy things that are low maintenance so I can enjoy life more.
Yeah it really depends on if you're a weekend sailor or spending a significant amount of time sailing. For some, a 28 would simply be too cumbersome. But for others, a 22 would be way too tiny to be comfortable in
Lol....they are both small boats! The Oday is a proper cruising boat however, while the C-22 is a day-sailor. I sailed a 20' Pacific Seacraft Flicka from Los Angeles to La Paz Mexico and cruised for several months in the Sea of Cortez with it. Without an engine. I've owned and cruised a Catalina 30 back in the US since 2012, so I too know the difference a larger boat can make. There are pros and cons to each, but larger boats are generally faster and more comfortable than smaller boats. That said, I'd rather be on my 20' Flicka offshore in a gale than in my Catalina 30 both for comfort and safety. The C-30 might be more comfortable in typical sailing conditions, and especially at anchor, but as the wind and seas build, she becomes quite a handful if you don't stay on top of sail trim and area. The Flicka's the opposite. You get knocked around more in milder choppy conditions of a 15 knot breeze, but as the wind and seas build, she digs in and goes to weather like freight train - even when over canvased. The Catalina must be carefully canvased and steered to remain on her feet. Smaller boats are easier to handle and are much cheaper to berth, equip, operate and maintain. Size doesn't matter much as far as seaworthiness is concerned - big ships sink all the time, and small boats routinely cross oceans. It all comes down to the boat's design, preparation, maintenance, and especially, the skill and prudence of it's skipper. A prudent skipper watches the weather, knows his boat's and crew's capabilities and limitations, and respects all of it.
The bigger boat in this video seemed very large compared to other 28' boats. Nice layout. I like my little boat, it's a lot roomier than the tent we used before :)
The big boats get all the glory but the small boats make the sailor
Tiller vs wheel is a complex discussion under 32ft. My 30ft islander 1972 has a Tiller you can feel the boat when sailing but it goes out of the way when not in use. It's simple, strong and capable. In short a wheel is a complexity that's not needed. Plus auto pilot can be as cheep as 300.00
Very true! I totally get what you're saying, and agree with you, but the difference has been that my wife now sails, my friends now sail... that didn't happen with the tiller. Less room, yes, more complexity, yes, less feel and speed on the rudder, yes... but there are also benefits, like the fact that I can see forward and sit in the center, which is more comfortable not always looking to the side when seated sideways, we have a cockpit table and chart plotter right in front of us, not way up by the companionway, and it's easier for friends and family to take over. We can sit together back behind the wheel, too. I prefer the wheel, so far.
The 28 ft. boat is a bit more than a just a daysailer, where as the Catalina 22 is designed mostly as a daysailer. I think the 28 is perfect as a daysailer and/or coastal cruiser. I almost bought a C22 just for that; day sailing. Hard to get my 35 out just for day sailing. Great video and honest comparison.
Thanks!
Little sailboats sit on trailers. Big sailboats sit in marinas. Bigger sailboats cross oceans and sit in anchorages or marinas anywhere.
It's all about boating and it's all good. I've actually had more fun in little boats but choose to live on a 40 footer.
i've read if you are going to live in it for long periods of time 35 to 45 ft is about right... but if you just using it to cruise on the weekends or occasional vacation type sailing then 25 to 35ft is ok.. i don't know.. just reading lots of things about it. looks like fun but also there seems to be a lot more that most of these people sailing around the world aren't telling you. Thanks, yours is informative.
Thank you. One thing to think about is having a larger boat, like 35 feet would be more cost to maintain, more marina fees, etc... and if you're just going out day sailing you really won't be in inside and it might not sail as well in light winds. Since you basically sail at a walking speed of 4-5 knots, think about where you might be able to get for a weekend... probably about the distance you can drive in 45 minutes, that's it. So unless you're retired and can take weeks off, you can't really get far. Living aboard, yea, I don't know how anyone can do it even on a 45' boat... it's just a small space to be in but everyone has their own limits.
A year from now, it would be fun to share the difference in maintenance work and cost comparison of a little boat and a medium size boat. The new boat is about 27% bigger but the volume is probably double--guessing.
I'm going to take your advice and make that video Jim, thanks! It's already in the thousands, I can tell you that.
I hadn't met you guys yet when you had the Catalina 22 Knot Enough, (which as you know I consider a fine boat) but you guys definitely have a lot smiles per dollar now!
Boats are three dimensional. It's more than twice the size.
@@cornishhh Thus the words "probably" and "guessing." We probably agree with differing amounts of certainty. :)
Volume varies by the cube of the scale factor , meaning that if the dimensions are twice as long then the volume will be 8 times more.
Cost! I recently sold my Ericson 27' sailboat in favor of a Catalina 22 and cost wasn't mentioned in the video. Getting my 27' hauled out to paint the bottom, do transducer maintenance, pull the mast to re-wire and change out light bulbs cost almost $2K! And that was doing everything myself with a week in the boatyard, haul out lift, and mast crane. Versus the 22', if you need to work on it, put it back on the trailer and take it to your backyard to work on it at your convenience. My 27' had an aging universal M25 diesel that probably needed to be replaced in a year or two, that would have been at least $10k. You can buy a new outboard for the 22' for under $2k. I just couldn't justify the cost of the 27' anymore but still wanted to get out sailing. I urge anyone thinking about getting a sailboat to go into it with both eyes open and realistically plan expenses and how often you'll use it, especially in places like the PNW or North East.
G'day Gason & Sussie.
I hae just upgraded my sailing boat from 23ft hood to an tophat 25. Iwill do an video of it soon after i have washed down the deck and coach roof.
You forgot to mention the head room that you now have, rather being hunched over when standing up, moving around and that you can now streach your legs out and sit more comphy on at the dinette.
Gerard.
Hi Gerard. Yes, we LOVE the bigger boat! Post a link to your video when you make it.
A westerly 22 cirrus. 6' headroom enclosed head inboard diesel. Good news it floats like a cork bad news it floats like a cork
Many good points mentioned here. Well balanced comparison 👍🏻
I’m in the market for my first sailboat. I’m looking for a boat just big enough to fit the family comfortably, even if I have the finances for a larger boat.
Bigger boat means bigger headaches, more maintenance, more complexity, and ultimately less fun.
Yes, and ALL boats mean a LOT of maintenance, so if you have the money - buy a newer boat so it will need less - unless you have lots of spare time to keep up with maintenance. It seems there's always 7 things you want to do, 2 things you must do and one thing that has to be done before you sail again...and the list is always there - finish one thing, another pops up. Our marina neighbors just bought a $30k 31-foot boat from the early 2000's and they've been there every weekend working on it.
I had a 18ft regal open bow and it was a great boat. We mostly used it on inland lakes. I recently bought a 32ft marinette and the difference in size was a little intimidating. I really enjoyed the regal but the Marinette is an awsome boat as well. I like that we can go out and spend a weekend on it and have all the comforts of home. There's no right or wrong, it just depends on what you want to use them for.
Great video.
Tons of room on that 28. Looks comfy inside! Looking forward to the autopilot install video. Subscribed.
Nice. The similarities are eerie: We too just upgraded from a 23 ft to a 30 ft! (and I want an autopilot:P) I agree with everything! Space is nice, complexities are more daunting. Just note one thing; some of the reason I sail is for fun (not just to cruise somewhere), and I took classes on a 37 Bene, and my parents have a 39 ft powerboat, and in those I felt like I lost a lot of the sailing/boating feel. Less in touch with nature if you will.. It was so big, you're far from the water, have little feel for the wind and waves. I enjoyed getting back to my smaller boat, even the 30.
I can totally understand. The bigger the boat, the more it mutes the movements. Moving up a little and you gain something while losing something else.
you should try a 80 foot schooner trimmed perfectly close hauled, just watch the freeboard disappear!
My 18 foot sailing boat has an anchor locker and the jib roller but I must admit the fo'c'sle is small only big enough to sleep in and sit in.
Grew up with an O’Day 30 which had a retractable center board/keel, which was very convenient and almost a necessity.
I don’t recall ever seeing any O’Day 28’s in the area(Biloxi). Looks like a very nice boat and has a nicer interior than the O’Day 30, just a bit smaller.
What was the draft up/down? Thanks!
@@AdventuresInParadise ,
I don’t remember, because it’s been so long.
A foot and a half to 2 feet with the board up sticks in my head.
It was shallow for a 30 footer.
Of course, it would not sail very well without the center board down, except on a downwind run.
@@AdventuresInParadise,
I was way off, must have been thinking of s different O’Day.
We started with a 20, then a new 25 and finally the 30. I definitely liked the 30 the best.
We were going to upgrade to an O’Day 37 which is the same as the 30, but with an aft cabin and center cockpit.
Anyway, this is what the 30 drew:
Draft (board down): 7.18' / 2.19m
Draft (board up): 3.50' / 1.07m
Displacement: 11,000 lbs / 4,990 kg
Ballast: 4,700 lbs / 2132 kg
We used to beach the 20 and 25, but not the 30.
Thank you for the honest comparison. I have a Skipper 20 and wonder what it would be like to have a much larger boat. I look forward and envy the benefits of a larger boat but sometimes I look forward to and envy the benefits of a smaller boat too.
I had a skipper 20! The inlet and the bays of ny waters were a little much for that size and shape. I recently got a 28’ Precision. After sailing my friends 23’ .. around this is a huge upgrade . Can’t wait to sail away!
im one of those young guys who bought a 30ft sailboat right off the hop and i find these videos very helpful, i hope we meet some day on the water, Im Captain of the "WindFinder" sailing out of Toronto
Thanks! Let me know when you make it down to the Florida keys.
Good comparision. 22 is great 28 would be better for me. Thanks
A/C, refrigerator... just sitting there waiting to break.😂 truer words have not been spoken.
Seriously! Don't say that so loud next time, everyone else's boat is bound to hear and start getting ideas....
Only surpassed by marine A/C's tendency to break!
The obvious question if a 28' is better than a 22' would a 36' be better than a 28' obviously cost is a factor?
We were just talking about this on our last sail. Where we're at, the 28-30 is the right fit... what would we do with the extra space? Don't need it on this boat... but if we ever go sailing blue water or on long trips, for sure! Also, some boats may have an even smaller main living area but another cabin, something we have no use for, so the layout is important too!
A few other thoughts on the benefits of smaller trailerable boats: No slip or mooring fees, no need to hire a company to step the mast and generally way less expensive to maintain.
thats if you have enough room on your own property to store it. If not, you still have to pay to store the boat on the trailer, and some would argue that those storage facilities take security a little less serious than say, a gated marina where the only people inside are your neighbor yacht owners who are far less likely to have sticky fingers than some sweaty dude coming to stash some more loot in his storage unit. LOL
@@fakiirification Even though, and to my point, it’s far less expensive to store a trailerable boat that one on stands - and easily movable if conditions dictate the need to move it.
I’m a proud owner of a 1972 New Zealand made Allan Wright Variant 23ft. It’s a great sailboat to start sailing and having a small camper on the water it’s so much fun. But it’s not really comfortable to cook in it, sleeping is a challenge because of the mast through in the V berth. Safety-wise, when the wind picks up and the swell rolling it’s kind of challenging and scary. My next sailboat would probably be a 1985-1990’s 30ft ers. Awesome content. 🌿hi from New Zealand.
Not sure how I came across this but I just watched this from my 41ft sailboat thinking that all the differences between the 22 and 28 ft boat are the same as the differences between the 28 and 41 ft boat. 😆
That's great. Thanks for watching!
There are lots of compelling reasons to buy small. But sadly a little boat on a sea with waves above 6ft is pretty stressful. You're hanging on and nauseous in conditions that would be pretty relaxed on a 10 tonne 40ft boat, and that's how accidents happen. So, if you want to sail on lakes or sheltered waters local to your marina, small is fine. But if you want to cruise and make passages in a small sailboat, you'd better be awesome at predicting the weather or you'll be riding your luck.
Unless you're planning on sailing in rough seas, I prefer the intimacy a smaller boat offers with the water. You really feel that connection between the tiller and the waves and the wind, whereas a larger boat feels more disconnected. People go sailing for all different reasons and there's nothing wrong with that, but I go sailing to sail.
I’m watching your video late, late in my 65 yo life, and late after your excellent presentation. I have a question for you or anyone reading this. Which boat did you sail more often? Texas
The O'day 28 is far easier to sail for us. With the roller furling head sail and autopilot, as well as being able to take more weather and waves, it's been night and day for us. And it's got some place to cook, sleep and relax to boot. If I could do it again I'd skip the 22.
Nicely done! I enjoyed that comparison. I will say perspective is everything, the wife and I are looking at 50'+ sailboats so the 28 looks like a small boat to us, as does a 38'. I think the smallest we will go is 45' but as you are aware, the design is everything. A very well designed smaller boat can have many advantages over a poorly designed larger boat.
It sure is nice to be able to trailer. Your not locked down to marinas and boat yards. If your not trailing and already paying for a slip, get a stand up cabin.
We are going from a Tanzer 22 to a Bristol 27 - same thing. Biggest deal for me is being able to stand up down below! ( overnights on the 22 were a recipe for a sore back)
But it all depends on the boat aswell. My first boat was a Hurley, too. The signet 20. 20ft. I couldnt stand inside, it was a bilge keel, very light so it moved a lot and even felt like capsizing if you walked onto the deck (not really but it leaned quite a bit just with your bodyweight...). I couldnt sleep in the quarterberths, theyre only for storage and there was no proper v berth. I had no table at all, altough I had a gyroscopic galley cooker and a sink on the opposite of it. But it made cooking very difficult.
Now I have a 22 foot boat, a Westery Cirrus. So its only 2 feet more but the boat is heavier, a lot actually, it doesnt move so much, has an inboard engine, a dinette that can sleep 1,5 people, a quarter berth where you can sleep in, a separate heads and forecabin. I have a sink, too, and a cooker, lots of stowage and standing headroom. I had a furling jib on both boats though.
I never wanted to upgrade to a 22ft boat because I never thought it could fulfill my requirements. I wanted a proper sea toilet, two cabins, a galley, sink, standing headroom and could sleep atleast 3 separate people. It was very surprising when I looked at it. So size isnt everything, its also design.
Awesome comparison and a great case for a 25'( for myself). Watching from down here in St. Petersburg!
Greetings to russia!
Back in the 80's we had a O'Day 23 , it was a grate boat but we couldn't stand up in it .
I have a catalina 25 and if a powerboat wake hit the boat while i was doing something else unaware it was coming the whole cabin can get rearranged. The worst times on my boat have been because of wake that i didn't adjust to because i was checking navigation or my sails etc.
I think at 9:15 you mentioned the key thing that was for the most part not part of your Catalina 22 experience: You can keep your smaller boat at home on the trailer. That is HUGE (for a small boat). Yep, way nicer to have your boat already to go sitting in the water, but some of us (like the ones that live on the West Coast) simply can not afford to keep our boats in a slip. Also, trailerable boats can go lake hopping all around the USA which of course you can not do with a bigger boat. Bigger is better. But, the trailerable part of the Catalina 22 and others like it make for ownership possibilities that simply would not exist otherwise. Better to have a trailerable 22 than no sailboat.
Yes, I'd be taking mine places if I could. Too slow to sail anywhere very far away, so driving would be nice. Catalina 25 swing keel would also be a great option... sort of best of both worlds.
@@AdventuresInParadise I didn't know the 25 was a swing keel. I just purchased an 85 C-22. Looks like I need to pay attention to C-25's. Thanks again!
@@benkanobe7500 Yes. After having the C22 and O'Day 28, at least for how/where we sail, the 25 would have been best of both. On a trailer so even though we'd leave it in a slip, could take it out to bottom paint, replace seacocks, take it places by trailer. More shallow draft, outboard motor that can be worked on at home... but still stand up inside and have an overnight once and a while.
Great comparison video. I STILL don't know...but be honest I feel like bigger is better...except starting smaller is wiser...as you will appreciate the bigger and will understand the tradeoffs.
Thanks! One thing you might think of is, do you want to spend time in the cabin or mainly just sail for the fun of it... If you want to spend time sleeping and eating and going to the bathroom - get a least a 25' boat. If we sailed in a lake, I'd pick the 22, but we're on the Gulf of Mexico and the 22 was too small for that to be fun for us.
Wonderful reflections! I have owned both and enjoyed both. My biggest realization in upgrading to the ODay 28 was how small the lake became sailing the larger boat. I now own a CS36T and sail the Caribbean.
wow, thanks! We hope to follow in your footsteps on day., if all goes well.
I like my c22. But just for racing and day fun for family. The 279 phrf is a gift, and being able to 2 hand it in any condition or one hand in most is nice. But that cabin..geez. so small. My 81 hunter 22 I keep in the harbor feels 10 feet longer.
The cat 25 newer designs are roomy. But for our lake systems that swing keels are hard to beat. If you guys are in blue water, don't blame the change.
C22 are great starter boats, and so forgiving. Unsinkable really.
Thanks for the comment. Yea, we need to get out into the Gulf of Mexico to go anywhere good and we get summer squalls with 40 knots winds that pop up quickly. For that reason we didn't take the 22 out on an summer days. We got caught out once and I could barely make it back to the marina on the motor.
Yeah. That was the right move then. 28 feet is perfect for that, and days you are shorthanded. No screaming at dock time, or being screamed at by neighbors. Just pure unpretentious comfort and sailing.
Nice video... You should try to get aboard an O'day 35 next!
i will start sailing this year !!! I Got a nice "Bandholm24" and will start the refit in the next weeks and hope i can sail this lady in August 2021! The "Ostsee" (Baltik sea) will be my areal and is perfect for starting sailing. If i will go bigger in some years, i will keep my old lady too. Is a classik boat and will stay in the Family :) So i like your style !!!
Thanks! Makin' the dreams come true!
Just got my Cat 22 out of moth ball and launched her yesterday to get the season going here in Washington!! I agree with all you presented (anchor woes on the 22 are less than optimum):-) Both boats have advantages and disadvantages. Since I love going to new places, trailer sailer is my heart for this sport. Lakes and ocean in multiple States and low cost are wonderful attributes due to the mobility of the Cat 22. Camping, sleeping, cooking and room?? Not so much:-( Love your new boat!!
The Catalina 28 is my favorite in it's size range. The interior is tough to beat.
Good video, but you offended me speaking ill of tillers :) I personally prefer my tiller but I also have an autopilot. I think the one thing you missed but maybe slightly touched on is on my 30 footer I can spend weeks aboard comfortably. Bet that would not be the case on a 22 footer.
I get it... I do miss the push-back feedback from the tiller that isn't there with the wheel. Also the ability to push the tiller quickly. There... some tiller love.
My wife for years has been saying "Yes it does." Be happy, be safe.
Nice video guys. I'm looking at a 25ft Trailer Sailer, what you would call a maxi trailer sailer, lucky it's just under the oversize permit width where I live. It's also heavy for a trailer sailer, weighing in around 2t plus the trailer. I've been wondering regarding towing it, not a stranger to towing large loads. I have a suitable tow vehicle.
I guess I could store it on it's trailer at the marina for sailing season, then I'd only have to tow it 2 or 3 times a year. Store it at home for the rest of the year, and be easy to access to maintain too...
Sailboats especially, are measured more by displacement than length. Your 28' is three times the displacement(volume of the boat) of the 22' so it is more like 300% bigger in size rather than 33% bigger based on the difference in length.
I realize that to you 28' might be considered medium but you are really still in the small category. Your 22' was also designed to be legally and easily trailerable so might be considered tiny.
IMO by the time you get up in the 15,000 lbs range you are getting to lower end of medium sized sailboats. Large boats start up in the 25,000 lbs range.
If in the years to come you are able to move up to something in the 20,000 lbs range you will notice a significant difference in the comfort level of the boat at sea. And surprisingly once in that range the boat is actually easier to handle because the motion is not nearly as "sharp". Except in close quarter maneuvering I have found my 36' boat at nearly 20,000 lbs displacement is far easier to handle than my previous 28' boat of 10,000 lbs.
May all your trouble melt like lemon drops.
I got the catalina 22 last year around this time and saw your channel too. I just bought a catalina 30 mid winter and yes there is a giant difference. I'll be spending the summer aboard (been aboard month and a half so far).
Fantastic explanation
From UK and never heard of O'Day but that is a lot of room for a 28 footer (wide beam)... checked the prices too and looks very reasonable compared to what we have over this side of the pond. Although yours looks in particularly good condition.
Yes, I thought the same thing.
Fun comparison. I own a 25 racy boat. It's fabulously agile and light, but after 10 days of cooking seated etc ...🤔 Don't want to lose the speed and agility, but bigger fast boats are damn expensive. You can't have it all...
Cant wait to see the auto pilot install, I need to get the same one for my Oday 28. I currently have a Ray Marine STS4000+ but the autopilot display stopped working. The new model has a separate display and control computer.
Exactly what I needed to know. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I enjoyed this vid a lot. I got sidetracked to another one of yours from looking up sailing dinghies, watched few of yours now and wanted to thank you. Do you still prefer the 28' over 22'? I live in midwest and probably would never take one even on Great Lakes, let alone ocean, so I can't imagine wanting a larger one. Plus I get motion sickness and just one kid, so far us it would be small, park it somewhere over-night and sleep in a tent :) But bravo on your sailing journey. I enjoy your vids, voice, pace, the amount of info... Looking forward to the comparison vid requested by Jim's Little Boat.
Thanks for watching and for the comment. The 28 is just easier to sail and nice to be in/on. I realize the boat has the match the sailing area too... so I believe our smaller boat was just outclassed by the environment. That didn't lead to a feeling of confidence or fun. That being said, we don't need anything bigger, so I'm glad I didn't get something like a 34 (nor now!).
@@AdventuresInParadise cool, thanks for the reply. i guess i didn't watch enough of your vids before i commented on this one, now i realize the little extra room below and on the deck would be so much nicer for a kid to play around... in one vid you said you heard saying "buy your second boat first", do you think somethin like 28' wouldn't to be too crazy to start with on fresh water? I don't really need to know for a few years and will do much more research when i get there, but just curious about your opinion since i enjoy how you present things in your vids. thanks again.
@@joeh773 Honestly, the 28' boat is far easier to sail than the 22'. It's far more to go wrong and more maintenance and costs, but as far as sailing, it's just far more enjoyable to me.
That 28 looks cavernous compared to the 28' I'm looking at. It has just over 8' of beam.
I think the O'day is 10.3 beam and that does make it feel like a bigger boat, they say.
great comparison. I was looking at catalina 22s and 25s, but I think I've decided on a Hunter 27 now because of the awesome headroom and livability
Great video for the ones entering the nautical world as I am. Thanks a lot.
It’s like the difference between a motor home and a fiberglass pup tent.
A lot of VERY useful information. Thank you!
Thank you, guys. Awesome post. Great insight.
I sail Albin 57. It’s much smaller than the small boat you had.
Check it out, it’s not bad. Before that I had Hurley 20. That one was very small but nice too
Thank you!
Surprised that a 28 ft boat has air conditioning built in.nice.we are in Dunedin on the causeway.have averaged 25 miles a day since Sunday what great weather this week.love bugs out when the breeze died on the gulf.hope to see you guys. Maybe at Jack's in tarpon springs .
What was the cost of the O;Day 28. Thanks, we are interested in buying one but want to get an idea of the cost to purchase.
Love the videos and have been watching since you bought the 22' but only recently became a subscriber.
Check boat trader you'll see the going prices across the US right now. You might also try craigslist or offer up, facebook marketplace too... but the boat trader would give you a better idea.... I think you'll see $7,000-$14,000.
Brilliant! The video is the answer I waas looking for. Thanks a lot!
I've just bought a Catalina 22 how dare you!!!! Good videos I've enjoyed them all, as you say different reasons for each size boat, how easy is the 28 to sail solo? That's my reason for a 22 and funds
The 28 is easy since we have autopilot I can auto tack or just sail along and with the roller furling sail I can deploy and roll the front sail from the cockpit and while that's out, the autopilot sails while I raise and lower the main.
@@AdventuresInParadise that sounds like a good set up. Thanks for the video and reply .
Very nice precise and detailed review. Thanks!
I am in st.Petersburg Russia and I was looking for such kind of boats - but didn’t find any((( is there any possibility to ask someone in the USA to help me to search and buy it? I would like to transport it to Russia , by containership, as I believe crossing atlantic by myself on 28 feet is quite uncomfortable…..
Yes, I think you would want to contact a broker who can find you a boat and arrange for transport.
Do you guys have long term, long distance cruising plans or are you just gonna keep at local weekend cruising?
Before we bought the Catalina 22, the goal was to be full time sailing around the world.. IF... and that was a big if... we liked the 22... and then now it's a IF... we like the cruiser and spend a few years on it... and then if things are going well, a blue water boat one day. We won't know until we know!
I think this really highlights just how big of a difference there actually is. The only thing I think you could have added would be storing the boat, as you could relatively easily store a 22 foot boat on any property, but a 28 foot boat requires a crane to take it out of the water and is usually left on land in the harbor.
That's a good point. We have paid $250-$360/month in marina fees for the larger boat. And another thing... when you get a bigger boat, you miss all the good things about the smaller boat!
@@AdventuresInParadiseThat's how you get away with owning two+ boats! 😂😂
Thanks.
Wait till your boat is big enough for a pilot house
I loved my ODay!
Size matters👍
I’ve got a trapper 500 27 ft . I could live on her no probs . It’s the engine keys her down not strong enough to get out of trouble
How much did the 28' cost you?
Great video. Do you feel the need or want to go even bigger? Or is this the best size for you both in the long term?
Very helpful. Thank you! Btw where did you get that great decal on the table!?
From 28 to 32 not much, it depends on opportunity to get best for money. But under 28 is to small and over 32 is to high for maintaining, docking and operating
Hi, could you tell me what year your o,day 28 is? It looks new ..all the ones I find are from the 80s
I strongly disagree with tiller argument. Tillers are much more responsive and easier to install autopilot. Sadly there is very little 40ft+ (only the old design ones f.e. Coling Archer) with a tiller. It takes no space once moored/docked/stationary. Wheels are expensive, ugly and require maintenance.
Good point, but we love the wheel. We use the cockpit table on each outing and sitting up high is great. It's not an argument, just people want what they want for their own reasons.
@@AdventuresInParadise I agree that different people like different things :) It was my opinion and I liked the response
I like this channel, nice people, nice boats but I have a question... Are we going to get to see some ocean passages? You two are like 27 years old right, so it's to early for retirement... 😉
Blessings from Sweden!
27... right lol. We want to take this boat to the Florida keys, but we have a shorter trip we're planning first. Thank you for watching in Sweden!
Great vid, dude. Very interesting and entertaining.
Everything is a compromise on a boat.
I have a 20 ft trailer sailer. I can go to different areas in the Nordics. Just use a normal boat ramp. A small outboard engine. No electrical system that can break. No toilet that can break. Yes, it is small. Like a floating tent. You more or less have to get a shore for heavy duty toilet task. But we have millions of islands and allemansrätten. So every night you either go to a guest harbour or dock bow to the cliffs. I almost never anchor from the bow.
Everything is dinghy sized and pretty cheap. When going up in size all forces squares. Everything gets ten times more expensive. And alot of stuff that can and will break at the wrong moment.
Trade offs.
My plan is to get a cal22 and then a j120
My advice is to skip the 22. You will be ready for the bigger boat in a month.
Nice balanced comparison! Has the new boat been significantly more maintenance than the 22 footer? Big learning curve learning/maintaining the new systems?
It's definitely more complicated. Yes, it will have more maintenance. I'll make another video a little down the road, maybe in six months... but for instance, I just spent $1,400 on an autopilot system and if I did the steering system maintenance and roller furling maintenance, three seacocks, waste system and plumbing, you get the idea. I'll make a 1st year cost video when we get there. At least much of the work was done inside with the AC on!
Thanks for good advice my friend from Alexandria la
What a fantastic video. Thank you for the info.
Thanks!
Great video. Thanks!
I can live on a 27ft ODay for an entire year, provided I have places to go, and islands to hop.
That makes sense!
This is a little random but you got a really good narration voice
You're not the first to say that, maybe I should try land a job doing it! :-) Thanks!
Can I ask where you got your bimini (unless Envision came with it!) We are looking at an Oday 28 and that bimini looks perfect... thanks in advance, GREAT content you've got on here!
Thank you! It came with it, but I think somebody local will just make one for you. The seller said the dodger came from west marine.
Science is baffled how farts can travel faster than sound in a small boat.
You mean to tell me that the difference between the two is that the bigger boat is bigger?!?! 🤯
Hey.. it took a lot of investigation to find that out.
LMAO 👍
I still consider a 28 Oday a small boat. I have a 25 Oday, I moored next to a 28 Oday and it was considerably larger than our 25 and more robust . I always liked the 28 Oday. I think I want a bigger boat than that though. The best think I can say about the smaller boats us you can take them out of the marina when hurricanes are a threat. The 25 is still big enough to be a pain trailering.
I like the like the Oday layout.
It's not bad for a 28-footer. Feels like the area you spend most of the time in, is plenty big for relaxing and hanging out.
So i guess you could say that Knot Enough was... not enough. LOL... i'll see myself out.