sv Tally Ho! 1988 O'Day 322 Home Port - East Chicago, IN

04/17/22

y first sailboat was a 1996 Hunter 280 that I purchased in 2011. I had no real sailing experience before buying the H280, but I learned a lot with her, including how to do some maintenance tasks and how to single-hand.  She was really a great starter boat for me.  But I always wanted a 30+ foot boat, and I wanted something a little more character (the interior of the H280 has a lot of plastic).

When I was looking for a boat in 2011, I inspected a 1988 O'Day 322 at a brokerage in Holland, MI.  As I drove home after inspecting the O'Day, I was sure this was the boat. Alas, by the time I was ready to make an offer (this would have been my first boat purchase and I was a little apprehensive), she was sold to someone else.  I was really depressed.

That is when I found the H280, and determined not to miss out on another opportunity, I purchased her on the first visit to see her (a little compulsive, I know).   That is how I ended up with "Obsession",  the 1996 Hunter 280.  I sailed her for a few years, enjoyed learning what she could do, what I could do and in general learning how to sail.  She was a low maintenance, easy-to-sail boat and a very good choice for my first boat.
ventually "2-foot-itice" crept in, and I was considering a bigger boat.  In mid-2014, I got an email from the couple who had purchased the O'Day 322 "out from under me" back in 2011...and they have moved and needed to sell the O'Day.   A quick re-inspection of Tally Ho, a haul-out to verify a few things below the water line, and bang! I owned 2 boats. 

The Admiral was not too happy about owning a "fleet", but in truth, I only owned 1 boat...1/2 of the Hunter and 1/2 of the O'Day. I had taken on a boat partner (a good friend who I sailed with all of the time), and so we purchased the O'Day, with the intention of selling the Hunter.  So I kept telling the Admiral that we really only owned 1 boat!

Tom and I brought the O'Day home from Holland, MI over Labor Day weekend in 2014.  We were fortunate to sell the Hunter a month later before having to put 2 boats into winter storage.  Tally Ho! is a great boat, with a lot of character but also with more maintenance needs than our 10-year newer Hunter.  Luckily, I think I learned a lot about boat systems and maintenance while doing maintenance on the Hunter.

I will try to post some videos of the various maintenance projects and upgrades we will be making to Tally Ho!.  This spring, I replaced the strut bearing, will repack the stuffing box, add a new Mack Pack sail cover, replace the insulation in the engine compartment and a few other projects.

More recently, I have replaced the propeller shaft, coupling and shaft hose.  I replaced the toilet discharge hose, pulled the holding tank to rebed the fittings, and finally, installed a new Tides Marine SailTrack to go with a new full-batten, loose footed mainsail!

Check our my YouTube channel for the most recent videos.