Ericson Sailboat ,, Airex cored hull,, Construction/Quality?

[Jasper NH]

Looking to purchase a boat, again.. oops! I recently sold a full keel
classic plastic, nice looking but slow poke. boat. So, I come across an
Ericson. I don't know boo or boat about the Ericson. This boat was built
in 1978, and has a cored hull; Airex cored hull. She has a balsa core deck,
pretty standard there.. She is in nice shape. Not big boo boo's. Lots of
equipment. She is a racer more than a cruiser. I'm a cruiser, but willing
to compromise. She does not have lots of cruiser comfort, which is fine
with me.. she weighs out at about 10,000 lbs. I weigh out at xxxx .
Any how.. if you know the quality of construction? The Ericson? I
am most interested in the hull, deck, et all. How well were these boats
built? Will she stand up? Do you think she can take some bluewater
sailing? One fellow who knows the boat said "you can go anywhere, she
is tough enough". I guess the Aires hull gives her stiffness without
weight. She sure would be a big difference from my old Bristol 32, and
the former Pearson Vanguard.. she can actually beat someone.

But remember,, I am just a cruising sailor.. so think that way.

Ericson opinion.. wellcome aboard.
ps. Merry Christmas from me ..

 

[Ross]

Airex core is very tough and completely durable. If it was properly bonded it is nearly imposible to break that bond.
I know nothing about Ericson boats.

 

[Roger Long]

The boat I looked at before I bought Strider was a larger completely outfitted and beautiful looking Erickson of about the same age for an incredible price. There were a dozen sails in good to excellent condition. Everyting was perfect except the balsa core in the deck which was completely watersoaked and turned to mush in all the critical areas and beyond.

Be very careful.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

We had a Ericson 27 for many years and it was/is a well-built boat that held up well but the hull was solid glass. I was not aware that Ericson made cored hulls but if true, that shouldn't be a concern as long as the bond is sound which you can confirm upon survey. I wouldn't call her a racer as most if not all Es had modified full keels which helps pointing at the expense of speed which was born out in our PHRF numbers.

 

[jimg]

Ericson

I owned two different Ericsons for a total of about 14 years. I have been in both the old Ericson factory and the Pacific Seacraft one after they were sold. and have spoken with Don Kohlman,one of the owners. I don't know of any 1978 Ericson model with a cored hull. Could you please be more specific as to which model you are looking at. Some Ericsons, like the 34T and the Ron Holland designed 36 were built more to a racing rule, but most were not. The 35-2 did do very well in a lot of races, however, in spite of the fat keel and short rudder.

 

[Eddie7045]

I give Ericsons high marks for construction.

Generally they are superior among the production boats in quality of construction. They are also fast due to the fact that they are a compromise between racing and comfort. They are a little less roomy inside due to this compromise but if you are good with the interior you are going to love the other aspects.

One peculiarity that other Ericson owners as well as myself noticed is that they tend to fishtail going downwind (broad reaching and running) requiring more attention to the helm downwid than other makes. This bothered me a little at first being that I am a lazy cruising type but I was less bothered by it as I became accustomed to it and it became an insignificant nuisense.

 

[Jasper NH]

Re: Ericson

This is one of only a few boats that Ericson built with airex core in the hull.
Light but stiff, that is what I'm told. Length is 34 .. she is a racing boat,
but she does have the basics of cruising so I am thinking of compromise.
Loads of equipment, lots of sails.. that sort of thing.. I'd be going from a
old and slow to a fast and fast..

 

[jimg]

Ericson

The 34 was a racer/cruiser with the emphasis on race. It is a faster boat than the 35-2 of the same era. In PHRF around here the 34 rates from 125 to 144, depending on which variation. The 35-2 rates 150 .

If it has a pointy stern, that's the fast one. It's lighter than the 35 and has a longer waterline. The 35-2 has more sail area but a less efficient keel and rudder. What you are describing should be a fun boat!

 

[sailingdog]

Airex is a pretty solid choice as core materials go. The Southern Cross line of boats also used Airex, as do quite a few of the custom multihulls I've worked on.

Ericsons have a pretty good reputation for solid construction and fairly decent craftsmanship overall. An acquaintance of mine just bought a larger Ericson and sailed her back to Oz earlier this year.

 

[newly anonymous]

great boat. check for soft spots in deck, especially forward of mast, and check for dry rot in bulkheads around chainplates. the chainplates themselves may need replacement if the boat has been sailed hard.

 

[higgs]

It would seem the jury is in.

 

[BobM]

Very unusual design. It will certainly be a big difference from you old boat!

http://www.bestfurnituresource.com/ericson1.html

 

[Tim R.]

I can attest to the build quality of Ericson boats. They are fast, strong designs that have stood the test of time. My '85 35-3 is an excellent racer/cruiser.

If I recall correctly Boatworks did a complete refit of a 34T before stopping publication. Contact Sail magazine as they may be able to supply you with the complete article.