Hi my name is Bruce Telford contacting you from New Zealand. We have seen an ericson 29 yacht for sale here in New Zealand it was built apparently by Ericson <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=boats&v=56">boats</a> USA. There are no other of these type <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=boats&v=56">boats</a> for sale here, it mayeven be the only one in the country. No one seems to know anything about these <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=boats&v=56">boats</a> couldyou please help us. We want to know the purpose they were designed for, who designed them? in the USA is ericson a good quality of boat or a poor one? how thick and strong are the hulls, are the decks made of full fiber glass or are they glass over ply? are there still any parts available for these boats? What is a boat like this worth in the USA? they are asking $40,000 N.Z dollars for it here. Many thanks Bruce Telford
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I have one
Bruce, I have a 1971 Ericson 29 and am very happy with it. Boat was designed by Bruce King. Hull is solid glass, no core, decks are balsa core. From what I have heard this is an area of concern as water gets in around deck hardware and rots out the deck. I have a few areas with this problem I need to get around to fixing. I am very happy with mine as she sails well and is pretty stable. She seems fast for her size which is what I have heard from other owners as well. Designed as a racer/cruiser to go fast in reasonable comfort. Boat is built well and very solid, hulls are reported to be extra thick as boats were overbuilt in the 70s. The other thing to look at is the engine as they came with a gasoline Atomic 4. Mine was dead when I bought it and ended up replacing with a new Universal diesel. As far as parts its an old boat so it depends. The new engine took a little work to get to fit but no problem. I needed a new gooseneck which took some effort to find. Otherwise I think most parts on the boat are interchangeable with new market parts. Line is line and a block is a block. Overall I have nothing bad to say about Ericsons and without fail everything I have heard from other Ericson owners is the same. A good old boat, I recommend it.
Bruce, I have a 1971 Ericson 29 and am very happy with it. Boat was designed by Bruce King. Hull is solid glass, no core, decks are balsa core. From what I have heard this is an area of concern as water gets in around deck hardware and rots out the deck. I have a few areas with this problem I need to get around to fixing. I am very happy with mine as she sails well and is pretty stable. She seems fast for her size which is what I have heard from other owners as well. Designed as a racer/cruiser to go fast in reasonable comfort. Boat is built well and very solid, hulls are reported to be extra thick as boats were overbuilt in the 70s. The other thing to look at is the engine as they came with a gasoline Atomic 4. Mine was dead when I bought it and ended up replacing with a new Universal diesel. As far as parts its an old boat so it depends. The new engine took a little work to get to fit but no problem. I needed a new gooseneck which took some effort to find. Otherwise I think most parts on the boat are interchangeable with new market parts. Line is line and a block is a block. Overall I have nothing bad to say about Ericsons and without fail everything I have heard from other Ericson owners is the same. A good old boat, I recommend it.
Decks
While I have a larger and newer Ericson, the reputation is a solidly constructed boat. You will find the E-29 comfortably fast for its size and age. As for the balsa cored decks, go into the salon and vee berth. Is the header vinyl? If yes, you are in luck. Repairing a moist deck on almost all sailboats is expensive and may result in rings from coring that do not match the colour of the deck. Not so on an Ericson. Deck moisture is repaired friom below - just drop the vinyl header, make the repair and reinstall the header. If this E-29 has an Atomic 4, there are parts and rebuilders. Universal built the Atomic 4. Universal, now part of Westerbeke, maintains owner manuals and shop manuals and maybe parts sources. For its time the Atomic 4 was the most successful gasoline engine in the world for sailboats of this size and weight. But now none are new. Good luck and keep us posted.
While I have a larger and newer Ericson, the reputation is a solidly constructed boat. You will find the E-29 comfortably fast for its size and age. As for the balsa cored decks, go into the salon and vee berth. Is the header vinyl? If yes, you are in luck. Repairing a moist deck on almost all sailboats is expensive and may result in rings from coring that do not match the colour of the deck. Not so on an Ericson. Deck moisture is repaired friom below - just drop the vinyl header, make the repair and reinstall the header. If this E-29 has an Atomic 4, there are parts and rebuilders. Universal built the Atomic 4. Universal, now part of Westerbeke, maintains owner manuals and shop manuals and maybe parts sources. For its time the Atomic 4 was the most successful gasoline engine in the world for sailboats of this size and weight. But now none are new. Good luck and keep us posted.
E29 blog
Hi Bruce, Here is a web site from a Norwiegian sailing around the world in an Erickson 29. www.trafficated.com He made it as far as Bora Bora, I believe, where he has swallowed the hook. This might give you an insight into the quality of this boat. Fair winds and full sails, Pappy Jack
Hi Bruce, Here is a web site from a Norwiegian sailing around the world in an Erickson 29. www.trafficated.com He made it as far as Bora Bora, I believe, where he has swallowed the hook. This might give you an insight into the quality of this boat. Fair winds and full sails, Pappy Jack
40,000 N.Z. dollars
Hi Bruce, It's me again. I just did a search on the exchange rate between N.Z. and U.S. It would seen that your $40,000 equalls about $27,000 U.S. This might be a bit high, at least here in the U.S. If it's a top quality boat it could be worth it. Natually I would try to haggle the price down. Who knows, you could get 10,000 knocked off the asking price. Good luck, Pappy Jack
Hi Bruce, It's me again. I just did a search on the exchange rate between N.Z. and U.S. It would seen that your $40,000 equalls about $27,000 U.S. This might be a bit high, at least here in the U.S. If it's a top quality boat it could be worth it. Natually I would try to haggle the price down. Who knows, you could get 10,000 knocked off the asking price. Good luck, Pappy Jack
Ericson 29
Bruce, For comparison I'm selling my Ericson 29. Photos and full specs. can be sen at www.brickcovemarina.com. It's a fine sailing boat good luck. Bob
Bruce, For comparison I'm selling my Ericson 29. Photos and full specs. can be sen at www.brickcovemarina.com. It's a fine sailing boat good luck. Bob
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