Racing a 35-2

[Commodore_64]

I have a 1972 Ericson 35-2. I got new sails last year and have a clean bottom. The previous owner modified the center shrouds to be affixed outboard of the rails on the hull, as boats of this vintage are known to leak and affect the bulkheads. As a result, I can't get my jib sheets as far in as the original design. Which means I'm at least a few degrees if not more in my ability to point.

It's mostly a cruising boat, and I'm thinking of installing an inside track to be able to bring the jib in tighter, and I'm also considering an adjustable backstay.

But is it worth it? I'm just seemingly slow, both up and downwind. I've won our fleet in previous boats (Newport 30 and Catalina 22), but even with an NFS rating of 192 I cannot seem to place anything close to the top. What else can I do?

 

[Prairie Schooner]

What size jib? If the clew is forward of the shrouds you could rig a barber hauler (right term?).

 

[Commodore_64]

What size jib? If the clew is forward of the shrouds you could rig a barber hauler (right term?).

It's a 135%. The 150% that came with the boat was constantly fueled, so I went with the smaller size.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Around 35-33 AWA is about as close as we can go with our 35-3. How close can you get?

 

[gareth harris]

The original chainplate design certainly is prone to leaking, a situation made worse by the aft sides of the chainplates being covered with an unnecessary piece of mahogany so the leaking water has no way of drying. I removed those covers when I first got the boat, and in my rebuild I am intending to raise the deck core around the chainplate slightly so as to reduce the water flowing over it.

It ought to be possible for you to revert to the original design. It would in principle be easy to get a machine shop to fabricate chainplates,, although it would be necessary to provide the machine shop with an exact copy of where the holes need to be in order to to fit to the original bulkhead. I might be able to assist with that when I am next back with my boat in NY, although I am not sure when that will be. If the original bulkhead is rotten or delaminated then it would be good idea anyway to replace the rotten area.

To get the chainplate through the deck, I would approach it by cutting a few inches of deck core out either side of where the chainplate needs to sit, then creating a piece of solid core just smaller than the cleared area, cutting a hole in the solid core piece for the chainplate, then lining it up in position, and glassing it into place. It should not be outrageously expensive to have a yard do that part of the job and fill the bolt holes from your current chainplate.

As for difference it would make to pointing angle, all I can say is that my 135% has always been right up to the spreaders when close hauled

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972

 

[Commodore_64]

I don't have wind instrumentation installed, but I'm thinking it's closer to 40.

Around 35-33 AWA is about as close as we can go with our 35-3. How close can you get?

 

[Prairie Schooner]

We have 3 y.o. sails, 135 jib as well. I don't know if your handicap system is the same as ours, but our PHRF is 172, non-spinn. We only do a couple races a year at this point.

Maybe you could get an adjustment to your rating. Found this in a brief search:

35-2 phrf

i own a 1976 35-2 with non folding prop 30 hp atomic 150 genoa standard mainsail and spinnaker any info on phrf? thnx craig

ericsonyachts.org

So you only have a track on the toe rail? Do 35-2's usually have an inside track but yours was removed in the chainplate rehab? Adding that (back?) sounds a Lot easier than repositioning the chain plates.

If you were competitive in a C22, you've clearly got the chops to get on the podium with a decent boat.

 

[ConchyDug]

I'd tried inhauling the genoa, your limiting factor will be the shrouds obviously, so use the inhaler to pull the clew in for a tighter sheeting angle until the sail just touches the spreaders. Here is an article from UK sails about the idea behind it, it's geared towards non-overlapping jibs but you can haul a genoa as well. If the genoa is already touching the shrouds inhauling won't do anything.

Gaining Extra Height with Inhaulers - UK Sailmakers

Author: Barry Hayes

www.uksailmakers.com

The backstay will help flatten/depower sails but I'd say the inhauling will give you greater "ups".

 

[Christian Williams]

If the genoa overlaps the outboard shrouds, how would an inboard track help?

Or am I missing something.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Being unfamiliar with the rig, I swiped some images off the web.







Those are mighty wide spreaders. Moving the chainplates back to the deck wouldn't buy much. Rigging an inhaul might get you something, but the jib would be crowding the outermost shrouds. Same with an inboard track.

 

[Dave G.]

As Christian said, inner track will not help with your 135 head sail. You would have to use(buy?) a sail that will clear the shrouds to trim upwind and you still have an issue with the sheet and shrouds while trimming to different angles. Guess you could plan your next tack angle and move the lazy sheet inside or outside the shrouds ? IMHO the time you gain by tighter upwind angle may be cancelled out 95% of the time by the speed you lose on all other points of sail if you reduced the genoa to fit. Also make sure the head sail leach doesn't hit the spreaders when trimmed inside the shrouds.

 

[gareth harris]

I have a hydraulic backstay. The mast does not bend much, but tightening the backstay also tightens the forestay to some extent when the jib shows signs of deforming when close hauled.

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972

 

[steven]

On factory E35-2 jibs sheet for spec 110% is outside the shrouds. Chainplate outboard another inch or two at deck probably not limiting. Sail will first touch the lower spreader. Maybe your jib lead is too far aft for the selected headsail (which will over tighten the foot.

I have found that the E35-2 can outsail her phrf rating esp in spinnaker class and moderate winds.


-Steve

 

[steven]

Also, fastest to weather by footing. Don't try to point too high.
And downwind broad reach with jibes.
Someone once had polars for the E35-2. Don't remember who.

 

[gareth harris]

Someone once had polars for the E35-2. Don't remember who.

That was me. I may get a chance over the next few days to see if I have a digital copy with me.

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972

 

[oldfauser]

the 35-2 was originally set up for a "double head" rig - a genoa stay-sail and a jib top. The genoa stay-sail's were cut with a hollow leach and trimmed between the outboard upper shrouds and the lower inner lower shrouds. This setup never did point real high, but as soon as you could "crack" the sheets, say 45 or so apparent wind, they would just take off! I know, i watched them do it

Art

 

[Prairie Schooner]

the 35-2 was originally set up for a "double head" rig - a genoa stay-sail and a jib top. The genoa stay-sail's were cut with a hollow leach and trimmed between the outboard upper shrouds and the lower inner lower shrouds. This setup never did point real high, but as soon as you could "crack" the sheets, say 45 or so apparent wind, they would just take off! I know, i watched them do it

Art

Art,
What do you mean by "jib top"? That's a new term for me. And a really big staysail? Interesting.
Jeff

 

[Mark David]

....is that a 35 or 32 in the photo? Merry Christmas Art!

 

[oldfauser]

....is that a 35 or 32 in the photo? Merry Christmas Art!

That's a 35 And Merry Christmas Mark!

Art,
What do you mean by "jib top"? That's a new term for me. And a really big staysail? Interesting.
Jeff

A "jib top" is just a high clewed jib. A good picture is here: https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/cc-48-custom/

We used a "double head rig" on the C&C 30 I raced back in the day... and yes, a really big staysail that was unrated sail area

 

[kapnkd]

I have a 1972 Ericson 35-2. I got new sails last year and have a clean bottom. The previous owner modified the center shrouds to be affixed outboard of the rails on the hull, as boats of this vintage are known to leak and affect the bulkheads. As a result, I can't get my jib sheets as far in as the original design. Which means I'm at least a few degrees if not more in my ability to point.

It's mostly a cruising boat, and I'm thinking of installing an inside track to be able to bring the jib in tighter, and I'm also considering an adjustable backstay.

But is it worth it? I'm just seemingly slow, both up and downwind. I've won our fleet in previous boats (Newport 30 and Catalina 22), but even with an NFS rating of 192 I cannot seem to place anything close to the top. What else can I do?

As the long time owner of a ‘73 E32 II, I originally mostly used her for cruising.

My son got into racing in the early 90’s here in Michigan and with sail upgrades plus serious tweaking and improved gadgets (vanguard and controls) she became VERY competitive on our local racing scene.

We went from the laughter of here comes that Ericson to Damn!! Here comes that Ericson!

The similarities of our vintage 32 & 35 plus PHRF ratings should make you equally competitive as well so hang in there!!

We picked up several points to wind when we reinforced the cabin deck step to the keel with an added aluminum post.