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Ericson 30-2 Owners

M

Mike T

Member I
Fellow Ericson Owners,
Would like to know if there are any other Ericson 30-2 Owners out there that follow this great site, I am contemplating setting up a registry of Ericson 30-2 owners,(maybe a little more agressive than the one at this site) as there where only 47 built. Planning to start an Ericson 30-2 web site, photos of owners yachts, upgrade's & projects,
Have a preliminary list of about approximately 25% of the Ericson 30-2's, via this site and a search of the net. I need to ask the help of other Ericson owners to help locate the rest of the E 30-2's. I am in the process of tooling up half-model wall plaque's which will include the Yacht's name, Owner's name and Hull number.
If you know of an E30-2 (outboard rudder / predecessor to the 30+) in your area, please forward to me the details / information on the yacht, or inform the yacht's owner to contact me. (or both)
Best Regards
Michael Tock
1978 Ericson 30-2 "Asgard"
 
D

Dave Tomasso

New Member
30-2

I also have a 30-2 1978 delta keel,outboard rudder Ericson.I have owned her for about 16 years.I have made alot of repairs and changes.I have only seen 1 other 30-2 on the upper to mid chesapeake bay.It is a great boat. Dave
 
G

Gary Mayfield

New Member
30-2 hull #30

I have an Ericson 30 outboard rudder, Josephine. I have had the boat for four years. The boat sails beyond anything I had hoped for. I sail in 30 mhp+ winds on San Francisco Bay a lot and she never lets me down. I had know idea there were only 47 made. I would like to know more about these boats. You can e-mail at gizmogjm@earthlink.net.
 
J

jeffshaeffer

Junior Member
E30-2

I bought Gary Mayfields E30-2 in March of 07 and really enjoy sailing her on the bay. We would love to get in contact with other E30-2 owners,and compare notes.Are there any in the bay area?:egrin:
 
F

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Does anyone know why only 47 were made? And what led them to abandon the E30-II in favour of the E30+?
Frank.
 
J

jeffshaeffer

Junior Member
From what I've been told ,it was cost of construction. It seems they put a lot of enginering into the E30-2,I think it may have been to coastly to build to be competitive with other boats in its class
 
S

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Other things

The 30-2 is also one of my faves. I like the MH rig, and even the outboard rudder.

But from a marketing viewpoint, the rudder was a HUGE no-no, and drove many prospective buyers away. Added to this was the fact that the fractional rig was becoming the rage-with the hype of "smaller" headsails- which of course was nonesense until the more recent frac boats with non-overlapping headsails-but that was the trend at the time.

Wheel steering was also very much in demand for boats larger than about 28' and again, the OB rudder made this installation "non-standard". It was doable of course, but it looked funky compared to the more common installations we see on the inboard rudder type boats.

These were the big reasons the 30-2 was tabled, but in planning a 30' replacement, we had the tooling, so it was easier and cheaper to modify the tooling, design for structure to work with the (then) nascent TAFG, design the new rig, etc, and create the 30+.

FWIW,

S
 
F

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Seth, why was the new 30+ called the "30 plus" rather than "30-3" to follow the 30-1 and the 30-2? I've not heard of any other boat builder using the "plus" designation for a new model--was that label intended to convey anything more than that it was a successor to the previous 30' boats?

And was the 30+ viewed more positively by the sailing community than the 30-2 (given your previous post) and did the 30+ fare better in the market place?

I love learning more about these boats!

Frank.
 
S

Seth

Sustaining Partner
30 stuff

The "+" designation instead of the 30-3 (or something else), I think, was intended to make a distinction between the 30-2 and the "new" boat. They did not want the public to feel this was just a warmed over 30-2.

This began the "+" series of boats-the 25+ and then the 28+, which were all intended to be viewed as a "series"-all frac rigs, delta keels, TAFG-sharing smilar qualities..

Yes, the 30+ was viewed much more positively in the market-largely because it fit the current trends without any eccentricities-it had the frac rig, "normal" rudder, etc.

And it was DEFINITELY a bigger commercial success-for the same reasons.

The 30-2 is a great boat, but is no doubt not for everyone!

Hope that helps,

S
 
F

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Thanks, Seth. That makes sense. Although we have only had our 1984 30+ for just under two years, we are really pleased with how she sails, both in light air and when we were out in 28 knot winds and 4-6 foot white-capped waves. Having owned two smaller boats in the last 15 years, this is the first time my wife refers to the boat as "our boat", and she has truly become a partner in sailing her. :egrin:

Were there many changes in the E30+ boats from when they were made in 1979 til production stopped, and if so, what changes and why were they made?

Thanks again.
Frank.
 
Loren Beach

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I have sometimes wondered about the naming conventions also.
Perhaps Ericson had decided that putting a "-3" on a model somehow made it harder to market. Sort of like saying that this was the third time they were trying to sell (almost) the same boat. :confused:
But maybe not... look at the popularity of the 35-3!

Others had done the "mk 3" thing, like the Cal 3-30, and it was *nothing* like the prior mk 1 or 2 designs at all.
Other builders have gone to metric length naming conventions to declare a new model for marketing, like S2, and remember that C&C got so concerned about market niche that they deliberately called their newer 30 foot design, in the late 70's, a "C&C 29" just to avoid confusion.

I would agree, that selling into a higher-end cruising market in the 80's with a transom rudder was tough. J Boats could sell their J-30 that way because they were marketing to a different niche entirely.

Strictly, IMHO, the larger irony was always that the E-30-2 was less expensive to build and to sell with the external rudder. And, easy to sail (rudder further aft is generally better for conrol on most sailboats). And, the cockpit was less crowded, too. [sigh]

However, if the buyers' want illogical equipment complication and maintenance expense, and are clamoring to pay more for it up front, that's what you sell 'em! ;)

'Twas Always Thus.

Loren

:thinker:
 
H

Halcyon

New Member
Halcyon E30-2

Currently berthed in Saint John, NB Canada. 1979 built, Original YSM 12 engine, wheel steering, refittted on the overhung rudder. Comfortable accommodations for overnight cruises, beautiful lines and rugged designed. Used for River and coastal cruising. Owned it for 2 years, imported from the Cheasapeak Bay. Just a beautiful and comfortable ride.
 
T

tripper_dave

Member II
Dragonfly 30-2 #25

Formerly Adidas out of TYC, Wilson, NY.
Now at QCYC in Toronto.
1978 with wheel and original YSM-12.
Haven't sailed her yet (tomorrow is the big day!)
Looking forward to racing and cruising this summer on Lake Ontario.
 
M

Mike H

Member I
30-2 Positive Results

Moored in Vancouver, wheel steering, in 5th year of ownership. If it ever warms up and stops raining this year, cruising beautiful B.C. waters.
 
H

Halcyon

New Member
Halcyon

French Quarter was hull # 45, built in May 1979. Formerly Halcyon and Times Passage. I am suspicious it was t-bone at one time of her life. She is still doing very well. She is going back in the water next week-end at the RKYC. See www.rkyc.nb.ca
 
Last edited:
C

css108

New Member
new owner of a 30-2 need some photos

just got the boat a few weeks ago and am in the process of moving it from rio vista to petaluma. it is a 1978 and if i have figured out the hull #id, it is hull #9. one of the issues i am facing is at some point someone stole the mast/boom connector. can anyone post some photos as to what the hell it is i am looking to replace, or even to spec what the original boom looked like as i have a feeling that the boom i have is a replacement. i'll be posting some photos as work progresses, the interior was shagged pretty bad, the exterior not so bad. looking forward to getting her out on the sf bay.
thanks
chris
 
E

Elitephotos

New Member
New owner

Hey everyone!I am a new owner of an Ericson 30-2. Hull #10. I would to love any feedback anyone might have. I also need some help with repairing/fixing the pulpit. It is slightly bent/cracked and part of the flanges are bent with the screws pulled out of the boat slightly.
 
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