Boat is listing to starboard while at dock

Martyn

Member II

• Jul 3, 2022

• #1

After six months on a mooring I’ve just recently brought my Ericson 38 200 into a marina and it’s now docked. This morning I noticed that it was listing to starbord and the waterline was about 8 inches higher on the portside of the boat than on the starboard side of the boat. I pumped the bilges and filled the water tanks to make sure that the boat was well equalized but the problem persists. Has anyone experienced this or do you have any troubleshooting tips for me to try? Thank you.

 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR

Senior Moderator

Blogs Author

• Jul 3, 2022

• #2

Mid engine model? (i.e. under that galley cabinet?) A friend of mine has that year of E-38, and his floats level. Or, close enough not to notice a list. Is this a new "list" ??
Something been added to the interior on that side? Like, more or different batteries under the starb. settee?

Some research might be needed. "Boat Listing CSI"........

 

Martyn

Member II

• Jul 3, 2022

• #3

Yep under the galley cabinet. After analyzing it further with a friend standing on the dock I think it is a weight distribution issue. Principal locker and easiest storage inside the boat is all on the starboard side, so tools batteries and spare parts all tend to end up on the starboard side of the boat which I think is causing it to list. When my friend stands on the port side the difference in the waterline is noticeable so it doesn’t take much to change the equilibrium it appears. I think I’m just noticing this now because the boat is in the Marina for the first time and I never noticed it while it was on the mooring because I never had a chance to see it from all angles at the same time.

 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles

Senior Moderator

Blogs Author

• Jul 3, 2022

• #4

True of the 381, too. Full starboard 40-gallon water tank results in list. Full fuel tank (under port quarterberth) helps to even things out. For esthetics I keep the starboard water tank low level, since there's a bow water tank as backup.

It doesn't affect sailing, but the list does look kinda weird at the dock.

 

Martyn

Member II

• Jul 3, 2022

• #5

Good to know and appreciate the feedback! Being off the mooring and in a marina is a paradigm shift and a game changer! So happy.

 

dhill

Member III

• Jul 3, 2022

• #6

My Ericson 35-3 also lists slightly to starboard. Glad to hear I’m not the only one. The boat sails well on both tacks.

 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member

Blogs Author

• Jul 3, 2022

• #7

My unsubstantiated pet theory is that our boats are all intended to default to Northern Hemisphere passage-making, where a starboard tack is the ‘normal’ mode.

But, 8 inches different? That seems tough to understand. I can even mine out by draining the starboard water tanks and keeping the port side full.

 

kapnkd

kapnkd

• Jul 4, 2022

• #8

Martyn said:

After six months on a mooring I’ve just recently brought my Ericson 38 200 into a marina and it’s now docked. This morning I noticed that it was listing to starbord and the waterline was about 8 inches higher on the portside of the boat than on the starboard side of the boat. I pumped the bilges and filled the water tanks to make sure that the boat was well equalized but the problem persists. Has anyone experienced this or do you have any troubleshooting tips for me to try? Thank you.

Click to expand...

Think you may find it a common problem across the board. When we bought our 32’ in ‘73, it also listed slightly. I first added a couple 50lb sandbags to the port side salon storage which basically fixed it.

Years later, the gimbaled stove was replaced with a lighter weight microwave, Adler barber refrigeration instead of ice and a third battery was added to the port side. The sandbags are no longer needed and gone in favor of a little more storage space.

 

N

nquigley

Sustaining Member

• Jul 4, 2022

• #9

Are we really saying that Bruce King designed an intentional list to starboard, in any of his boats, let along across several designs, over many years? I haven't noticed a list on mine - in a slip at all times. But now I'm gonna have to look closely :-|
I also can't believe that a noticeable list in the slip doesn't translate to tack-dependent differential sailing performance - for one thing, the boat would point better on starboard than port if there was a standing list to starboard.

 

Martyn

Member II

• Jul 4, 2022

• #10

Well it's more a weight distribution issue than a design issue. But the fact that the cockpit locker is massive but only on the starboard side plus all of the stowage in the saloon is most easily accessed on the starboard side means that naturally I've loaded up the starboard with gear, tools, and parts for convenience sake.

Unless I'm missing something and I have a serious issue!! But the bilge is clear, all tanks are topped off and so therefore balanced, and even one person moving from port to starboard changes the wetted surface of the hull by about 2 inches. So it does seem sensitive to weight balance.

 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles

Senior Moderator

Blogs Author

• Jul 4, 2022

• #11

The Ericson hull form is sensitive to weight distribution. Not true of a Thames barge....

 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR

Senior Moderator

Blogs Author

• Jul 4, 2022

• #12

More site comments regarding "listing".

list to starboard?

I read through the survey of a 1989 E38 that Ted Reshetiloff posted in an earlier thread, and was interested to see that the surveyor noted a slight list to starboard. My '88 E38 also has a slight list to starboard, no matter how I adjust stowage, fill or drain tanks, etc. And last summer, in...

ericsonyachts.org

 

S

supersailor

Contributing Partner

• Jul 4, 2022

• #13

My E-34 has lead ingots glassed to the hull just ahead of the starboard side of the fuel tank. The boat sits level.

 

S

supersailor

Contributing Partner

• Jul 4, 2022

• #14

Oops. I meant port side. I'm a bit addled today.

 

Joliba

1988 E38-200 Contributing Member

• Jul 5, 2022

• #15

Our E 38-200 has always listed to starboard as well… a few inch difference between port and starboard waterlines. When on a dock tied to starboard stepping off is easier, like one of those city busses that squats down.

 

David Grimm

E38-200

• Jul 5, 2022

• #16

Mine too! However the wind will also make it list at the dock as well. Fill the quater birth with a dighny, life raft, drogue, extra solar panel, guitar and such. Then mount the 2.5hp outboard to the port rail and she should start to straighten out.